Chiropractic vs Physiotherapy
Your local chiropractor serving Chatswood, NSW and surrounds.
Whats the difference between chiropractic medicine and physiotherapy?
Your sister may see a physiotherapist, and your father a chiropractor. Both come highly recommended, so who do you choose to help manage your aches and pains, and what are the differences between them?
Chiropractic care in Chatswood, NSW
A Chiropractor is an allied health professional. Chiropractors manage, diagnose, treat, and prevent ailments of the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, and muscles). Chiropractors have an array of techniques in their arsenal to reduce pain, improve bodily function, increase mobility and improve overall health. They have a focus on neck and back pain, but when they assess patients, they take their entire physical, emotional and social wellbeing into account. As well as manual treatment, chiropractors are able to offer several aspects of care which include consulting on patient self-help, lifestyle changes and exercise prescription. Chiropractic treatment involves safe, often gentle, specific spinal manipulation to free joints in the spine or other areas of the body that are not moving optimally. Apart from manipulation, chiropractors may use a variety of techniques including ice, heat, ultrasound, exercise and acupuncture as well as advice about posture and lifestyle. Chiropractors are best known for treating back and neck pain, which they do expertly, however patients also consult chiropractors regarding a wide range of other, related conditions.
Physiotherapy in Chatswood, NSW
A physiotherapist assesses your pain, provides a diagnosis and clearly explains what’s wrong to the patient while considering their general health, activities, and lifestyle. They can improve a patients pain with several different ‘active’ therapies, such as exercise programs and hydrotherapy. Physiotherapists also administer ‘passive’ therapies, such as massage, joint manipulation, and mobilisation (by increasing movement of a joint). Physiotherapists may also double as clinical pilates instructors and often will prescribe these exercises in a small group setting or one-on-one.
Who should I see to help with my sports injury?
Some people may choose to not consult with either a chiropractor or a physiotherapist and head straight back into their sport after resting after an injury for a set period of time. Without consulting with an allied health professional, you’re potentially left with a significant risk of re-injury or you may struggle with chronic pain and problems later on in life. Unfortunately all too often older patients can be left informing the chiropractor or physiotherapist that they hurt themselves when they were younger and didn’t seek proper treatment so they just carried on playing and now are struggling with pain. Both physiotherapists and chiropractors have the same goal of getting you back to your fully functioning self, but use slightly different approaches.
Both allied health approaches have their own fair share of advantages. It’s dependant on the type of healing you are in search of and which approach you are most comfortable with. To learn more about chiropractic care and its benefits, contact James at Body Therapy Chiropractic or book a chiropractic appointment or free phone consultation today!
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