Chiropractors are doctors that specialize in the neuromusculoskeletal system. This means that they are specially trained to treat muscle and joint problems. Joints can become stuck – not able to move properly – from injuries, repetitive motions, or poor posture, which can result in pain and muscle tightness. However, when a joint does not move properly, it can also irritate the nerves that travel away from that joint. When nerves become irritated, they can create more problems, like sciatica, and produce symptoms like tingling, numbness, or even muscle weakness. Pain can even be referred to another part of your body. That’s why chiropractors initially evaluate the patient’s spine for the source of the problem because of the way in which our nervous system relays messages to different areas of the body. For this reason, most people think of chiropractors as neck and back doctors because the spinal column protects the part of the nervous system that most people think about. However, nerves travel to every part of your body and all joints can have dysfunction. To treat these dysfunctional joints, chiropractors use an “adjustment”, which is a fast, precise movement of their hands on the joint to manipulate it. This removes the fixation in the joint and allows it to move properly again.