Chiropractor massaging a patient's back while lying face down on a cushioned table.

Chiropractic Treatment

Has your back been bothering you? Is the pain in your neck driving you to distraction? Are you having headaches?

It could be that your spine is off kilter or there’s a problem with how your joints are moving. Either of these issues can play havoc with your bones, muscles and other soft tissues, causing musculoskeletal pain and often making your head hurt, too. Chiropractic treatment may be an option to help you find relief. It can also be an effective complement to other medical care you’re receiving.

At Cleveland Clinic, our team of licensed chiropractors are skilled providers who treat musculoskeletal pain anywhere in your body. We work closely with you to figure out exactly what’s causing your discomfort and find the best way to bring you relief. And we do lots more than just align your spine. Our holistic providers treat the “whole you” — from head to toe.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Chiropractic Treatment?

Skilled collaborative providers:

Our chiropractic physicians are experts in treating musculoskeletal pain and can often help you avoid medications and surgeries. And our team works closely with your primary care provider (PCP) and any specialists you see. We make sure your chiropractic care complements your traditional medical care. Meet our team.

Comprehensive treatment:

We treat more than backaches and soft tissue pain. Our team will also talk with you about lifestyle changes you can make to enhance your treatment — things like exercises and stretches you can do at home, nutrition recommendations and stress-relief tips. We can refer you to other Cleveland Clinic providers, like our skilled dietitians, for more in-depth guidance on healthy eating.

Caring approach:

We understand that you might feel a little nervous about your first appointment with us. Rest assured, we never start treatment without a conversation and thorough medical evaluation. There’s no need to worry. We always want you to feel comfortable and confident about your care.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We’re recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

Exploring Chiropractic Treatment at Cleveland Clinic

Does the thought of seeing a chiropractor bring visions of someone who snaps, crackles and pops your neck or back into line? Are you worried treatment might hurt? Try to push those thoughts out of your head right now.

It’s true that when gases get trapped in your joints, chiropractic treatment can cause a few popping sounds. But they’re not painful, and the noises are just that, noises. They’re not dangerous. Chiropractic treatment isn’t about the noises. It’s about expertly manipulating your bones, joints and muscles to relieve pain — not cause it.

Reasons you may need chiropractic treatment

There are many reasons why you might see one of our chiropractic physicians. Neck or back pain are the most common. But you may also get relief if you have pain in your pelvis, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees or hips, as well as pregnancy-related back pain, muscle injuries from sports or an accident, headaches or migraines. Whether you have joint pain, sciatica or everyday muscle aches and stiffness, our skilled chiropractic physicians can find the best treatment for you. Even if the pain is from an old, nagging injury.

How chiropractors work

A licensed chiropractor does different things during a treatment session based on your needs. They may use their hands, special tools or both. They can realign your joints and your spine to improve how they work and lessen pain.

Soft-tissue therapy can help relieve stiff, painful muscles and tension in the connective tissue (fascia) around your muscles. If you have an injury, your provider may do joint bracing or use elastic therapeutic tape (Kinesio^® or KT tape) to support injured muscles or joints during healing.

Chiropractic treatment may also include personalized exercises or healthy eating recommendations. And some chiropractors may work with other providers who offer complementary medicine — like massage, meditation, music therapy and more — to make sure you have a complete, individualized wellness plan.

Meet Our Chiropractic Treatment Team

Our licensed chiropractors lead your care team, which may include other providers like:

Providers Who Perform Chiropractic Treatment

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

Getting Chiropractic Treatment at Cleveland Clinic

If you’ve decided chiropractic treatment is right for you, you’ve come to the right place. Our expert team is experienced in all types of wellness chiropractic treatments. And we tailor all care to your unique needs.

What to expect at your screening appointment

If you’ve never been to a chiropractor before, you probably have a lot of questions. And so do we. In fact, that’s exactly what we’ll do first when you come to see us. We’ll ask some questions and answer any that you have, too. Some things we might ask can include:

What kind of pain are you having?
How long have you had this pain?
How is the pain affecting your life?

Then, we’ll go over your health history and ask about your family’s health history, too. We’ll check out your alignment and thoroughly examine your muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves in your problem areas. Your chiropractor wants to see what your muscles and bones feel like, how tight things are and how well you move.

In some cases, you may also have some imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans or MRIs to help your provider better understand what’s going on with your spine and soft tissues. If needed, you may have a neurological exam.

Using what they learn from your conversation and the results of your tests, your provider will build a treatment plan. This plan will focus on your pain level, functional movement, your joint/soft tissue dysfunctions and your recovery goals. It’ll also include what treatments you’ll have and how often you’ll need them.

What to expect during chiropractic treatment

Chiropractic treatment focuses on planned, long-term recovery rather than a one-and-done quick fix. Each visit is aimed at helping you move better, feel stronger and have less pain. We want to help you do this while letting your body heal naturally.

At the start of each visit, your provider will talk with you about how you’re feeling that day. And they’ll ask if you have any noticeably painful areas. This conversation will help guide what kind of treatment you’ll have that day.

They’ll ask you to lie down on a special chiropractic table. Sometimes you’ll be face down. Other times, face up. Your provider may move (manipulate) your spine and joints with a traditional chiropractic adjustment.

They use their hands or small tools to apply a quick, controlled amount of pressure to your joint. This stretches your joint to help it work and move like it’s supposed to and helps restore its full range of motion. And that leads to less pain, stiffness and restriction. It also releases gases trapped in your joint. And that’s when you may hear those popping and cracking sounds.

Your chiropractor may also work on your soft tissues. You may have myofascial release therapy to loosen tight connective tissue covering your muscles. Or active release therapy that can loosen scar-like tissue (adhesions) keeping your body from moving easily.

After your appointment, you may feel a little sore and achy. But that usually goes away after 24 hours. There’s also a good chance you may have noticeable relief after treatment.

Like any treatment, chiropractic services have some potential risks like fractures, herniated disks, pinched nerves and quite rarely, stroke. Your risk of these complications is much lower when you have a proper exam.

Taking the Next Step

Chiropractic care can be an effective treatment option if you have musculoskeletal pain in any part of your body — head to toe. Our dedicated team of experienced and licensed chiropractic providers takes the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions and offer you treatment alternatives that can also complement traditional medical care. We target your pain so you can move toward getting relief.