The Difference Between a Chiropractor and a Massage Therapist

The Differences Between a Chiropractor and a Massage Therapist

Understanding the drastic differences between Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy may help you determine what type of treatment you require recovering. Even though Chiropractors and Massage Therapists use hands-on treatment to help with patient recovery, their differences are significant.

There are many different ailments that a chiropractor can treat. Here are 6 ailments you did not know a chiropractor could treat.

Education and Training

One of the most substantial differences between chiropractic and massage is the amount of education that must be completed to practice. Chiropractors are Doctors who complete a doctorate program before obtaining a position as a chiropractor.

Since they are Doctors, they go through a residency, extensive training, boards, and certification classes. To be come to a massage therapist, there are around 500 hours of training that must be completed. However, this is not a doctorate program.

How They Practice

The type of patients that can be seen by a Chiropractor far outnumber those who can see a massage therapist. Chiropractors can treat the entire spine and musculoskeletal system. This includes:

• Bones

• Ligaments

• Muscles

• Tendons

Chiropractors can also perform their x-rays, prescribe exercises for treatment, refer to other medical professional, including referrals to massage therapists.

The job of a Massage Therapists is to focus primarily on the muscles, performing several different types of massage such as sports, deep tissue, or Swedish.

Choosing Chiropractic of Massage

If you are trying to decide if Chiropractic Care or Massage Therapy is right for you, think about the pain you are experiencing and how or why that pain occurred.

It is always good to get checked by a Chiropractor. As stated earlier, Chiropractors have the ability to refer you to a massage therapist if they believe that is what you need.

If you are experiencing pain due to an injury, it is important to be seen by a Chiropractor first to make sure there are no underlying problems.

Arrowhead Clinics have a team of experienced Doctors of Chiropractic, who can help you with your recovery.