Chiropractic Chiropractic is a complete system of healthcare focused on restoring, preserving, and optimizing health by natural hands-on care. Where conventional or "allopathic" medicine focuses on curing illness through surgery and pharmaceuticals, the goal of chiropractic is to optimize health with a non-invasive approach that does not use drugs or surgery. Chiropractic's primary avenue of care is manipulation of the spine and the framework of the body. The spine is an important structure that houses and provides protection for the spinal cord, while providing mobility for the upper body. This dual requirement of strength and flexibility makes the spine a very complex structure, with multiple joints at each spinal segment (the vertebrae) forming the spinal column. When these joints (also known as articulations) are not positioned or functioning normally, it can affect the nerves exiting the spine. Chiropractic care attends to irritations along the spine by manually repositioning these joints. This is a chiropractic "adjustment." The word "chiropractic" comes from the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (action), and simply means "done by hand." Note that the word "chiropractic," while a bit awkward, is the actual name of the profession. A chiropractor practices chiropractic (not chiropracy, chiropractics, or even chiropractic medicine). Chiropractors are licensed professionals who are trained to diagnose and appropriately care for or refer patients for the care they require. Accordingly, they continually assess their patients from dual perspectives, asking: What might I do for you, as well as, what might you also need today beyond my abilities? Chiropractic patients often visit their chiropractor periodically in order simply to relieve irritations - to get "adjusted." Individuals also seek chiropractic care for back pain, headaches, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, sprains, as well as non-musculoskeletal conditions including allergies, asthma, and digestive disorders. Some chiropractors further specialize in orthopedics, sports injuries, neurology, pediatrics, nutrition, internal disorders, or diagnostic imaging Massage Therapy Massage is one of the oldest, simplest forms of therapy and is a system of stroking, pressing and kneading different areas of the body to relieve pain, relax, stimulate, and tone the body. Massage does much more than create a pleasant sensation on the skin, it also works on the soft tissues (the muscles, tendons, and ligaments) to improve muscle tone. Although it largely affects those muscles just under the skin, its benefits may also reach the deeper layers of muscle and possibly even the organs themselves. Massage also stimulates blood circulation and assists the lymphatic system (which runs parallel to the circulatory system), improving the elimination of waste throughout the body. Some Benefits of Massage   Relieves Stress   Relaxes Muscles   Improves Circulation   Helps manages Pain   Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion   Relief from headaches and migraines Personal Training A personal trainer is usually a trained and certified professional who helps people meet fitness and exercise goals. Some trainers work with amateur or professional athletes who want to enhance their performance and may be called athletic trainers. More commonly, the personal trainer tends to work with individuals or small groups to help people achieve greater levels of fitness. The personal trainer normally begins work by evaluating the health history of each trainee. He or she should encourage people to discuss any exercise program with a physician prior to starting training sessions. Any red flags that come up during a health history, like muscular or skeletal structure injuries or serious medical conditions should be referred to a physician before training starts. The personal trainer may visit with a trainee’s doctor prior to designing an exercise regimen, or ask trainees to obtain medical clearance before beginning an exercise program. In addition to understanding the health history of a client, the personal trainer must get some sense of the patient’s exercise goals, which can be specific or general. A person may simply want motivation and a designed exercise plan to lose weight and get back in shape, or he or she may have a couple of “problem areas” upon which he/she wants specific focus. Nutrition Nutrition is the science that studies the process by which living organisms acquire all the things that are necessary for them to live and grow. Nutrition focuses on the role of nutrients, which are defined as substances that the body cannot make on its own and include things like vitamins, minerals, and certain macromolecules. Basically, nutrition consists of diet (what you take in) and metabolism (what happens to it after it enters your body).