Difference Between A Chiropractor and a Physical Therapist

What is a Chiropractor and How Do They Differ from A Physical Therapist?

There are a lot of different positions regarding this subject and it can be a little confusing.

In this article we will explore the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist.

So, What is the Difference Between a Chiropractor and a Physical Therapist?

The first step in getting relief from pain is to decide what type of medical specialist you are going to see.

In order to make this decision, you need to know the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist.

There are several differences to understand, but the most important are treatment philosophy, education and clinical expertise.

Treatment Philosophy of Chiropractic

When it comes to treatment approach for patients in pain, both chiropractors and physical therapist take different approaches to care plans.

Chiropractors will focus on the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system and the effects compromises in these systems have on patient’s health.

The symptoms that chiropractic care can help with include headaches, neck pain, back pain and other pains in joints legs and arms.

Chiropractors use a hands-on approach in terms of health history, examination, diagnosis and treatment.

Chiropractic treatment will consist of diagnostic studies, orthopedic testing and radiology in order to establish a treatment plan which may include rehabilitative exercise, nutrition and lifestyle counseling.

In order to help to alleviate the patients’ pain and discomfort, the chiropractor will employ manual manipulation or spinalmanipulation. The purpose of spinal manipulation is to realign the joints, restoring proper joint motion thereby alleviating muscle tension and reducing pain.

Physical therapists will evaluate and treat to restore movement and function which is typically strength, range of motion and balance.

Physical therapists, also known as PT’s, use this information to develop a rehabilitative treatment plan from issues related to disease, injury or even environmental factors.

PT’s promote health through identification of risk factors which are likely to cause or exacerbate problems.

Although chiropractors and physical therapist use different techniques, they use their clinical expertise to help patients and alleviate pain.

Chiropractors Education

In order to become a licensed chiropractor or PT, a very long educational program must be completed.

In order to become a chiropractor, the individual candidate must earn a Doctorate in Chiropractic medicine and can take anywhere from 6-8 years to complete. This includes 5200 hours of instruction and 3-4 years of undergraduate training.

After undergraduate school, the candidate will enroll in chiropractic school and will have an educational period over 3-4 years, a residency period of one year. They will then be tested both on a National Board Exams before taking their selected State Board Exams.

Physical therapists who earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy will take a seven-year program.

This typically includes 3500 hours of instruction 4 years of undergrad school, three years of grad school in physical therapy along with a 30-week internship and successful completion of a National Physical Therapy Examination.

Chiropractors Clinical Expertise

Both chiropractors and physical therapists have specialization in diagnosing and treatment of their patients, they do have different areas of specialty.

Chiropractors are experts at spinal manipulation and spinal adjustments. This includes soft tissue manipulation and joint manipulation. Chiropractors use this knowledge to develop treatment plans to alleviate pain in patients through physical therapy modalities, manipulation and exercise.

Doctors of Chiropractic use evidence gained from examination and radiology to support treatment plans for the spine and affected joints, known as “subluxations”.

A chiropractor’s education provides a deep understanding of disease processes within general medicine, neurology and radiology. This aids them in treatment of chronic pain treatment process and wellness programs.

Within the chiropractic profession there are several areas of specialty including, orthopedics, rehabilitation, neurology, radiology, internal medicine, sports medicine and nutrition.

Physical therapists have expertise in human motion and restoration of associated movement.

As with chiropractors, PTs also have a knowledge basis that extends into chiropractic care and general medicine.

Physical therapists’ area of expertise lies in muscle coordination, neurologic rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation and soft tissue mobilization.

Physical Therapists can specialize in pediatrics, sports medicine, cardiovascular or pulmonary rehab, geriatrics and clinical electrophysiology.

Make an Appointment with Charlotte Chiropractors at Tebby Clinic for Chiropractic Treatment

If you are having pain from an injury or general aging and deterioration, both chiropractors and physical therapist can help alleviate your pain.

Although these two professions have differing approaches, the do have the same goal in the alleviation of pain and restoration of health for their patients.

