What is Chiropractic Care? Your Complete Guide

You’ve heard about chiropractic care. Maybe your friend swears by their chiropractor. Maybe your doctor mentioned it as an option for your back pain. Maybe you’ve driven past our office on Lexington Parkway a hundred times and wondered what actually happens inside.

But what exactly is chiropractic care? Is it just “back cracking”? Does it actually work, or is it just pseudoscience? And why do so many people in St. Paul choose chiropractic treatment for everything from car accident injuries to chronic headaches?

Let me break it down for you. At Twin Cities Chiropractic, we’ve been treating patients since 2001, and I can tell you exactly what chiropractic care is, what it does, and why it might be exactly what you need.

What is Chiropractic Care, Really?

Chiropractic care is a healthcare profession focused on diagnosing and treating problems with your musculoskeletal system—primarily your spine, but also your joints, muscles, and the nerves connected to them.

The core principle is simple: your spine houses your nervous system, which controls everything in your body. When your spine is misaligned or your joints aren’t moving properly, it creates problems. Pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, nerve compression, muscle tension—all of this stems from structural issues in your body.

Chiropractors use hands-on treatment—primarily spinal adjustments and manipulations—to restore proper alignment and function. When your spine is properly aligned and your joints are moving correctly, your body can heal itself. We’re not treating symptoms with medication; we’re addressing the underlying structural problems that cause them.

It’s a drug-free, non-surgical approach to healthcare. No prescriptions, no invasive procedures. Just skilled manual treatment that helps your body function the way it’s supposed to.

What Do Chiropractors Actually Do?

Diagnose musculoskeletal problems. When you come to Twin Cities Chiropractic with pain or dysfunction, Dr. Sorum doesn’t just start cracking your back. He does a thorough evaluation—medical history, physical exam, range-of-motion testing, neurological tests, and sometimes X-rays. The goal is to understand exactly what’s wrong and what’s causing it.

Perform spinal adjustments. This is what most people think of when they hear “chiropractor.” Chiropractic adjustments are precise, controlled movements applied to specific joints in your spine. When a vertebra is out of alignment or a joint is stuck, an adjustment restores normal position and movement. You might hear a popping sound—that’s just gas bubbles releasing from the joint, completely normal and painless.

Create individualized treatment plans. Not everyone needs the same treatment. Someone with acute back pain from a car accident needs different care than someone with chronic neck pain from desk work. We tailor treatment to your specific condition, your goals, and how your body responds.

Provide rehabilitation and exercises. Adjustments are important, but strengthening and mobility work are just as crucial. We’ll give you specific exercises to do at home that support your treatment and prevent future problems. Physical therapy exercises strengthen weak areas and correct movement patterns that contribute to your pain.

Offer lifestyle and ergonomic advice. If your job involves sitting at a computer for eight hours a day and your workstation setup is terrible, we’re going to address that. If you’re lifting heavy objects with poor form, we’ll teach you proper technique. Long-term health requires addressing the habits and environmental factors contributing to your problems.

Work with other healthcare providers. Good chiropractors don’t operate in isolation. If you need medical care, imaging, or specialist consultation, we’ll coordinate with other providers. Sometimes you need both chiropractic care and medical treatment, and that’s fine. We’re part of your healthcare team, not a replacement for it.

Conditions Chiropractors Treat

The range of conditions that respond to chiropractic care is broader than most people realize.

Back pain is the big one. Whether it’s acute pain from lifting something wrong or chronic lower back pain that’s been bothering you for years, chiropractic treatment is incredibly effective. We address the misalignment, muscle tension, and joint dysfunction causing the pain.

Neck pain and stiffness respond really well to chiropractic care. Tech neck from staring at screens all day, sleeping in weird positions, stress-related muscle tension—these create chronic neck problems that adjustments and manual therapy can fix.

Sciatica and shooting leg pain occur when a nerve in your lower back is compressed, often by a herniated disc or misaligned vertebra. Sciatica treatment involves adjustments to take pressure off the nerve, often combined with spinal decompression therapy for disc-related issues.

Headaches and migraines often originate in the neck. Tension headaches from tight neck muscles, cervicogenic headaches from spinal misalignment—these respond to chiropractic treatment because we’re addressing the source, not just masking symptoms with medication.

Sports injuries are a huge part of what we do. Athletes dealing with strains, sprains, joint problems, or repetitive stress injuries benefit from sports injury treatment that gets them back to training and competition quickly.

Auto accident injuries like whiplash need immediate chiropractic attention. Your neck and spine just experienced trauma, and waiting to see if it “gets better on its own” usually means it gets worse. Early treatment prevents chronic problems.

Workplace injuries from repetitive strain, poor ergonomics, or lifting accidents are conditions we treat constantly. Work injury treatment addresses the injury and helps prevent re-injury through proper body mechanics and strengthening.

