Physician

A physician—also known as a doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor—practices maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury. You may go to your physician when you feel sick, get injured, experience any unknown symptoms, or for annual checkups.  A physician applies prior medical knowledge to accurately diagnose your ailment. They may prescribe medications for your ailment or may provide healthier lifestyle recommendations.

There are many different types of physicians who each have a specific scope of practice. It is common for a physician to refer you to another physician who specializes in another area. Examples of different physicians include pediatricians, internists, and surgeons, just to name a few. Just as physicians refer patients among themselves, physicians also refer to other medical experts such as a chiropractor or a physical therapist, dependent on the diagnosis and needed care.

Chiropractor

Chiropractic is a health care profession that diagnoses, treats and assists in the prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine. It is believed that these disorders affect your general health via the nervous system. A chiropractor’s purpose is to restore function and stability to your spine. They do this by realigning the vertebrae in your spine using spinal manipulation. This releases tension in your spine, and allows for muscles to be relaxed. Pain associated with the misalignment, such as back pain, neck pain, and headaches, is relieved.

A chiropractor also affects your nervous system. The nervous system consists of your brain and spinal cord. The brain is at the very top of your nervous system, and the spinal cord runs down the length of your spine. Your nervous system controls every muscle, organ and cell of your body. With correct alignment of the spine, it allows the brain to talk to every part of your body which promotes better movement, balance, and nerve function.