Chiropractic care is a holistic, drug-free approach that emphasizes the entire body’s health by focusing on proper spinal alignment and the optimal function of the nervous system. Chiropractic treatments use various chiropractic techniques—such as manual therapy, spinal manipulation, and chiropractic adjustments—to relieve pain and improve overall wellness.
Chiropractors practice a blend of traditional chiropractic care and modern clinical practice. Traditional chiropractors adhere to a long‑standing chiropractic philosophy that relies on natural therapies and manual adjustments to restore proper spinal alignment and joint function.
These practitioners often employ techniques like the Thompson drop table technique and other forms of spinal mobilization to reduce chronic pain, neck pain, and other health issues. Progressive practitioners, on the other hand, incorporate advanced techniques such as the diversified technique, activator method using a small handheld device, and gonstead adjustment, all underpinned by ongoing chiropractic education.
Let’s explore the different types of chiropractors and the wide range of chiropractic treatments available, offering a comprehensive guide for patients on a health journey.
Overview of Chiropractic Philosophy and Types
Chiropractic philosophy is built on the belief that proper spinal alignment is essential for optimal nervous system function and overall health.
Traditional Chiropractic Care:
Traditional chiropractors focus on the body’s innate healing ability by using manual therapy, spinal manipulation, and spinal adjustments to correct spinal misalignments.
Guided by a traditional philosophy, these practitioners emphasize natural therapies and a drug free approach to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, and achieve proper spinal alignment. Techniques such as the thompson drop table technique and drop table methods are commonly used to relieve chronic pain and neck pain, ensuring proper movement and joint function.
Progressive/Evidence‑Based Chiropractic Care:
In contrast, progressive chiropractors integrate advanced techniques and current research into their clinical practice. Utilizing the diversified technique, activator method, and gonstead adjustment, they provide chiropractic treatments that are tailored to specific health issues such as chronic pain, upper cervical spine problems, and injury prevention.
This approach, supported by ongoing chiropractic education, combines the same techniques found in traditional chiropractic care with modern evidence‑based methods to improve mobility and support a full recovery process.
Both types of chiropractors share a commitment to overall health, spinal health, and the effective treatment process that enhances patient care.
Chiropractic Specialties
Chiropractic specialties enable practitioners to focus on specific health issues and tailor the treatment process for optimal patient care. By selecting a particular area of expertise, chiropractors address various conditions while ensuring proper spinal alignment and overall wellness.
Pediatric and Prenatal Care
Pediatric Chiropractors specialize in caring for children’s developing spines. They use gentle chiropractic adjustments and manual therapy to ensure proper movement, improve joint mobility, and maintain spinal health during crucial growth periods.
Similarly, prenatal chiropractic care emphasizes safe, natural therapies for expecting mothers. These specialists focus on relieving pain, such as neck pain and back pain, while promoting a recovery process that supports overall health care and a healthy pregnancy.
Sports and Pain Management
Sports Chiropractors concentrate on injury prevention and enhancing performance. By utilizing advanced techniques—such as the diversified technique and spinal mobilization—they help athletes improve mobility, prevent future issues, and manage chronic pain.
In pain management, chiropractors employ targeted spinal manipulation and manual adjustments to relieve pain and correct spinal misalignments, ensuring that patients achieve long-term health and overall wellness.
Integrative and Traditional Approaches
All types of chiropractors, whether following traditional chiropractic care or progressive clinical practice, share a commitment to a drug free approach. Traditional chiropractors adhere to a time‑honoured chiropractic philosophy using techniques like the thompson drop table technique and manual adjustments.
In contrast, evidence based practitioners integrate modern methods—such as the activator method and gonstead adjustment—backed by continuous chiropractic education. This blend of different chiropractic techniques and treatments ensures that each patient’s unique health goals are met while promoting proper spinal alignment and joint function.
Chiropractic Techniques and Adjustments
Chiropractic techniques and adjustments are the cornerstone of effective patient care. These methods work together to restore proper spinal alignment, reduce chronic pain, and improve overall mobility, forming an essential part of the treatment process.
Traditional Techniques
Traditional chiropractors use time‑tested methods rooted in a classic chiropractic philosophy. Spinal manipulation and manual adjustments are central to this approach, with techniques such as the thompson drop table technique offering a quick thrust to realign the spine. This drug free approach is effective in relieving neck pain, chronic pain, and improving joint function by ensuring proper spinal alignment and joint mobility.
Modern and Advanced Methods
Modern clinical practice integrates advanced techniques with traditional methods. The diversified technique uses controlled, precise movements to improve joint mobility and proper movement.
Additionally, the activator method employs a small handheld device to deliver gentle yet effective chiropractic adjustments, ideal for patients requiring a less forceful approach. The Gonstead adjustment further refines care by focusing on specific health issues, particularly in the upper cervical spine, to correct spinal misalignments.
An Integrated Approach
Chiropractic treatments often combine multiple methods, including manual therapy, massage therapy, and spinal mobilization, to form a cohesive treatment process. These different chiropractic techniques work together to relieve pain, improve mobility, and facilitate a smooth recovery process. By merging traditional chiropractic care with evidence-based practices, chiropractors address both acute and future health issues, ensuring that every patient’s health journey is supported with effective, individualized care.
Together, these advanced techniques and adjustments form the backbone of chiropractic care, enhancing overall wellness and paving the way for long-term health and improved patient care.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care offers a holistic, drug-free approach that addresses the entire body’s health by focusing on proper spinal alignment and overall spinal health.
Holistic Wellness and Pain Relief
Chiropractic treatments—including spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and precise chiropractic adjustments—are designed to relieve pain, reduce chronic pain, and alleviate neck pain. These approaches help restore proper spinal alignment and improve joint mobility, which supports the effective functioning of the nervous system.
