Chiropractor or Physical Therapist? Understanding How Each Supports Your Nervous System
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If you’re dealing with pain, tension, or recurring discomfort, you’ve probably heard both suggestions:
“Have you tried physical therapy?”
“You should see a chiropractor.”
For many Missoula women, the choice feels confusing—especially when both work with the body and both are respected, evidence-informed approaches.
Here’s what’s rarely explained clearly:
Chiropractic care and physical therapy serve different roles in healing—and when used intentionally, they often work best together.
Let’s talk about what makes them different, where they overlap, and how each supports your nervous system in its own way.
First, the Shared Foundation: The Nervous System
Both chiropractic and physical therapy understand something essential:
Your nervous system drives everything.
It controls movement, healing, recovery, coordination, and how your body responds to stress. When the nervous system is overloaded or stuck in protection mode, you might notice:
Chronic tension or pain
Slow recovery from workouts or injuries
Poor sleep
Digestive disruption
Heightened anxiety or emotional reactivity
A body that feels “on edge” even at rest
This is where how care is delivered—and where it starts—matters.
What Physical Therapy Does Exceptionally Well
Physical therapy is movement- and rehabilitation-focused. Skilled physical therapists do incredible work helping the nervous system learn through movement.
Physical therapy supports the nervous system by:
Re-educating movement patterns
Strengthening muscles and stabilizing joints
Improving range of motion and coordination
Guiding safe recovery after injury or surgery
Using breath, pacing, and graded exposure to rebuild trust in the body
Physical therapy is especially effective when:
You’re recovering from a specific injury or surgery
You need targeted strengthening or stability
A joint or muscle needs structured rehabilitation
The body is ready to build capacity through movement
Many physical therapists absolutely incorporate nervous system principles—especially around breath, load tolerance, and motor control.
Where Chiropractic Care Is Different
Chiropractic care begins one layer deeper.
At Primal Practice, chiropractic adjustments are focused on how the nervous system is receiving and processing information—before asking the body to perform or strengthen.
Chiropractic supports the nervous system by:
Improving brain–body communication through the spine
Reducing neurological “noise” and overload
Helping the body shift out of fight-or-flight
Restoring adaptability, ease, and internal regulation
Instead of asking,
“How do we train this movement?”
Chiropractic asks,
“Is the nervous system clear enough to coordinate this movement in the first place?”
That distinction isn’t about better or worse—it’s about starting point.
A Simple Way to Think About It
Think of your body like a team.
The nervous system is communication and leadership
Muscles and joints are execution and performance
Physical therapy helps the team train smarter and move better.
Chiropractic helps ensure the communication system is clear and calm.
When communication improves, training becomes more effective.
Why Some Bodies Struggle With Rehab Alone
Many women come to Primal Practice after “doing all the right things”:
Strengthening consistently
Following rehab plans
Stretching, mobilizing, exercising
But their body still feels guarded, tense, or exhausted.
Often, the issue isn’t effort.
It’s that the nervous system is still operating in protection mode.
When regulation comes first, movement work lands differently. The body isn’t fighting itself.
When Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Work Best Together
This isn’t an either/or conversation.
Some of the best outcomes happen when care is sequenced intentionally:
Support nervous system regulation (often with chiropractic)
Build strength, mobility, and confidence through movement (often with physical therapy)
That order can make rehabilitation feel easier, less forced, and more sustainable.
I deeply respect the physical therapists in Missoula doing thoughtful, patient-centered work. We’re on the same team—just working at different entry points.
What Care at Primal Practice Looks Like
Chiropractic care here is:
Gentle, specific, and regulation-focused
Designed to meet your current stress load
Supportive of busy lives, motherhood, and active bodies
Meant to create ease—not add another task to your plate
This isn’t about chasing symptoms.
It’s about restoring your body’s ability to adapt.
A More Helpful Question to Ask
Instead of:
“Who treats pain better?”
Try:
“Where does my body need support first?”
Because when the nervous system feels safe, movement, strength, and healing follow more naturally.
Closing Thought
Your body doesn’t need to be forced, fixed, or pushed harder.
It needs clarity, communication, and the right support at the right time.
If you’re looking for care in Missoula that prioritizes nervous system regulation—and works well alongside movement-based therapies—chiropractic may be a powerful place to begin.
👉 Book your nervous system–focused visit at Primal Practice today.
🖤,
Dr. Liz
