Chiropractors use natural, drugless, nonsurgical health treatments, and rely on the body's own healing powers. When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners. Like other health practitioners, chiropractors follow a standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. They take the patient's medical history, conduct physical, neurological, and orthopedic examinations, and may order laboratory tests. 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 common to chiropractic diagnosis.