Whether using traditional chiropractic care techniques like the thompson drop table technique or modern approaches such as the activator method, the emphasis remains on a drug free approach that works naturally with the body.
Targeted Health Benefits
Specialized care, such as that provided by pediatric chiropractors and sports chiropractors, targets specific health issues. For example, pediatric chiropractic care ensures that children experience proper movement and joint function during critical developmental stages, while sports chiropractors focus on injury prevention and pain management for athletes.
These tailored treatments help in reducing pain, improving mobility, and preventing future issues, making it easier for patients to meet their health goals.
Long-Term Health and Recovery
In addition to immediate relief, chiropractic care supports a comprehensive recovery process by promoting proper movement and overall wellness. The integration of natural therapies—such as massage therapy and other natural therapies—with manual adjustments and spinal mobilization helps improve joint function and spinal alignment.
This approach relieves pain and contributes to long-term health and improved patient care. Through a balanced mix of chiropractic treatments and a focus on spinal health, patients are empowered on their health journey toward achieving overall wellness.
Chiropractic Adjustments and Treatment Process
Chiropractic adjustments and treatments form the core of a comprehensive treatment process, providing a drug-free approach that emphasizes patient care through manual adjustments and a variety of different chiropractic techniques.
Understanding the Adjustment Process
Chiropractic adjustments involve hands on manual therapy designed to correct spinal misalignments and improve joint function. Traditional chiropractors often rely on spinal manipulation and techniques like the thompson drop table technique to deliver a quick thrust that realigns the spine.
These spinal adjustments help relieve chronic pain and neck pain, ensuring proper spinal alignment and promoting improved joint mobility. Meanwhile, advanced methods such as the diversified technique and the activator method—using a small handheld device—offer precise, gentle adjustments suitable for specific health issues, particularly in the upper cervical spine.
Integration with Other Therapies
Modern clinical practice frequently combines chiropractic adjustments with complementary natural therapies. For example, massage therapy and other natural therapies are often integrated with manual therapy to enhance the overall recovery process. This multi modal approach helps improve mobility and supports a balanced treatment process that addresses both immediate pain relief and long term health care.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Chiropractors practice by tailoring treatment plans to individual needs. Whether employing gonstead adjustment, diversified technique, or other forms of manual adjustments, practitioners focus on patient care by aligning treatments with specific health goals.
This personalized approach improves joint mobility and proper movement while contributing to overall wellness, ensuring that patients experience a smooth recovery process and long term health benefits on their health journey.
Choosing the Right Chiropractor
Choosing the right chiropractor is a critical step in achieving your health goals and ensuring effective patient care. With a wide range of practitioners available—from traditional chiropractors to evidence-based professionals—selecting the one that best fits your needs involves evaluating several key aspects.
Factors to Consider
When selecting a chiropractor, consider factors such as:
Accreditation and Training:
Ensure that the practitioner has a solid background in chiropractic education and maintains up-to-date certifications. Look for those who have excelled in clinical practice and adhere to a traditional philosophy while integrating modern, advanced techniques.
Experience with Specific Health Issues:
Whether you are dealing with chronic pain or neck pain or require pediatric chiropractic care, choose a practitioner who specializes in the type of chiropractic care you need. Sports chiropractors, for example, focus on injury prevention and improving joint mobility, while pediatric chiropractors ensure proper spinal alignment in children.
Treatment Techniques:
Assess if the chiropractor uses a range of different chiropractic techniques—from spinal manipulation and diversified technique to the activator method and gonstead adjustment—to tailor treatments to your specific health issues. A balanced approach that combines traditional chiropractic care with evidence based strategies often yields the best outcomes.
Personalized Patient Care
A chiropractor who offers individualized treatment plans and takes the time to understand your unique health journey will provide superior patient care. Look for a provider who emphasizes manual therapy, proper spinal alignment, and natural therapies, such as massage therapy, to ensure a comprehensive recovery process.
Making an Informed Decision
Take advantage of initial consultations to ask about their treatment process, clinical practice approach, and success in addressing future issues. By doing thorough research and verifying their chiropractic education and experience, you’ll be better equipped to choose a chiropractor who meets your needs and supports your long-term health and overall wellness.
Wrapping Up
Chiropractic care offers a holistic, drug-free approach to enhancing overall wellness by addressing spinal misalignments, reducing chronic pain, and improving joint function.
This comprehensive guide has explored the various types of chiropractors—from traditional practitioners who adhere to time honoured chiropractic philosophy and natural therapies to progressive practitioners who incorporate advanced techniques like the diversified technique, activator method, and gonstead adjustment. Each approach is designed to optimize patient care, promote proper spinal alignment, and support the recovery process.
If you are ready to experience a drug-free approach that addresses your specific health issues, consider scheduling a consultation with Advanced Integrated Health. Their team of dedicated chiropractors practices a balanced blend of traditional and modern clinical techniques to help you achieve your health goals. Take the next step toward improved spinal alignment and enhanced overall health—your journey to better well-being begins here.
Discover more about our comprehensive chiropractic treatments and book your appointment today at Advanced Integrated Health.
Citations
- Gelassen, B. (2024, November 19). Discover types of chiropractic specialties. Northwestern Health Sciences University. https://www.nwhealth.edu/blog/discover-types-of-chiropractic-specialties/
- Ames, H. (2024, May 28). What to know about chiropractic techniques. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chiropractic-methods
- Professional, C. C. M. (2025, February 7). Chiropractic adjustment. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21033-chiropractic-adjustment
Dr. Bob was born and raised in Florham Park, New Jersey.
He loved the philosophy of vitalism, which teaches about the incredible, innate intelligence of our bodies and its power to self-heal when given the opportunity.