DCs may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate. Chiropractors will readily refer patients to the appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction with other health care providers.

Chiropractic training requires a four or five-year full time postgraduate degree at a one of the accredited universities worldwide (list).

Chiropractors are often confused with (or grouped with) osteopaths and physical therapists due to various forms of treatment overlapping. However, each profession's history, philosophy, diagnostic techniques, major treatment techniques and treatment protocols are uniquely different. For a deeper explanation of differences please click here.

Chiropractic services are used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, headaches and pain in the joints of the arms or legs.

One of the most common and well known therapeutic procedures performed by doctors of chiropractic is spinal manipulation (sometimes referred to as a "chiropractic adjustment"). The purpose of spinal manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become ‘hypomobile’ – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as a fall or accident, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for an individual. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, allowing tissues to heal, as opposed to medication which can block pain and ignores underlying causes.

Chiropractic adjustments rarely cause discomfort. However, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

Compared to other common treatments for pain, such as over-the-counter and prescription pain medications, chiropractic's conservative approach offers a safe and effective option.