If you are suffering from back or joint pain, you may be considering a chiropractor to help with your problems. However, you may not be sure what will be involved. Here are some of the more common methods a chiropractor may use.

Spinal manipulation

This is one of the most common techniques and is quite safe when carried out by a trained chiropractor. In this procedure, the chiropractor will use their hands to manipulate a particular joint in the spine in order to restore mobility. An injury to the tissues around the joints will have caused them to become stiff and restricted in their movements, so the controlled force applied by the chiropractor should restore the joint's mobility and allow the tissues to heal. You may feel sore or tender afterwards but this should not last for long.

Exercises

After examining your musculoskeletal system, your chiropractor may also recommend a set of exercises for you to carry out to restore the mobility to your joints. These are likely to take the form of stretching exercise which will relax the muscles in the problem area and improve blood flow, helping to alleviate pain and restore mobility.

Foot orthotics

Another form of chiropractic treatment is foot orthotics. These are special inserts that you wear in your shoe in order to keep the feet in the correct positions. This will provide support and improve your posture, which should not only help alleviate heel pain but also help with aches and pains in your back and other parts of the body.

Heat packs

A chiropractor may use more traditional techniques to treat your muscle pain, such as the application of heat or ice, which will either increase or restrict the blood flow depending on the exact type of injury.

Lifestyle advice

Finally, it may be that your problems stem from bad habits in your life — for example, unhealthy eating, poor posture caused by slumping in front of a computer screen all day, or stress. You chiropractor will be able to give you advice on how to break these habits and make changes to your day-to-day activities. This should improve your overall health, which may be enough to solve your problems with pain and mobility.

Your chiropractor will decide your treatment through discussion with you. If you feel that this might be the right kind of treatment for you, just get in touch with a chiropractor.