Before you head for your local chiropractic office, make sure your insurance covers chiropractic care. Although it's generally a well-accepted form of alternative medicine, most medical organizations frown on it, and some insurance companies won't cover such treatment.

Though you have to be a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) to open a chiropractic office, don't fool yourself into thinking that DCs are medical doctors. It's possible, but DCs don't spend as much time in school as MDs, and they focus on curative methods that are more anecdotally-based than scientific.

Any chiropractic office should be happy to show you the necessary licensing and diplomas of their practitioners if you ask -- and you should ask is you're interviewing for a decent chiropractor. If they seem reluctant, then don't be reluctant to go somewhere else.