If you fell you could benefit from the medical treatment provided by a Charlotte chiropractor near you, call 704-541-7111 and schedule an appointment in our south Charlotte chiropractic office.

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7 Ways a Chiropractor Can Help Manage Stress & Anxiety – What to Know

Are you dealing with stress and anxiety? If you’ve exhausted most of your options to overcome stress or anxiety, but you still to no avail are suffering, then you might want to consider scheduling a chiropractic treatment session with a chiropractor near you.

Chiropractic care is a mind-body approach that helps relieve physical symptoms to improve mental health. If you’re seeking a more holistic approach to improving your mental health, then chiropractic care may be what you’re looking for.

Here are seven ways that a chiropractor can help manage stress and anxiety.

They help reduce muscle tension

When you’re under stress, your muscles will tense up and may cause neck pain. Over time, this can take a toll on your overall health, leading to panic attacks, anxiety disorder or anxiety and depression. A chiropractor can help relieve tension in your body by making spinal adjustments that can restore your body to its natural balance. Whether this tension is in the neck or causing lower back pains, chiropractic care can help reduce muscle tension.

They help restore bodily functions

The spine is the backbone of your neurological system, and the brain communicates all bodily functions with the spine tot eh central nervous system through the spinal cord. When you feel stress, you will tense up, causing your spine to move. With advanced chiropractic care a chiropractor can help adjust your spine to effectively restore bodily functions. When your spine is well-adjusted, you’ll notice you’re getting sick less and have more energy, demonstrating the effectiveness of chiropractic care.

They help lower blood pressure

Stress or anxiety can cause your blood pressure to shoot up in an instant. Chiropractic care is said to help significantly when it comes to blood pressure management. There have been several studies of chiropractic resources that brought fruitful results in favor of chiropractor care and in lowering blood pressure. Correcting the misalignments with chiropractic manipulations have shown positive results in lowering blood pressure and anxiety. This care will also help with both depression and anxiety symptoms.

They promote all-natural solutions

If you want to go down the all-natural path to manage your stress & anxiety, then chiropractic care is a good

 

choice. There are many patients on anxiety medications who often complain about the side effects of their medicine. Chiropractors in Charlotte NC can help reduce symptoms of anxiety that can eliminate the need to take anxiety medications by using natural methods. Those who suffer from chronic stress or depression and anxiety can benefit from chiropractic care.

They help trigger positive hormones

Another benefit of spine adjustment is that it increases good hormones in your body, such as oxytocin and cortisol. When they are produced, you will experience less stress and anxiety following chiropractic care. With the increase in good hormone levels this will decrease the likelihood of anxiety attacks reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

They help with getting quality sleep

When you’re stressed or anxious, chances are that you’ll have a hard time getting quality sleep. With the help of a chiropractor, people suffering from stress, anxiety and depression can help you improve the quality of your sleep. There have been studies that show chiropractic care improves sleep patterns by correcting spinal misalignments. So, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to consider a visit to a chiropractor, especially after an auto accident.

They promote relaxation

Stress and anxiety can make it difficult for you to relax. With chiropractic care, however, you will be able to relax easily. Another study shows that chiropractic adjustments can reduce muscle activity by 25%, which makes it an effective way to relax and reduce stress and anxiety as well as chronic pain.

There are many chiropractors out there that you can choose from, which is why it’s vital that you select a chiropractor near you that suits your needs and you’re comfortable in. Do enough research beforehand and ask for recommendations from family and friends. You can also ask your doctor for recommendations to ensure that you’ll get the best chiropractic care.

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Stretches for Plantar Fasciitis

A Guide To Plantar Fasciitis: Everything About It And The Importance Of Chiropractic Care And Stretches For Plantar Fasciitis

What is plantar fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is generally a thick, weblike ligament that usually connects the front of your foot to your heel. It supports your foot’s arch and acts as a shock absorber, assisting you to walk. Plantar fasciitis brings about pain at the bottom of your heel.

