Are you suffering from mild to severe pain and discomfort? Whether it is your knees, hands, neck, back, fingers, toes, or another part of the body that hurts, you may be ready to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. This is nice, but have you considered chiropractic care? If not, you should. It is similar, but also very different from traditional medical care. How?

Natural versus Artificial

Over the past few years, a lot of focus has been placed on natural and organic. Many Americans are making the switch to all natural and organic foods and supplements. This nice, but many of those same people turn to traditional forms of medicine and over-the-counter pain relievers to seek relief. This is not natural. Chiropractic care is. Chiropractors may use x-rays and MRIs to diagnose a problem and decide on a course of treatment, but that treatment is done with the precision of the hands. It is manual therapy.

Medications

Medications are commonly prescribed in traditional forms of medical care. They are not with chiropractic care. In fact, chiropractors are unable to write prescriptions. Some believe this is because they “aren’t enough of a doctor.” This is not true. The main reason for their inability to write prescriptions is because they do not believe in their use. Patients are not discouraged from seeking temporarily pain relief with over-the-counter products, but it is only temporary. Chiropractors prefer to make adjustments to treat the problem of pain at it source, not mask the problem with prescription medication.

Side Effects

In keeping with medication, it is important to note the side effects. They are common. It is rare to find a prescribed pain reliever without side effects. Even little side effects, such as an upset stomach or dizziness, can have a profound impact on your life. When seeking medical care, you want to seek relief, not have a new set of problems to deal with. That is why chiropractic care is best to treat pain, discomfort, and decreased mobility. Since there are no drugs prescribed, you will not experience side effects. But, you will get positive effects from either proper adjustments or therapeutic massages.

Safety

In terms of safety, there are little to no risks associated with chiropractic care. In fact, care is recommended for individuals of all ages. Both those young and old can benefit from chiropractic care. With traditional medical care, there are more risks present. Many of the medications prescribed are only safe for certain individuals. For example, those under the age of 4 can rarely seek safe pain relief from over-the-counter or prescribed medications. They can, however, get a safe therapeutic massage or undergo a safe realignment to treat pain and discomfort.

Complications

Chiropractors cannot perform surgery. In most cases, it is not needed. Patients who seek medical care experience pain, discomfort, and decreased mobility. As previously stated, realignment or a therapeutic massage may do the trick. Since surgery is only considered a last resort and performed by surgeon, there is little risk of complications. Surgery opens up a world of complications, including the invasion of germs and infection. Since the body is naturally healed using manual therapy, complications are non-existent.

NOTE: Chiropractors encourage those suffering from pain, discomfort, and difficultly moving to seek chiropractic care. What they don’t encourage is avoiding all traditional forms of medical care. Some conditions, such as the flu, cancer, and diabetes cannot be treated with manual therapy. Never put your health at risk. Chiropractic care is best to treat pain and discomfort. Always keep your primary care physician in mind for other non-pain related medical problems.

In short, there are many differences between chiropractic care and medical care. So, which should you opt for? If you suffer from pain or experience difficulty moving, contact a local chiropractor. See what they can do for you. Since there are little to no risks, you have nothing to lose.