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Glossary
Chiropractic glossary
28 chiropractic terms in plain English – the words you may hear at a visit or see on a website.
- Activator
- A small hand-held, spring-loaded instrument some chiropractors use to deliver an adjustment instead of using their hands.
- Adjustment
- The chiropractor's term for a controlled, quick movement applied to a joint, usually of the spine, by hand or with an instrument. Also called spinal manipulation.
- Cervical spine
- The seven vertebrae of the neck.
- Chiropractic college
- A school that grants the Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree. In the US, programs are accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).
- Copay
- A fixed amount you pay for a visit under your insurance plan.
- DC (Doctor of Chiropractic)
- The degree chiropractors earn. To practice, a chiropractor also needs a license from the state where they work.
- Diversified technique
- A widely taught hands-on adjusting technique.
- Dry needling
- Inserting thin needles into muscle. Some states allow chiropractors to offer it, often with extra training; rules vary by state.
- Flexion-distraction
- A technique using a special table that gently moves and stretches the lower spine.
- Gonstead technique
- A hands-on adjusting technique named after its founder, often combined with a detailed exam.
- In network
- A provider that has a contract with your insurance plan. Seeing an in-network provider usually costs you less.
- License lookup
- A state board's online search that shows whether a chiropractor's license is active, and often any public discipline.
- Lumbar spine
- The five vertebrae of the lower back.
- Manipulation
- Another word for an adjustment: a quick, controlled movement applied to a joint.
- Medicare Part B
- The part of Medicare that covers outpatient care. It covers chiropractic adjustments of the spine to correct a subluxation, but not other services a chiropractor orders, such as X-rays.
- Mobilization
- Slower, gentler movement of a joint through its range, without a quick thrust.
- NBCE
- The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which runs the national exams most states require before granting a chiropractic license.
- Range of motion
- How far a joint can move in each direction. Often measured during an exam.
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint
- The joint where the base of the spine meets the pelvis, on each side.
- Soft-tissue therapy
- Hands-on work on muscles and connective tissue, such as massage or instrument-assisted techniques.
- Spinal decompression
- Treatment on a motorized table that stretches the spine. Offered by some chiropractors and other clinics.
- State board
- The state agency that licenses chiropractors, sets rules and handles complaints – usually called the Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
- Subluxation
- A term chiropractors use for a joint of the spine that they find is not moving or aligned normally. Medicare uses it to define the adjustments it covers.
- Thoracic spine
- The twelve vertebrae of the upper and middle back, where the ribs attach.
- Upper cervical
- An approach that focuses on the top two vertebrae of the neck.
- Vertebra
- One of the bones that make up the spine. Plural: vertebrae.
- Webster technique
- A technique some chiropractors use for pregnant patients, focused on the pelvis and sacrum.
- X-ray
- An image of the bones. Some chiropractors take X-rays in their office or refer patients for them; ask why one is needed and whether insurance covers it.
Definitions describe how the terms are used. They are not medical advice and not a judgment of any technique.
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