A chiropractor diagnoses and treats problems with the joints, muscles, and nerves — most often in the spine — using hands-on care rather than drugs or surgery. The heart of the job is finding joints that have stopped moving well and restoring that motion so pain eases and normal movement comes back.
That work starts with an assessment, not a treatment. A chiropractor takes your health history, checks how your joints move, tests strength and reflexes, and orders imaging when needed to rule out something more serious. Only after that exam does treatment begin — typically a mix of spinal adjustments to restore motion in stiff or restricted joints, soft-tissue work on tight or injured muscles, and a rehab plan of stretches and strengthening exercises so the improvement holds between visits.
Arrowhead Clinic has treated accident and pain patients across Georgia for 48+ years, with same-day appointments and in-house X-ray so care can start without a separate trip to an imaging center. If you’re wondering whether a chiropractor is the right fit for what you’re dealing with, a free consultation is an easy way to find out.
Every visit starts with questions and hands-on testing: how the pain started, where it’s located, what makes it better or worse, and how it’s affecting your daily life. From there, the chiropractor moves into Chiropractic Examination Procedures — checking your posture, range of motion, and reflexes, and pressing along the spine to find joints that aren’t moving the way they should.
This step matters because it determines what happens next. If the exam turns up a red flag, like signs of a fracture or a neurological problem, the chiropractor refers you out immediately instead of adjusting. Most of the time, though, the exam points to a mechanical issue — a joint that’s stuck, muscles that are guarding, or both — that chiropractic care is built to treat.
A Chiropractic Adjustment is a controlled, hands-on force applied to a joint that isn’t moving well, usually along the spine. The goal is to restore normal motion to that joint, which can ease pain and reduce muscle tension around it. Chiropractors use several techniques, from a quick manual thrust to slower, low-force methods for patients who need a gentler approach.
The popping sound many people hear during an adjustment is Cavitation — gas releasing from fluid inside the joint, similar to cracking your knuckles. It’s not bones grinding or breaking, and an adjustment shouldn’t need to be forceful or dramatic to be effective.
Adjustments address the joints, but muscles and connective tissue often need their own attention, especially after an accident. That’s where Massage Therapy and other soft-tissue techniques come in — loosening tight or spasming muscles so the spine can move more freely and adjustments hold longer.
Rehab exercises round out the visit. A chiropractor may walk you through targeted stretches and strengthening moves, either in the clinic or as a home program, to build stability around the area that was treated. This is often what separates short-term relief from lasting improvement.
Chiropractic care isn’t the right fit for every problem, and a responsible chiropractor says so. Signs of a fracture, certain neurological symptoms, or an injury that needs surgical evaluation call for a referral to an orthopedist, neurologist, or the emergency room rather than an adjustment.
Chiropractors also work alongside physical therapists on many cases, since the two professions treat overlapping problems in different ways. Patients often ask about this — our post on the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist covers where each one fits into a recovery plan.
Chiropractors earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree, which typically requires several years of graduate-level coursework in anatomy, physiology, and diagnosis, plus supervised clinical training treating real patients.
After graduation, chiropractors must pass national board exams and hold a state license to practice, along with ongoing continuing education. Arrowhead Clinic’s team of licensed chiropractors has treated more than 400,000 patients across Georgia, with a focus on accident and pain cases.
A chiropractor focuses on spinal and joint alignment through hands-on adjustments, while a physical therapist focuses on rebuilding strength, flexibility, and movement through structured exercise. Many patients benefit from both — see our guide to the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist for more.
It depends on your condition and whether you’re recovering from an accident or maintaining spinal health; many patients start with a few visits a week during active care and taper down as they improve. For a fuller answer, see how often should you go to the chiropractor.
Generally no. In Georgia, you can typically schedule a chiropractic appointment directly, without a referral from a medical doctor, especially for pain evaluation after an accident. See do you need a referral to see a chiropractor for details.
A routine adjustment visit is usually brief, though your first visit runs longer because it includes the full exam. For how long the effects of an adjustment tend to last, see how long does a chiropractic adjustment last.
Arrowhead Clinic offers a free consultation to evaluate your injury, and accident victims can often begin treatment on a lien with no upfront cost. Schedule your free consultation to find out what care fits your situation.
Exercises that support chiropractic treatment and speed recovery, recommended by Arrowhead Clinic's chiropractors.
For 48+ years our chiropractors and injury specialists have helped over 400,000 accident victims recover. Your consultation is free — call now and start feeling better.
