Chiropractic is an alternative health care discipline that emphasizes care of the spinal column for the betterment of health. "Alternative" refers to being outside the realms of allopathic medicine, the established, dominant system of healthcare in our country. Practitioners of allopathic medicine are the M.D.s, or "doctor of medicine." Practitioners of chiropractic are D.C.s, "doctor of chiropractic."

Although chiropractic has been around since 1895, you are unlikely to find chiropractors working in major hospitals. This is primarily due to interdisciplinary conflict. The vast majority of chiropractors work in a small, individual or group practice setting.

Chiropractors will tell you that your spine is a key pillar of health. If you ever had low back pain that put you out of commission, you have an idea of your spine's importance.

The spine is made up of 24 moving bones called vertebrae. Within the spine are millions of nerves that make up your spinal cord. These nerves regulate muscle contraction and organ function. If one or more vertebrae are off center or are not moving properly, it can alter normal nerve function. The consequences can mean pain, loss of flexibility, and organic conditions like headaches.

Can it Cause Harm? Perhaps you've heard of injuries coming from chiropractic. They do happen, but don't let this automatically become a "deal breaker" for you-- iatrogenic conditions (meaning, a condition caused by the procedure meant to cure it) happen in just about all forms of health care. In fact, it is estimated that over 500,000 deaths a year are attributed to iatrogenic causes from medical procedures alone, such as adverse drug reactions, surgical errors, and infection. Chiropractic, being a therapeutic procedure itself is not immune to iatrogenic outcomes. However, chiropractic boasts a comparatively lower iatrogenic rate than medical procedures, even taking into account the smaller number of practitioners. So keep in mind that overall, chiropractic is a very safe form of therapy if done by a trained, experienced professional.

Do You Have to Go Forever? The core concept of chiropractic is maintaining a healthy, flexible spine and supportive musculature. It promotes good posture and better movement, which are important to being and feeling healthy.

The question of how many treatments one needs for a particular condition is not easy to determine. Depending on the chiropractor you go to, you are likely to get different recommendations. If you have a very noticeable posture defect, such as a high shoulder and rotated torso, and the chiropractor you go to is a specialist in posture correction, she is likely to recommend at least 30 treatments, at a frequency of as high as daily to three times a week. The goal in this treatment approach is to alter the postition of the vertebrae and recondition supporting ligaments to make the changes to posture. Some people raise eyebrows at such a level of treatment, but consider this: how many days do you have to wear braces if you want straight teeth? About three years, or 1,095 days! So 30 treatments for posture correction is a comparatively low amount.

If you went to a chiropractor who emphasized pain reduction and functional restoration/ rehabilitation, he is likely to recommend anywhere from 6-12 treatments, followed by a re-evaluation. Once the majority of the pain has subsided, he may discharge you, or recommend maintenance care, or "as-needed" visits.

If you went to a wholistic-focused chiropractor, you will get a much different experience from the previous two chiropractor types. Wholistic chiropractors believe that spinal deviations directly interfere with nerve transmission, which in turn can lead to ill health. Typically these chiropractors will tell you that the initial phase of treatment is for pain reduction. Then, as pain disappears you will be indoctrinated to "lifetime" chiropractic care to ensure that the spinal misalignments are "removed" before they have a chance to affect your health.

So back to the question-- "Do you have to go forever once you start chiropractic?" The answer: it's a personal choice that starts with the type of chiropractor you chose to see. This is why it is important to interview the chiropractor first (many offer free consultations-- take advantage of it), visit his/her website, and get referrals. Once you decide what you're looking for (pain reduction only, posture correction, or wellness care), you will have a better idea of what you're getting into.

As a chiropractor, my personal opinion on this question is, if you are in good shape (good cardiovascular health and normal strength), have no flexibility problems, have no signs of nerve impingement (numbness, tingling, etc.), have good posture, then you don't need ongoing chiropractic treatment. Just come in when you experience a deficiency in one or more of these areas. If you're someone who has issues, perhaps you are over 30 and have a history of injuries, then it's worth considering regular chiropractic adjustments.

1. Ask your friends, co-workers and family members for a referral. Get several. Interview the person referring his/her chiropractor. Ask these questions:

-How long has he/she been practicing?

-How long does he/she spend with you on your visit, face to face?

-Does the chiropractor always seem to be in a hurry?

-Is the clinic crowded with waiting patients? (be careful, usually means a high-volume practice and very little face to face time with the doctor).

-How is his/her bedside manners? Congenial? Good listener or not? Remembers what you are being treated for (correct side of body, remembers your recent injury specifics, etc.).

-What is the office like? Messy or organized and clean?

-Does the chiropractor require pre-paid appointment packages? Could be a bad sign, but could be OK if it isn't a year plan.

2. Check your State Board of Chiropractic Examiners (Google [your state name] + State Board of Chiropractic). Find out if his/her license is current, and if there are any judgments against the chiropractor.

3. Google the chiropractor; see what comes up on the internet and social media sites like Yelp and City Search.

4. Finally, see if you can get a complimentary initial consultation to get a feel for the chiropractor.

In general, a good chiropractor will spend some time to take a complete history of your problem. He/she will listen, and answer any questions you might have, without straying off the subject. He/she may suggest an X-ray, but respect your wishes if you do not want to have X-rays. He/she will explain to you how chiropractic works, and what to expect on each visit. In short, a good chiropractor will exhibit a genuine concern for your problem, and will let you know if he/she can help you.