Chiro Or Physio?

Chiropractic or Physiotherapy – which is more effective? – which treatment should I try first?

These are common questions many patients have when looking for a health care practitioner.

Many simply follow the direction of their MD, who most likely will refer them for physiotherapy, because this is what medical students are taught to do throughout their education.   The reality is that the majority of MD’s are not musculoskeletal or nervous system specialists, and do not have the day-to-day experience in helping patients with biomechanical conditions.  The only tools they have are to give a prescription for symptom relief, or refer to a specialist.  We have all seen the proof that symptom relief through medication has created the opioid crisis throughout North America, and is not leading the way to a healthier society.

Chiropractic not only ensures proper alignment of your musculoskeletal structure, it also creates an optimum physical environment for the nervous system to express itself to its fullest potential.  Chiropractic is both a musculoskeletal therapy and a nervous system therapy, thereby helping to correct biomechanical conditions (headache, back and neck pain), as well as positively affecting the inner organs of the body and the brain.

Chiropractic has also been linked to the relief of a variety of other conditions that aren’t related to the musculoskeletal system.  These symptoms include dizziness, ear infections, asthma and allergies, digestive issues, enuresis, and pregnancy issues, to name a few.  Physiotherapy has not made any claims, nor shown research that shows any success in treating these ailments.  What physiotherapy is designed to do is rehabilitate and recondition joints and muscles to achieve normal biomechanics of movement.

Most people not only enjoy the shorter, more effective treatments of chiropractic, but they also appreciate the personal level of treatment chiropractors are known for.  Chiropractic methods are focused and use a dedicated, well-researched technique they learned throughout their 4 year doctorate, while physiotherapy takes a broader approach to healing, and use their own non-specialized manipulation techniques.

Chiropractors will often refer their patients to physiotherapy following correction of their problems in order to recondition muscles and regain biomechanical patterning.  Like a chiropractor does for their own patients, physiotherapists teach their clients how to perform exercises that will aid in managing their condition and improve biomechanics. Some patients who are not compliant enough to do their exercises at home on their own require attending physio sessions to keep them on track.

Chiropractic techniques tend to cost less than a physio session. Most patients have time constraints in their busy lives, and quickly learn that a chiropractic session can give them more benefit in 15 minutes than a 1 hour physiotherapy session 3x/week. They complain that they don’t get the one-on-one attention from the physio, as they do with their chiropractor. When it comes to immediate relief of pain, chiropractic is more effective than physiotherapy, since the method of spinal manipulation is exact and focused chiropractic can achieve results in a single treatment, whereas, physiotherapy takes several visits for the patient to feel any kind of relief.  Patients should realize that you can’t work out a dysfunctional joint or muscle, as the risk of injury or making the condition worse increases.  Initial symptom relief can take place quicker under chiropractic care rather than physiotherapy. Much research has gone into specific protocol for workers with low back pain and other injuries that fall under WSIB treatment plans, and cite chiropractic as the first choice of care, followed by massage therapy, followed by physio last.  This is because physiotherapy was shown to take longer in getting results in patients, cost more, and have more patients returning shortly after the end of their extensive treatment plans due to relapses in pain and their conditions.  Chiropractic can correct spinal and biomechanical problems, and give lasting relief for many injuries incurred in the workplace and from auto accidents.

See also: Chiropractic FAQ