When you consider treatment for a certain issue you’re dealing with, you may think you have to choose one type of professional and stick with that type of treatment. While not all chiropractors, medical doctors, and physical therapists work together, there are some who recognize the benefits it can have for the patient.
Working Together
When someone is injured or dealing with a certain condition, they may benefit from the prescribing authority a medical doctor has. The pain could be debilitating, and until the patient can get in to see the chiropractor, he or she may need some pain killer. Upon seeing a chiropractor, the patient can have his or her joints realigned so the muscles and joints are balanced and healthy. A physical therapist would then step in to help in strengthening those muscles and getting the patient back into a regular routine.
Chiropractic care may have to happen synonymously with physical therapy in some situations. If a patient feels his or her range of motion isn’t quite to where it should be during physical therapy, the chiropractor may be able to open up that range so therapy is more effective.
What They Each Treat
Medical doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists treat many of the same conditions. There are some issues that require the assistance of just one of these professionals, though follow-up care is often something the individual may go to the other professional for.
For example, someone with cancer obviously needs the treatment of a medical doctor. He or she might need chemotherapy or surgery, and those things can only be administered by a medical doctor. After treatment, the patient might find comfort and needed relaxation going to a chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Wheaton, MD,. If the surgery was successful and the medical doctor gives the go-ahead, the patient might need physical therapy to get back to normal. This could be the same scenario for someone who broke a bone or has another serious illness.
Other issues, however, may not require all of the professionals to handle the treatment. For example, you may think acid reflux requires medication prescribed by a medical doctor, but often it is relieved through chiropractic care alone.
Learning More
As you can see, every situation is different and every patient is unique. It’s important you are given the proper care you need to recover from the health issues you’re dealing with. Whether that means seeing a medical doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist, or all three, take care of yourself. Contact your chiropractor today to learn more about how to get that help.
Thanks to AmeriWell Clinics for their insight into how a chiropractor can work with a physical therapist and medical doctor to provide relief to different kinds of patients.