Herniated discs causing severe pain, numbness, or weakness respond well to conservative chiropractic treatment. We offer spinal decompression therapy, which gently stretches the spine to take pressure off compressed discs. It’s non-surgical and highly effective.

Arthritis pain can be managed with chiropractic care. We can’t reverse arthritis, but we can improve joint mobility, reduce inflammation, and help you stay active despite the condition.

Pregnancy-related pain is something many women don’t realize chiropractors can help with. Back pain, pelvic pain, sciatica during pregnancy—we provide safe, gentle pregnancy chiropractic care that makes those nine months more comfortable.

What Happens During a Chiropractic Visit

If you’ve never been to a chiropractor, here’s what to expect at Twin Cities Chiropractic:

Your first visit starts with a comprehensive evaluation. Dr. Sorum will ask detailed questions about your symptoms, medical history, previous injuries, what makes your pain better or worse, and what you’ve already tried. This conversation matters—it helps us understand not just what hurts, but why.

Physical examination comes next. We’ll check your posture, test your range of motion, examine your spine for misalignment, check reflexes and muscle strength, and assess areas of tenderness or restriction. If needed, we’ll take X-rays to see what’s happening structurally.

Treatment planning happens before any treatment. Dr. Sorum will explain what he found, what’s causing your problem, and what treatment will involve. You’ll get a realistic timeline—how long treatment will take, how often you’ll need to come in, and what kind of results to expect. No surprises, no long-term contracts you didn’t agree to.

Your first adjustment usually happens during that first visit. Dr. Sorum will position you comfortably—sometimes lying face down on the table, sometimes on your side —depending on which area needs treatment. He’ll apply quick, controlled pressure to specific joints. You might hear popping sounds. Most people feel immediate relief, even if it’s just taking the edge off the worst pain.

Follow-up visits are shorter. Once we’ve done the initial evaluation, subsequent appointments focus on treatment. You’ll get adjusted, we might do some manual therapy or soft tissue work, and you’ll get updates on your progress and any new exercises or modifications to your home care routine.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe?

Yes. When performed by a licensed, experienced chiropractor like Dr. Sorum, chiropractic care is extremely safe.

Research consistently shows that chiropractic adjustments have a very low risk of serious complications. The most common side effects are minor—temporary soreness or stiffness, similar to what you’d feel after a workout. This usually resolves within 24-48 hours.

Dr. Sorum has over 20 years of experience and has performed thousands of adjustments. He knows how to properly evaluate patients, identify when chiropractic care is appropriate, and refer to other providers when needed.

There are some situations where chiropractic adjustments aren’t appropriate—severe osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, spinal cord compression with neurological symptoms, and acute fractures. A good chiropractor screens for these conditions before treatment.

Chiropractic Care at Twin Cities Chiropractic

What makes our approach different? We don’t just do quick adjustments and send you on your way.

Comprehensive treatment approach. Dr. Sorum provides chiropractic adjustments, but we also have Joy Vang, our licensed massage therapist, who provides manual therapy and massage. This combination addresses both structural and soft-tissue issues. You get better faster when we treat the whole problem, not just part of it.

Modern treatment methods. We offer spinal decompression therapy for disc problems, physical therapy exercises for strengthening and rehabilitation, and wellness care to maintain your long-term health.

Experience matters. Dr. Sorum has been practicing in St. Paul since 2001. He’s treated auto accident injuries, sports injuries, workplace injuries, chronic pain conditions—everything. That experience means he can quickly identify what’s wrong and what treatment will work.

Same-day appointments available. In severe pain? We offer same-day appointments. You don’t have to wait days or weeks to start feeling better.

Convenient St. Paul location. We’re right at 506 N. Lexington Parkway, easy to reach from anywhere in the Twin Cities. Plenty of parking, accessible location.

How to Get Started

If you’re dealing with pain, limited mobility, or any musculoskeletal problem, getting evaluated is the first step. Call our office or book online. We’ll schedule your initial consultation, do a thorough evaluation, and start treatment that same day if appropriate.

Is chiropractic care right for your specific problem? Call and ask. We’ll give you an honest answer about whether we can help or if you need to see someone else first.

When choosing a chiropractor in St. Paul, look for experience, comprehensive treatment approaches, clear communication, and a focus on getting you better rather than keeping you coming back indefinitely. That’s what we offer.

The Bottom Line

Chiropractic care is a safe, effective, evidence-based approach to treating musculoskeletal problems. It addresses the root cause of your pain rather than just covering up symptoms with medication. It’s a hands-on treatment that helps your body heal itself and function properly.

If you’ve been dealing with back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, or any other condition affecting your spine and joints, chiropractic care might be exactly what you need.

Want to learn more about chiropractic care? Contact Twin Cities Chiropractic at 506 N. Lexington Parkway in St. Paul. Dr. Sorum and our team provide comprehensive chiropractic treatment for back pain, neck pain, auto accidents, sports injuries, and more. Call today or book online.