Musculoskeletal issues like neck pain, back pain, and tightness in the body affect millions of people every year. And when such issues start getting severe, these people often get confused as to which specialist to seek.
Generally, a chiropractor in Kelowna and a physiotherapist deal with musculoskeletal issues. Both of these professionals’ target pain management. However, the way they approach are radically different.
Let’s take a deep dive and understand these two seemingly different approaches.
Treatment Philosophies- Chiropractor Vs Physiotherapist
Let’s start by understanding the treatment philosophies of these two practices-
Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic practice abides by the philosophy, that when our spine contracts misalignments, it can cause certain disorders in the nerve functioning. This may result in you feeling pain throughout your body.
Chiropractors deal with manual adjustments of the spine. This is said to restore the alignment of the spinal cord, thereby promoting enhanced nerve functioning, and reducing overall pain.
Physiotherapy Treatment
Physiotherapy practice takes a more comprehensive approach to relieve pain and stiffness. It focuses more on the musculoskeletal system, and involves the usage of specific movements for better mobility.
Physiotherapists make use of an array of techniques and modalities to reduce stiffness, and ages of pain, and help improve overall flexibility.
Treatment Procedures
Now that you’re aware of the philosophy behind these two practices, let’s get to the details and understand how they are different-
Chiropractors
You may wonder that the best chiropractor in Kelowna will resort to spinal adjustments for pain and stiffness relief. But that’s just an assumption you’re catering to! Because the best-in-class chiropractors are also trained to perform other practices for various conditions.
For instance, a chiropractor in Kelowna, British Columbia can subject to subtle natural treatments in case of a patient having issues of jaw pain.
If you are suffering from Tendonitis, frozen shoulder, or plantar fasciitis, chiropractic professionals can make use of Shockwave Therapy (also referred to as EPAT and Pressure Wave Therapy) that might relieve you of the acute pain and stress fractures.
Other than that, a chiropractor also is accustomed to and trained to apply Blood Flow Restriction Therapy. This particular technique consists of certain low-intensity workouts along with cuffs to restrict the blood flow to the area of pain.
Physiotherapists
Physiotherapists have an array of treatment techniques up their sleeves. They employ manual therapies that consist of massages and stretching exercises to improve mobility and reduce pain and joint stiffness.
The physiotherapists working for a health clinic in Kelowna have extensive knowledge of a variety of techniques other than massages and stretching. This versatility helps them to address the issues of different kinds of patients in different ways.
For instance, if you have complaints about muscle tension, you can seek a physiotherapist who’s trained in applying dry needling or medical acupuncture to relieve you of the stress.
But that’s not it! If you’re here in Kelowna with issues like dizziness, nausea, and vertigo, the expert physiotherapists might just apply vestibular rehabilitation to help curb such ailments.
For women suffering from weakened pelvic floor muscles, physiotherapists at Valeo Health Clinic might help you with pelvic floor physiotherapy sessions which might help relieve the pain.
Whom Should You Resort To?
Now comes the question of the hour! Whose refuge shall you seek when you’re in pain?
Well, we’ve gathered a list of considerations to make your decision easier-
What’s your condition?
This is one of the most important things that you should ask yourself first. Because a majority of the treatment depends on what kind of condition you’re suffering from. For sudden and acute pain conditions, chiropractic adjustments might help, while for chronic pain conditions, physiotherapy is a better option.
What’s The Severity Of Your Condition?
Don’t start searching for a chiropractor in Kelowna near me until you’re well accustomed to the severity of your condition. For instance, if you’re suffering from a broken back or fractures, physiotherapy might just be the right thing for the rehabilitation process. And if you’re feeling tightness around your neck or back, a visit to a chiro can do the trick!
Wrapping It Up
If you observe, you may see that the main goal of both of these practices is the same – relief from acute pain. However, the main difference lies in the approach that these two practices take.
So, whenever you’re suffering from acute pain or stiffness, it is better to get it diagnosed by a professional and seek help from respective treatment procedures accordingly.
