The chiropractic approach to health care is holistic, stressing the patient's overall well-being. It recognizes that many factors affect health, including exercise, diet, rest, environment, and heredity. Chiropractors use natural, drugless, nonsurgical health treatments, and rely on the body's inherent recuperative abilities. When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners. X-rays and other diagnostic images are important tools because of the emphasis on the spine and its proper function.
Chiropractors also employ a postural and spinal analysis unique to chiropractic diagnosis.
In cases where difficulties can be traced to involvement of musculoskeletal structures, chiropractors manually manipulate or adjust the spinal column. They may also counsel patients about nutrition, exercise, and stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery.