Many people faced with the choice, often wonder what a healthcare specialist can & can’t do for them. Moreover, they wonder on whether their conditions are best suited for one or the other, wanting to make sure that recovery is swift, painless and time-efficient. Treatments, however, are regularly not that black and white, although when it comes to physiotherapists vs chiropractors, the issue becomes somewhat clearer, as the latter option could be the safest one.
Why is that?
Well, let’s start by making sure that we understand what a chiropractor does. In most cases, they are trained to read X-rays and determine a course of action for treatment. This treatment, this course of action is usually done through a hands-on approach, in the literal sense. Most chiropractors focus purely on joint manipulation with a smaller percentage also using muscle release techniques like Active Release (A.R.T.).
Physiotherapists, on the other hand, employ a wide range of techniques and treatment options, accordingly adjusting them to each patient’s individual needs, condition and availability. A well trained physiotherapist should have the ability to mobilize or manipulate the spine, perform muscle release techniques, use acupuncture, work on your posture, retrain your balance after an injury or build an exercise training program specific for you. While disorders, conditions and diseases might have similar symptoms in all patients, the patient’s reaction and their dealing with the symptoms differ from one individual to the next.
The wide range of practices employed by these specialists can adequately cover any and all needs their patients might have. It is, however, important to note that we’re talking about trained, certified and experienced physiotherapists & chiropractors. An untrained health care provider, in whatever field they may work under, can and usually will do more harm than good.
In the end, it’s your choice, along with the recommendation you get from your healthcare provider to go for one kind of treatment or the other. But, as always, it’s better to make an informed choice before you settle for a physiotherapist or a chiropractor.