One of the most usual orthopedic complaints is plantar fasciitis. In your daily life, your plantar fascia ligaments undergo much wear and tear. And when your feet receive too much pressure, it can tear or damage the ligaments. Inflammation of the plantar fascia then occurs, which causes heel stiffness and pain.

 

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

For those with plantar fasciitis, the major symptom is pain at the bottom of the heel and/or at times at the bottom mid-foot area. Mostly, it affects only one foot, but it can also affect both feet. Usually, pain from plantar fasciitis extends slowly over time, and the pain can either be sharp or dull. To some, they feel an ache or a burning sensation at the bottom of the heat spreading out from the heel.

Mostly, the pain is worse in the morning after you make a few steps out of bed, or maybe if you’ve been lying down or sitting for a while. Due to heel stiffness, climbing stairs can be tedious and hard. After prolonged activity, there could be flaring up of pain because of inflammation or increased irritation. During that activity, people suffering from plantar fasciitis don’t usually feel pain, but instead just after stopping.

What are the causes of plantar fasciitis?

According to research, active women and men between 40-70 years are at the highest risk of acquiring plantar fasciitis. What’s more, plantar fasciitis is slightly more usual in women as compared to men. Pregnant women usually encounter bouts of plantar fasciitis, especially during late pregnancy. If you’re obese or overweight, you’re also at a higher risk of acquiring plantar fasciitis. This is because your plantar fascia ligaments have increased pressure, particularly if you get sudden weight gain.

For those who are long-distance runners, you’re also prone to develop plantar fascia complications. You’re also at high risk in case you have a very active job that demands to be on your feet often, like being a restaurant server or working in a factory. For those who have structural foot complications, such as very flat feet or very high arches, there’s a high chance you might develop plantar fasciitis.

Also, the tight Achilles tendons that attach your calf muscles to your heels might bring about plantar fascia pain. By simply wearing shoes with poor arch support and soft holes, it can lead to plantar fasciitis. Typically, plantar fasciitis isn’t the result of heel spurs. Although doctors used to think that people with plantar fasciitis got pain from heel spurs, that isn’t the case.

Testing and diagnosis of plantar fasciitis

By performing a physical exam, the doctor will inspect for tenderness in your foot and the specific location for the pain. By doing this, s/he will ensure that the pain isn’t the result of another foot issue. During the evaluation, they might ask you to flex your foot as they push on your plantar fascia to check if the pain becomes better when you point your toe and worse when you flex. Furthermore, they’ll note if you’re experiencing any swelling or mild redness.

Typically, your doctor will evaluate the health of your nerves and the strength of your muscles by looking at your:

– Balance

– Coordination

– Sense of sight and touch

– Muscle tone

– Reflexes

An MRI or an X-ray might be necessary to confirm no more causes for your heel pain, like a bone fracture.

What is the treatment for plantar fasciitis?

Mostly, the first ways of treating plantar fasciitis are home treatments such as icing, rest, using anti-inflammatory drugs, and braces. If those fail to relieve the pain, a helpful technique would be to inject a corticosteroid directly into the specific damaged section of the ligament. Your doctor can efficiently perform this in their office.

The doctor might use an ultrasound device to assist in determining the most appropriate place for the injection. Alternatively, they can apply corticosteroids to the arch of your foot or the skin of your heel, and then use a painless electrical current to allow the steroid to penetrate your skin into the muscle.

For plantar fasciitis treatment, physical therapy is an integral part. Generally, it can help stretch your Achilles tendons and plantar fascia. You can consult a physical therapist for exercises of strengthening your lower leg muscles, assisting to stabilize your walk, and reduce the burden on your plantar fascia.

In case the pain persists, and other techniques aren’t working, your doctor might suggest extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Sound waves are used in this therapy to bombard your heel and enhance healing within the ligament. There is no proof that this kind of treatment is consistently effective when it comes to relieving symptoms. So, if your plantar fasciitis stills persist after home and medical treatments, surgery is the next considerable option.

