Chiropractic Care

What is a Chiropractor?

Doctors of chiropractic, also known as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians, are trained to use a hands-on therapy called manipulation, or adjustment of the spine, as the centerpiece of their clinical care. Treatments using spinal manipulation date back to ancient Greece, but the modern practice of chiropractic was founded in the U.S. in the 1890s.

Today's practitioners are trained through accredited chiropractic colleges and must have a state license to practice. It's important to know that chiropractors aren't licensed to perform major surgery or prescribe medications, and their overall scope of practice - including laboratory tests and other diagnostic procedures -- varies by state. Check with your state's department of professional regulation if you want to know the full extent of care a chiropractor is permitted to offer in your state.