Quick Answer
A chiropractor is a healthcare professional who evaluates conditions involving the spine, joints, muscles, nerves, and movement of the body. Many people associate chiropractic care with back pain, but chiropractors work with much more than the back.
People often visit chiropractors for neck pain, headaches, sciatica, sports injuries, joint pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. A chiropractor’s role is not simply to focus on where it hurts. A thorough evaluation can help identify factors that may be contributing to the problem and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
What chiropractors do – adjust
The Complete Answer
One of the biggest misconceptions about chiropractic is that it’s simply about relieving back pain. Many people think chiropractors “just crack backs.” Modern chiropractic care involves much more.
A chiropractor looks at how your spine, joints, muscles, movement, and nervous system are functioning. Just as importantly, we want to understand why you developed pain, stiffness, or limited movement in the first place.
“Pain is often the last symptom to appear, not the first sign that something has changed.”
At Chandler Chiropractic, we start every new patient with a thorough consultation and examination. We listen to your health history, current symptoms, previous injuries, daily activities, and goals. We also look for physical and lifestyle factors that may contribute to what you’re experiencing.
A chiropractic examination may include orthopedic and neurological testing, posture assessment, range-of-motion testing, muscle testing, and evaluation of spinal movement. When clinically appropriate, we may also take digital X-rays.
All of this information helps us answer an important question: Is chiropractic care appropriate for you?
Sometimes the answer is yes. Other times, your findings may indicate that you need additional imaging or another healthcare provider. Knowing when not to recommend chiropractic care is an important part of providing responsible care.
What Does Chiropractic Care Include?
When chiropractic care is appropriate, your care plan may include chiropractic adjustments, joint mobilization, physical therapy, massage therapy, corrective exercises, posture education, ergonomic recommendations, and lifestyle guidance.
We personalize those recommendations to you. Your health history, examination findings, age, activities, previous injuries, goals, and overall health all matter.
No two patients are exactly alike. Their care shouldn’t be either.
Many patients visit us for common conditions such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, sciatica, shoulder pain, sports injuries, and stiffness. Others want to improve mobility, recover from an injury, support their body during pregnancy, or stay active as they age.
Chiropractic and the Nervous System
Chiropractic is about more than bones.
Your spine protects the spinal cord, while nerves carry information between your brain and the rest of your body. That’s one reason we pay close attention to spinal movement, joint function, posture, muscles, and the nervous system.
When joints move properly and muscles work efficiently, your body can move and function more effectively. Our goal is to help create an environment that supports better movement and function so you can get back to work, exercise, sports, family activities, and the things you enjoy.
What This Means for You
If you have pain, stiffness, limited mobility, recurring headaches, or feel that your body isn’t functioning the way it should, you don’t have to guess about your next step.
A thorough chiropractic evaluation can help identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms. It can also help determine whether chiropractic care belongs in your care plan.
Our Perspective at Chandler Chiropractic
Safety begins long before an adjustment.
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We start with a thorough consultation and examination. When clinically appropriate, we also use digital X-rays to better understand your spinal structure before making recommendations.
If chiropractic care is appropriate, we’ll explain what we found and why we recommend it. If you need additional testing or another healthcare provider, we’ll explain that too.
Our responsibility is to help you understand your body and make informed decisions about your health.
Still Have Questions?
Choosing a healthcare provider is an important decision. It’s also natural to have questions, especially if you’ve never visited a chiropractor before.
At Chandler Chiropractic, we believe education should be part of your care. If there’s something we haven’t answered here, we’re always happy to help.
Whether you’re experiencing back pain, neck pain, headaches, an injury, or simply wondering whether chiropractic care may be appropriate, we’re here to provide clear answers based on your individual needs.
Lasting Results for All Stages of Life.
Reviewed by Dr. Mike Schloemp, DC
July 2026
Dr. Mike Schloemp is the founder of Chandler Chiropractic and has served individuals and families throughout Chandler and the East Valley for more than 22 years. His clinical focus includes family chiropractic, sports injuries, headaches, pediatric care, pregnancy care, and personal injury.
Dr. Schloemp believes patients deserve honest answers, thorough examinations, and individualized recommendations that help them make informed decisions about their health.