Plantar fasciitis surgery

It’s the most dramatic therapy, and is only performed in instances when pain extreme or exceeds more than 6 to 12 months. During a plantar fascia release, the plantar fascia is partially detached from the heel bone by your surgeon. It minimizes tension but weakens the foot’s arch, and full function might be lost.

In case you’ve had a difficult time flexing your feet even after regular stretching, the doctor might suggest a gastrocnemius recession. Typically, this surgery entails lengthening the calf muscle to stimulate ankle motion and relieve stress on the plantar fascia. Since surgery can lead to nerve damage and chronic pain, it should be the last option.

Exercises for plantar fasciitis

Gentle stretches for plantar fasciitis can help in relieving and even preventing the problem. Stretching the plantar fascia itself and your calves help in loosening your muscles and, ultimately, reducing heel pain. It’s vital to take a rest after certain exercises, such as running, to allow enough time for the plantar fascia to heal. Low-impact activities, like swimming, will enable you to exercise without deteriorating your heel pain. If you begin running again, ensure to start slowly.

While exercising, stop, and stretch to prevent the pain from returning. Don’t forget to stretch before starting your workouts, as well. It’s easy to perform the stretches for plantar fasciitis. All you’ll need is a few standard props, such as a foam roller and a chair or even only a frozen water bottle.

Home remedies for plantar fasciitis

Although reducing pain and inflammation or irritation in the plantar fascia ligament is a crucial part of the treatment, it doesn’t deal with the underlying ligament damage. Keenly following home treatment recommendations is usually sufficient to heal plantar fasciitis without your doctor’s assistance.

Home treatments

It involves staying off your feet, and then you apply ice (3-4 times per day) for 15-20 minutes to reduce swelling. Alternatively, you can try changing or reducing your exercise activities. Doing stretching exercises, replacing worn-out athletic footwear, and using arch supports in your shoes might also help in alleviating pain. Plantar fasciitis exercises can also include a calf stretch, where you will hold the stretch for a few minutes,  along with foot exercises. These foot exercises can be as simple as using the toes for marble pickups to rolling the affected foot over a rolling pin. There are also specific drugs helpful in soothing pain in the ligament that you could use.

Another very easy plantar fasciitis stretching technique is a towel stretch. This is accomplished with your knee straight and looping a towel around the bottom of your foot, pulling the towel causing a toe stretch.

These various home treatment options are designed to relieve pain. These generally have the highest success when done prior to getting out of bed in the morning.

Braces and supports

Another treatment that can help in stretching the arch of your foot and your calf is the night splints. Night splints are generally a brace type that holds your foot in a particular flexed position and lengthens the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia overnight. As a result, it can prevent morning stiffness and pain.

Orthotics which support the arch of the foot , also referred to as arch supports, or special orthotics, for your shoes might assist in relieving some of the pain by distributing pressure, and they can also stop further damage to the plantar fascia. Alternatively, a boot cast might immobilize your foot and minimize strain as the plantar fascia heals.

Plantar fasciitis prevention

You can avoid plantar fasciitis by making some lifestyle changes to avoid sports injuries. Wear supportive shoes that have good arch support, and ensure to replace your athletic footwear often. For runners, approximately 400-500 miles is the recommended limit for every pair of shoes before you can buy new ones. Include low-impact exercises into your routine, such as bicycling or swimming. Avoid very frequent running since it might overwork your plantar fascia. Before exercising, ensure to stretch your plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and your calves. Do your best to remain at a healthy weight. That means losing weight if you’re overweight to minimize pressure on your plantar fascia.

Recovering from plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis improves within a couple of months of proper home treatments for many people. As aforementioned, some of these home treatments include stretching, icing, and resting. What’s more, you can help your plantar fascia in recovering by stabilizing your foot using tape. By doing this, you’ll be limiting the amount that that ligament can move. In fact, according to certain studies, taping your foot also provides temporary pain relief. Kinesiology tape or zinc oxide tape could be helpful. Although it might need some practice, taping your foot yourself could aid the recovery process.

If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis request an appointment with one of our Charlotte doctors and get on the road to pain free living without foot pain at a Charlotte chiropractic office near you.

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