As Primary Healthcare Providers, Chiropractors Do More Than Just Have Your Back
Most people think that chiropractors do nothing more than align the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors have more services to offer than just joint pain relief. If you are looking for a primary healthcare provider, consider using your chiropractor instead of seeking out a medical doctor. As a matter of fact, people who use their chiropractors as their primary healthcare providers are significantly less likely to need hospitalization, prescription drugs, or surgery!
Primary Healthcare Provider?
A primary care provider is a doctor who examines patients, performs and analyzes tests, diagnoses conditions, and prescribes treatment plans. General practitioners are not the only health professionals who can serve as primary care physicians, however. Other health professionals who offer this service include specialized doctors, like internists and obstetricians, and also physician assistants, nursing assistants, osteopathic physicians, and chiropractors.
Why Should You Use Your Chiropractor as Your Primary Healthcare Provider?
Chiropractors are skilled medical professionals well-versed in more than just the back and skeletal system. Some chiropractors even specialize; the most common specialties are sports injuries, neurophysiology, nutrition, and first aid.
To become a licensed chiropractor, a person must study premedical sciences at a four-year college, graduate from an accredited chiropractic college, and then complete four or five years of professional clinical experience. This rigorous education more than prepares a chiropractor for a career as a primary healthcare provider.
If you are generally healthy but suffer from musculoskeletal pains, like back aches, a chiropractor can provide more relevant primary care than a different kind of doctor could offer. If, during one of your appointments, your chiropractor discovers a health issue that needs invasive treatment or prescription management, your chiropractor can refer you to another healthcare provider.
Another benefit of seeing a chiropractor as your primary healthcare provider instead of a medical doctor is the cost savings. A doctor's appointment for minor health problems costs about $68, but the price varies by location and hospital. On the other hand, a chiropractic appointment can cost as little as $25--and you get an adjustment on top of your primary treatment!
Other Services That Chiropractors Typically Offer
Along with musculoskeletal adjustments, non-specializing chiropractors routinely offer assistance for other injuries and disorders.
- Lifestyle Adjustments: Chiropractors are more than willing to give you advice about your daily habits and ways that you can live a healthier life. Your chiropractor can recommend dietary changes, steer you in an exercise direction compatible with your issues, and recommend supplements and vitamins.
- Pregnancy Care: If you are pregnant, your chiropractor can make your nine month journey more enjoyable and pain-free. Your chiropractor can also preemptively address pelvic balance issues, relieve lower back pain from your bump, and decrease inflammation.
- Stress Management: Researchers estimate that 75-90% of all primary healthcare appointments stem from stress-related causes. Your chiropractor can address your underlying stress by relieving nerve inflammation, muscle tension, bone pressure, and tissue damage.
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