Glossary

TermDef­i­n­i­tion
Auto Acci­dent ChiropractorA licensed health­care pro­fes­sion­al who spe­cial­izes in diag­nos­ing and treat­ing mus­cu­loskele­tal injuries result­ing from car accidents.
Back PainDis­com­fort or pain expe­ri­enced in the back area, often caused by injuries to the mus­cles, lig­a­ments, or spinal discs.
Chi­ro­prac­tic AdjustmentsA tech­nique used by chi­ro­prac­tors to apply con­trolled force to a joint of the spine to restore prop­er align­ment and improve ner­vous sys­tem function.
Chi­ro­prac­tic CareA form of health­care that focus­es on the diag­no­sis and treat­ment of mus­cu­loskele­tal dis­or­ders, pri­mar­i­ly those involv­ing the spine.
Diag­nos­tic TestsTests, such as X‑rays or MRI, ordered by a health­care pro­fes­sion­al to help iden­ti­fy the under­ly­ing cause of a patien­t’s symptoms.
Inflam­ma­tionA nat­ur­al immune response that occurs when the body is injured or infect­ed, often result­ing in red­ness, swelling, and pain.
Man­u­al TherapyA phys­i­cal treat­ment method that involves the use of hands to manip­u­late the body’s tis­sues and joints, often used by chi­ro­prac­tors to relieve pain and restore mobility.
Neck PainDis­com­fort or pain expe­ri­enced in the neck area, often caused by injuries to the mus­cles, lig­a­ments, or spinal discs.
Patient Intake FormA form com­plet­ed by a patient dur­ing their ini­tial vis­it to a health­care provider, which includes infor­ma­tion about their med­ical his­to­ry, the details of their acci­dent, and a descrip­tion of their symptoms.
Phys­i­cal ExaminationAn assess­ment per­formed by a health­care pro­fes­sion­al to eval­u­ate a patien­t’s over­all health and iden­ti­fy any poten­tial issues or injuries.
Range of MotionThe extent to which a joint can move through its full range of motion with­out expe­ri­enc­ing pain or discomfort.
Reha­bil­i­ta­tion ExercisesTher­a­peu­tic exer­cis­es pre­scribed by a health­care pro­fes­sion­al to help a patient recov­er from an injury, improve their strength and mobil­i­ty, and pre­vent future injuries.
Shoul­der PainDis­com­fort or pain expe­ri­enced in the shoul­der area, often caused by injuries to the mus­cles, lig­a­ments, or tendons.
Soft Tis­sue InjuriesInjuries that affect the mus­cles, lig­a­ments, ten­dons, and oth­er soft tis­sues in the body.
SprainsInjuries to the lig­a­ments, which are the bands of tis­sue that con­nect bones to each oth­er, often caused by stretch­ing or tearing.
StrainsInjuries to the mus­cles or ten­dons, which are the tis­sues that con­nect mus­cles to bones, often caused by stretch­ing or tearing.
WhiplashA neck injury caused by a rapid, force­ful back-and-forth move­ment of the neck, often occur­ring in car acci­dents. Symp­toms can include neck pain, stiff­ness, headaches, and reduced range of motion.