Chiropractors and physical therapists vastly overlap in their professions. Both offer services to patients that assist in healing and treatments. There are more and more alternative health care offices that are integrating the two professions. Both professions have mutual ground. They both provide their services for relief of pain, injuries and other medical conditions. Both use hands-on procedures with various approaches to treatments.

In cases of back pain, for example, the chiropractor restores the joint function and motion. There are times, though, that the surrounding muscles need to be strengthened and rehabilitated; this is where the physical therapist comes in.

Chiropractors and physical therapists assess muscular imbalances and administer individualized therapeutic exercise programs to treat your pain.

There are also certain types of conditions such as scoliosis, herniated discs and chronic pain that can receive the maximum benefits of treatments by using both types of practitioners.

In cases of scoliosis, the chiropractor would administer spinal adjustments to the patient. Chiropractic care has been shown to slow scoliosis or prevent the progression of it. Following the adjustment, physical therapists help patients with exercises by showing them bends and stretches to improve mobility, strengthen and tone muscles, and reduce inflammation. They also teach patients how to do the exercises at home sometimes with assistance by a family member or on their own.

Chiropractors diagnose, treat and prevent misalignments of the spine. In turn, the physical therapist strives to restore and develop a person's physical function ability throughout their life.

Chiropractic treatments include spinal manipulations, but can also involve soft tissue therapy, and provide exercises for the patients to do. The physical therapist helps teach the patient the proper way to perform these exercises, along with providing soft tissue massage and helping patients with home exercise program and muscle coordination.

A multidisciplinary office consisting of chiropractic and physical therapy care, like ours at Disk and Spine Northwest, allows for the combining of therapeutic approaches, providing a more holistic management of your pain. Working together, they can reduce pain and improve a patient's mobility.

The main goal is to provide the best possible care for the patient.

Dr. Wayne Fichter is the lead doctor at Disk and Spine Northwest, a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation center specializing in the treatment of serious, chronic back pain, acute injuries and postural/scoliosis problems. Contact him at diskandspinenorthwest.com or (208) 215-3261.