These days increased awareness of the medical options available to them has resulted in more and more people seeking help from specialists that can deal with their medical problem rather than just paying a visit to their GP. One type of specialist is known as a chiropractor, and you can find out more about these professionals and their services in the frequently asked questions and answers below.

A chiropractor is a medical specialist who deals with the diagnosis and treatment of spine and joint related medical problems. Their job is to use hands on treatment and manipulation to try and alleviate both the pain and the medical problem that their patient is suffering.

This can depend on the cause of the problem. There are a range of procedures that a chiropractor might use in order to both relieve pain for the patient and to try and alleviate the problem on a long term or permanent basis. This includes:

• Manipulation of the bones, tissue, and/or muscles in the affected area
• Massage manipulation
• Cracking – where a joint is pulled out of its usual position and then put back in again. This is to relieve the pressure on the joint, which may have been caused by a build up of gases
• Stretching – the chiropractor may stretch the patient's body and move it into a variety of seemingly awkward positions. This is to reduce pain and help heal injuries.

Chiropractors are also able to use their experience and expertise to offer advice on how lifestyle changes could help you to avoid a similar problem in the future. This could mean educating you on your diet and exercise habits, as these could have a significant impact on your spinal and joint health.

A qualified UK chiropractor would need to earn a degree from an accredited specialist educational facility, and will have to undertake intensive coursework in order to qualify. They also then have to undertake a year of hand on practice under supervision before they are able to apply to the McTimoney Chiropractic Association or the British Chiropractic Association.

Yes, the body with which chiropractors must be registered and are regulated is the General Chiropractic Council or GCC.

There are many different problems that a chiropractor can assist with, and some of the more common ones include:

• Joint pains
• Sports related injuries
• Sciatica
• Back pain
• Neck or shoulder problems
• Muscular pains

Basically, these specialists are able to look at any problems or injuries relating to the spine/back, joints, and surrounding muscles and tissue. With the treatment that they offer they are able to focus on the relief of pain for the patient as well as looking into rectifying the issue or providing long term relief.