The diagnosis and treatment of patients who suffer from problems with the musculoskeletal structure will be done by chiropractors
. They will then treat the result those problems have had on the nervous system and on the general health of the patient. Most of their treatments deal with the spinal column and the movement of it and that is their main concern.
The practitioner will discuss the patient's general health and any history of illness that they may have, and will also do physical, orthopedic as well as neurological examinations. Lab tests may be ordered. To confirm proper function of the spine and due to the fact that their practice is so dependent on the condition of the spine, a chiropractor will use x-rays as well as other tools to enable them to make a diagnosis. They use special methods to analyze the spine as well as the posture of their patients. They will normally manually adjust the patient's spine if the problem lies there.
Practitioners often counsel patients regarding their exercise regimes, their nutrition, how to deal with stress and how to go about making changes to their lifestyle. Prescribed medication and the performance of surgery will not be done by them.
These practitioners believe that spinal vertebrae are uneven because of the usual stresses of life and the result of this manifests itself in a range of physical and mental conditions. They relieve stress and indications of the unevenness by doing physical therapy of the vertebrae or by regulating the spine.
Alternative therapies which often include the use of massage, acupuncture, heat and water are also used. Braces, straps and tape will also be used as extra supports if required. Some practitioners will choose to specialize in other areas like sports damage, nutritional control or in orthopedics.
The choices for persons who have qualified as chiropractors are varied. They can open a solo practice or join a practice that is established with several other practitioners in the medical world. There are also opportunities in larger health-care services.