There is a large misconception on what chiropractic does, how it works and how it differs from physical therapy and even massage therapy. Here is the low down.
Chiropractic care is a manual therapy that applies a force to the spine to correct a subluxation. A subluxation is a misalignment of a bone that is causing pressure on joints and nerves. This pressure causes pain and symptoms such as numbness, tingling, itching and even internal symptoms like heartburn, asthma, hiccups… Not saying chiropractic is the cure all, but it helps a wide array of symptoms by fixing the problem where it starts rather than covering up the condition with medications or stretching.
Physical therapy is a discipline that works on strengthening a weak area of the body. I have found it to be very effective with shoulder, hip and knee issues. They build the strength after an injury or chronic pain, thereby, stabilizing the area. However, the underlying problem of a pinched nerve or herniated disc is never fully fixed like with chiropractic care. I think chiropractic and physical therapy work wonderfully together. I can correct the spinal rotation causing nerve impingement and they can build the strength around a “good” structure. Rather than just proverbially painting a rusty car.
Massage therapy is also a manual therapy that helps release muscle tension and strain. It is very effective for a strained muscle, stress or even moving swelling out of an area. The downfall here too is that it also does not fix the underlying spinal issue. Massage and chiropractic of course compliment each other, hence all the doctors that have them on their staff.
Find a chiropractor like Dr. Myers that is willing to work with other doctors, physical therapist and massage therapists. And the opposite is true, find an open minded family doctor, PT or massage therapist that realizes the main goal of care is to make you, the patient, feel better and be healthier.