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A Doctor of Chiropractic is the health professional whose job is to treat, correct, and prevent neurological, skeletal, or soft tissue dysfunction by employing spinal and other articular adjustments and manipulations. He or she evaluates a patients' health through a history and physic examination. This examination utilizes inspection, palpation, and other diagnostic testing including, but not limited to diagnostic imaging, laboratory diagnostics, etc. After diagnoses have been made, a Doctor of Chiropractic may choose several non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical methods to correct vertebral subluxations and other neuromusculoskeletal ailments to re-establish better neurologic, muscular, and skeletal function in the body. Most methods include some form of adjustment where specific manual contact point is calculated and a specific force is delivered along a specificvectors of force to correct the vertebral misalignment. This adjustment is made by contacting specific bony structures that correspond to specific areas of the spine corresponding the level where the chiropractor has found the subluxation. The chiropractor makes use of a variety of diagnostic tools to determine the location and nature of the subluxation.

The Chiropractic physician uses other conservative means for promoting wellness, including: nutrition, exercise, lifestyle counseling, and emotional support. Many chiropractors receive additional training to be qualified to use a variety of other treatments including accupuncture to better serve their patients' needs.

While other professions are concerned with changing the environment to suit the weakened body, chiropractic is concerned with strengthening the body to suit the environment. - B. J. Palmer

The chiropratic approach to health has an emphasis on the health of individual patients and on the health of populations. A Chiropractic physician's emphasis on the health of of a patient includes fostering conditions that prevent disease and recommending habits that promote health. A doctor of chiropractic recognizes the need for other forms of therapy when indicated; and interacts fully with other members of the health care profession.

Differences in scopes of practice do determine what a Doctor of Chiropractic is allowed to do in his or her jurisdiction.

"D.C." is the suffix added to the end of a chiropractor's name to indicate that they are a Doctor of Chiropractic. Chiropractors can also be referred to simply as "Doctor".

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