Have you ever suffered from a backache or neck pain or headache? Most of us have, of course, and deal with the symptom pretty quickly with an over-the-counter remedy, not usually having to seek medical help. There are some people, however, who have chronic pain which simply does not respond to medicine, and when they are failed by conventional therapies (sometimes even including surgery), sufferers often turn to chiropractic, the largest alternative therapy in the nation.

Founded over a century ago, the theory underlying chiropractic is that the back joints are misaligned, causing interference in the body\'s ability to heal itself (which includes the immune system). The misalignments of these vertebral joints are called subluxations, and the fix for subluxations is simple: spinal manipulation.

Although a goal of chiropractic treatment is certainly the alleviation of pain, especially in the low back and including headaches (and sometimes even addressing high blood pressure problems), the larger picture is to manipulate structures in the spine which will ultimately enable the whole body to function as it was designed to.

This is based on the theory that the immune system is effective in warding off disease and illness -- but only if there are no nerve blockages from subluxations. Chiropractors are the first to admit that spinal manipulation is no quick fix. Although treatments do tend to taper off until finally a maintenance-only adjustment is suggested once every few months, initial chiropractic visits are often three times a week, and take place over an extended period of time. The timeframe is extended because the misaligned muscles are not just being returned to their natural position, but also being trained to remain there.

Any search for a reputable chiropractor should start with your own family doctor. You may meet with resistance, however, as the two schools of medicine have traditionally not seen eye to eye. Word of mouth recommendations are always worth trying to obtain. Of course, you can always search online.

Just remember to keep it specific: if you live in Ashburn, Virginia, for example, then enter the phrase: Ashburn chiropractor, not Northern Virginia chiropractor. If not enough choices come up under the phrase \"Ashburn chiropractor\", then you can alter the search phrase to include nearby cities and towns as well.

Once you research a few of the sites that are geographically close enough, and discuss the treatment approach with the doctor of chiropractic, you will know if you feel comfortable enough to at least give the treatment method a try.