A DC, or Doctor of Chiropractic, is a licensed healthcare provider who diagnoses and treats disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine and joints. DCs complete a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical training across a four-year doctoral program. They do not prescribe medications or perform surgery. Instead, they use hands-on techniques like spinal adjustments, manual therapy, and lifestyle recommendations to treat pain and improve function.
What DC Training Looks Like
Chiropractic programs require prerequisite coursework in biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, and other life sciences before students begin the doctoral program itself. The DC curriculum mirrors parts of medical school in its early years, covering anatomy, physiology, pathology, and microbiology alongside chiropractic-specific coursework in spinal biomechanics and manual adjustment techniques.
After completing their academic coursework, DC students must pass a four-part national board exam administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Part I covers foundational sciences like anatomy and physiology. Part II tests diagnostic skills, including imaging interpretation and chiropractic principles. Part III presents clinical scenarios requiring students to work through a full patient case, from history-taking to diagnosis to treatment planning. Part IV is a hands-on practical exam where candidates demonstrate physical examination skills, read CT scans and other imaging, and perform adjustment techniques on a live patient. Every U.S. state requires DCs to hold a license, and most require passing these board exams to qualify.
What a Chiropractor Treats
The most common reasons people visit a DC are lower back pain, neck pain, muscle pain, and headaches. But chiropractors also treat problems throughout the musculoskeletal system: jaw pain, shoulder issues, elbow and wrist complaints, hip and pelvic dysfunction, and knee and ankle problems. People frequently seek chiropractic care for arthritis, sciatica, whiplash from car accidents, migraines, and stiff or aching muscles.
A large review published in The BMJ analyzed 47 clinical trials involving over 9,200 participants with chronic low back pain. It found that spinal manipulation produced similar pain relief compared to other recommended treatments like physical therapy and exercise programs, with a small but measurable advantage in physical function. These results held up over both short-term and longer-term follow-up periods. In short, chiropractic care for back pain performs on par with other frontline treatments, and many patients prefer it because it avoids medication.
How Spinal Adjustments Work
During an adjustment, a chiropractor applies a controlled, quick force to a specific joint in the spine or elsewhere in the body. This often produces a popping sound, which comes from gas bubbles releasing inside the joint capsule. But the real effects go deeper than that mechanical event.
The force of an adjustment stimulates stretch receptors in the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint, particularly sensors called muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs. These receptors send a burst of signals to the spinal cord and brain, which can reset the tension level in surrounding muscles. This is why an adjustment often produces immediate muscle relaxation. The nervous system response is complex: it can both excite and inhibit different muscle groups, essentially recalibrating how the brain controls tension and movement in that area. One theory suggests that adjustments work partly by clearing out low-level irritation from spinal tissues, removing signals that were keeping the nervous system in a heightened state.
What DCs Cannot Do
Chiropractors are not medical doctors. They cannot prescribe medications, order most types of bloodwork, or perform surgical procedures. Their treatments are non-invasive and drug-free. If a chiropractor identifies a condition outside their scope, such as a fracture requiring surgery, an infection needing antibiotics, or a suspicious mass, they refer the patient to the appropriate medical specialist.
This distinction matters because it shapes the kind of care you’ll receive. A visit to a DC focuses on physical examination, hands-on treatment, and recommendations around posture, exercise, and ergonomics. You won’t leave with a prescription. For many musculoskeletal complaints, that approach is effective. For conditions requiring pharmaceutical or surgical intervention, a DC is not the right provider.
Safety and Risks
Serious complications from chiropractic adjustments are rare, according to the Mayo Clinic. The most commonly reported side effects are mild soreness, stiffness, or slight discomfort in the treated area, which typically resolves within a day or two. More serious but uncommon risks include herniated discs (or worsening of an existing herniation), nerve compression in the lower spine, and in very rare cases, a type of stroke following neck manipulation.
Certain conditions make chiropractic adjustments unsafe. You should not receive spinal manipulation if you have severe osteoporosis, cancer in the spine, numbness or loss of strength in an arm or leg, an elevated stroke risk, or a structural abnormality in the upper neck bones. A competent chiropractor will screen for these conditions before beginning treatment.
Chiropractic Specialties
After earning a DC degree, chiropractors can pursue postdoctoral specialty certifications. The American Board of Chiropractic Specialties recognizes board certifications in areas including radiology, sports medicine, pediatrics, neurology, clinical nutrition, rehabilitation, occupational health, and acupuncture. A chiropractor with a sports medicine diplomate, for example, might work with athletes on injury prevention and recovery, while one certified in chiropractic neurology focuses on conditions involving the nervous system. These specializations require additional training and examination beyond the base DC credential.