Ask ten people what a chiropractor does and you’ll probably get ten different answers. Some will tell you it’s about cracking backs. Others will say it’s alternative medicine with no real science behind it. A few might mention that it helped them walk again after months of pain.
So what exactly is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a healthcare profession focused on the relationship between the spine, the nervous system, and the rest of the body. Practitioners — chiropractors — use their hands (and occasionally small instruments) to apply controlled, precise adjustments to joints, most commonly in the spine.
The thinking behind it is simple: your spine houses your spinal cord, the main highway of your nervous system. When vertebrae shift or joints become restricted, that highway can get congested — not in a dramatic, nerve-pinched way, but enough to affect how your body feels and functions. An adjustment aims to restore normal movement and take pressure off irritated tissues.
Where did it come from?
Chiropractic has been around since 1895, when a Canadian man named Daniel David Palmer performed the first spinal adjustment in Iowa. It wasn’t a smooth ride from there — for decades the profession was at war with mainstream medicine, and some early claims were wildly overreaching.
But a lot has changed. Modern chiropractic education is rigorous: a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree requires four years of graduate study covering anatomy, physiology, neurology, radiology and clinical practice, plus board exams and continuing education. Today chiropractors work alongside medical doctors, physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons in many clinics and hospitals.
What a chiropractic visit actually looks like
If you’ve never been adjusted, the first visit can feel a little mysterious. Here’s what happens, step by step.
1. History. Your chiropractor asks about your pain, when it started, what makes it better or worse, and your overall health. Expect questions about sleep, stress, posture and past injuries — the picture matters more than the symptom.
2. Examination. This includes movement tests, posture analysis, and neurological checks like reflexes and muscle strength. Many chiropractors use X-rays or other imaging when they suspect fractures, infections or other red flags.
3. Diagnosis and explanation. You should never leave the first visit confused about what’s wrong. A good chiropractor explains findings in plain language and tells you whether chiropractic is appropriate — and when it isn’t.
4. Treatment. The adjustment itself is usually quick. You lie on a special table, the chiropractor applies a fast, shallow thrust to a specific joint, and you often hear a popping sound — that’s gas bubbles being released from the joint fluid, not bones grinding. It’s usually painless, though you may feel mild soreness the next day, similar to after a workout.
5. Aftercare. Most chiropractors send you home with exercises, ergonomic advice, or simple habits to protect your progress between visits.
What the evidence actually supports
Let’s be honest about what chiropractic can and can’t do, because the internet is full of both miracle claims and dismissals.
The strongest evidence is for low back pain. Clinical guidelines in the United States — including from the American College of Physicians — recommend non-drug approaches like spinal manipulation as a first-line treatment for acute and chronic low back pain. A 2017 review by the American College of Physicians and the 2022 guidelines from multiple international bodies consistently place manual therapy alongside exercise as a first choice, before reaching for opioids.
There’s also solid support for neck pain and some types of headaches, particularly cervicogenic headaches that originate in the neck. For conditions like sciatica, chiropractic care is often part of a combined approach with exercise and other therapies.
What chiropractic is not: it’s not a treatment for infections, tumors, broken bones, or conditions like diabetes. A responsible chiropractor recognizes these limits, refers you to the right specialist, and never promises to cure unrelated diseases with adjustments alone.
Who should be careful
Spinal manipulation is very safe in trained hands, but it isn’t for everyone. People with severe osteoporosis, spinal cord compression, certain cancers, or inflammatory arthritis of the spine should talk to their doctor first. And if a practitioner ever suggests treating a serious condition with adjustments alone, walk away — that’s a red flag.
Chiropractic vs. physiotherapy: what’s the difference?
Both professions treat musculoskeletal pain and both are evidence-based, but their toolboxes differ. Chiropractors focus heavily on spinal adjustments and joint mobilization. Physiotherapists emphasize exercise, movement retraining and modalities like ultrasound or electrical stimulation. Many patients benefit from both — at our clinic in Glendale, California, and in Gorgan, Iran, we combine the two because backs don’t always respond to only one approach.
How many visits will you need?
There’s no honest one-size answer. Some people feel significantly better after two or three visits. Others, especially those with chronic patterns that built up over years, need a longer course of care — sometimes several weeks — followed by periodic maintenance. Be suspicious of any clinic that sells you a 60-visit package on day one without a clear explanation of why.
The bottom line
Chiropractic is a legitimate, drug-free tool for managing musculoskeletal pain — especially back and neck pain — with a solid evidence base and a strong safety record when practiced properly. It’s not magic, it’s not a cure-all, and it’s not for everyone. But for millions of people, it’s the difference between living on painkillers and living normally.
If you’re in the Glendale, California area or in Gorgan, Iran, and you’d like to know whether chiropractic is right for your specific situation, book a consultation at Dr. Shahb Arani’s clinic. You’ll get a real examination, a straight answer, and — if it’s right for you — a treatment plan that makes sense.
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