Millions of people across the United States experience back pain that can be difficult to live with. For those living with ongoing discomfort, a chiropractor or a physical therapist is often recommended. But what’s the difference between the two, and which one might be the most appropriate for you?
Both chiropractic care and physical therapy can be effective ways to manage back pain and improve mobility. However, knowing what each professional does and how they differ may provide a better idea of where to start.
What is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractors are licensed healthcare professionals who focus on how the spine connects to the nervous system and the rest of the body. Their primary approach to treatment involves spinal adjustments, which are controlled movements typically applied to the joints. These adjustments can relieve pain, support mobility, and reduce pressure on surrounding nerves.
Some conditions that chiropractors can help manage include:
- Acute back pain
- Neck pain
- Sciatica
- Joint stiffness
- Migraines
- Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (HNP)
- Radiculopathy
- Degenerative arthritis
Chiropractic care can often be effective for sudden back or neck pain. Chiropractic treatment can play a key role in both short-term pain relief and long-term functional improvement.
What to Expect at a Visit
During a first visit, a chiropractor will review a patient’s medical history, daily activity, and overall symptoms. They’ll also examine how the spine and joints are moving. If they deem it safe, treatment can often start immediately. Many patients start with more frequent visits for faster relief, then space out appointments as they improve.
Treatment Goals With Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors work with their patients to set goals for their treatment. Small goals can be helpful to stay on track and help patients achieve their greater objectives. Goals with a chiropractor may include the following:
- Relieve pain: Early care often involves relieving back, neck, and joint pain to help patients move more comfortably. As a result, it can help reduce muscle spasms and improve the ability to complete daily tasks.
- Restore joint motion and reduce stiffness: Adjustments may help bring back mobility to certain joints, lowering strain on nearby muscles and ligaments. Improved movement often translates to less pain.
- Ease nerve-related symptoms like sciatica: By improving joint mobility and inflammation, a chiropractor can help reduce pressure on irritated nerves, which may reduce radiating pain, tingling, or weakness.
- Improve mobility with self-care exercises: Home exercises, stretches, and posture tips may help support progress between visits. These habits can help prevent flare-ups and keep patients active.
What Do Physical Therapists Do?
Physical therapists specialize in helping people recover from pain and injuries that affect how they move. When it comes to back pain, physical therapy can play an important role in restoring mobility, building strength, and preventing future flare-ups.
Treatment often combines exercise-based programs with hands-on care, such as gentle joint mobilizations or soft tissue work. Therapists may also use methods like heat, ice, or electrical stimulation to help reduce pain and inflammation.
Physical therapy is commonly used for back-related conditions such as:
- Chronic lower back pain (including arthritis- or posture-related pain)
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Sciatica or nerve compression
- Muscle strains or ligament sprains in the back
- Recovery after spine surgery
- Spinal stenosis or age-related changes in the spine
Physical therapy can often benefit patients with spine-related problems, from recent injuries to long-standing conditions. By managing pain and movement patterns, this type of therapy can help patients return to daily activities with more confidence and less discomfort.
What to Expect at a Visit
A first session typically starts with an evaluation of how a patient moves, where stiffness and weakness occur, and what makes the pain worse. Based on this assessment, a physical therapist will create a personalized roadmap, often including home exercises to supplement recovery. Treatment typically involves one to three sessions per week, with steady progress over time.
Treatment Goals With Physical Therapy
As with chiropractic care and other forms of treatment, patients can set goals with a physical therapist to ensure they’re getting the results they’re looking for. Here are some ideas for goals you might aim to achieve:
- Reduce pain and swelling: Physical therapy usually combines exercises and manual techniques that may help make it easier to move and participate in daily activities. Over time, this type of therapy can also lower the risk of your symptoms coming back.
- Restore strength and flexibility: Specific strengthening exercises can target weak muscles, while certain stretches can relieve tight tissues. These movements can help reduce joint loading and improve overall movement, with stronger, more flexible muscles also decreasing the risk of injury.
- Improve movement and posture: Physical therapists can provide directions on movement patterns and other adjustments that minimize muscle strain. Correcting posture during daily activities and exercise may help prevent pain from returning.
- Support recovery after surgery or injury: A gradual rehabilitation plan can help patients regain function in the affected area without unnecessary stress on healing tissues. This can mean slowly increasing strength, balance, and mobility to help patients return to their daily activities safely.
Key Differences Between Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy
| Chiropractic Care | Physical Therapy | |
| Main Focus of Care | Spinal alignment, nerve health, and pain relief | Movement, strength, and rehabilitation |
| Treatment Style | Hands-on adjustments and mobilization | Exercise programs with some manual therapy |
| Typical Schedule | 1-3 visits per week initially | 1–3 visits per week, plus home exercises |
| Overall Goal | Reduce pain and improve mobility | Restore function and prevent future injury |
Choosing the Right Option
Before looking at treating back pain with help from a chiropractor or physical therapist, it’s important to look at different factors. With these factors in mind, patients can make the right choice for their health.
- Cause and type of pain: Is the back pain coming from a recent injury or a long-term condition?
- Treatment preferences: Do you feel more comfortable with hands-on adjustments or exercise-based rehab?
- Goals: Is your priority quick pain relief, long-term functional improvement, or both?
Each has its perks depending on what’s causing the pain, how severe it is, and goals for recovery. Still, it’s possible to prevent pain from turning into a chronic problem by managing it early on. In some cases, patients benefit from a combination of chiropractic care and physical therapy.
In any case, you may want to get an evaluation from a qualified provider who can recommend the best starting point. Asking the right questions can help guide the right decision.
Bottom Line
Chiropractic care and physical therapy are both effective ways to manage back pain. Both can work well, depending on what’s causing the pain. In many cases, adding both to the same treatment plan can help improve recovery and allow patients to get back to their day-to-day routine. A chiropractor can help manage problems with alignment, while a physical therapist can recommend exercises to work on getting stronger and preventing future aches.
If you’re looking for complete support, the Spine Center at Neurosurgeons of New Jersey offers an all-encompassing approach to back pain.
Our team can evaluate your condition and guide you toward the right treatment plan. Whether that includes chiropractic care, physical therapy, or other pain management options.