We’ve all done it—you wake up with a weird ache or pain, so you turn to Dr. Google. Ten minutes later, you’re convinced you either pulled a muscle or contracted an ancient disease only found in deep-sea creatures.

Before you spiral into a WebMD black hole, take a deep breath. Whether you need a doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist depends on what’s going on with your body. Let’s break it down so you can skip the unnecessary worry and get the help you actually need.

At MHH Physical Therapy, we believe in getting to the root cause of pain—not just masking symptoms. But with so many healthcare options available, it can be confusing to know where to start. Should you see a doctor for imaging? A chiropractor for an adjustment? Or a physical therapist for movement-based recovery? Understanding the strengths of each provider can help you make the best decision for your health.

1. Understanding Each Profession

Choosing the right healthcare provider depends on the type of pain or injury you’re experiencing. Each profession—medical doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists—has a unique approach to diagnosis and treatment. While doctors focus on medical interventions, chiropractors specialize in spinal and joint adjustments, and physical therapists address whole body movement and injury rehabilitation. Understanding their differences can help you make the best decision for your recovery.

Medical Doctor (MD/DO): The Diagnostician & Prescription Provider  

Doctors, whether MDs or DOs, are trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, specifically those that require more immediate attention. They’re your go-to when you need imaging (X-rays, MRIs), blood tests, or medications like antibiotics for an infection. If your injury is severe—think broken bones, lacerations, or something that might require surgery—seeing a doctor is the best first step.  

That being said, doctors often rely on symptom management rather than long-term movement solutions and maximizing your health. If you’re given a prescription for muscle relaxers and sent on your way, it might provide short-term relief, but it might not necessarily fix the underlying issue. This is where alternative care, like chiropractic or physical therapy, can step in.  

Chiropractor (DC): The Spine & Joint Alignment Specialist

Chiropractors focus on spinal alignment, joint mobilization, and nervous system function, using manual adjustments to relieve tension and improve mobility. If you’re dealing with acute back pain, a subluxed (misaligned) rib, or joint stiffness, a few sessions with a chiropractor could provide quick relief.  

However, chiropractic care is primarily passive—meaning it’s done to you rather than equipping you with exercises or movement strategies to fix the problem yourself or support the work they’ve done. If your issue stems from muscular imbalances, movement dysfunction, or systemic inflammation, a chiropractor’s adjustments might not hold long-term unless paired with strengthening and mobility work (which is where physical therapy comes in).  

Holistic Physical Therapist: The Movement & Rehabilitation Expert  

Physical therapists focus on getting to the root cause of pain rather than just treating symptoms. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, dealing with chronic pain, or simply struggling with mobility issues, physical therapists take a whole-body approach to help you move and feel better.  

Unlike chiropractors, who focus on manual adjustments, physical therapists emphasize movement-based rehabilitation through targeted exercises, mobility work, and neuromuscular re-education. If you’ve got sciatica, rotator cuff pain, arthritis, or “getting old” aches and pains, a physical therapist can provide customized, research-backed exercises to help you heal and stay active—without relying on adjustments or medications.  If you’re someone that has gone to a chiropractor regularly and has struggled to find long-lasting results, maybe it’s time to give physical therapy a try!

At MHH Physical Therapy, we take it a step further by using GOATA and McKenzie methods to streamline recovery and prevent future injuries. Instead of overwhelming you with a long list of exercises, we focus on 3-4 highly effective movements tailored to your lifestyle—so you get better results without spending hours in a gym.  If you have tried physical therapy in the past and failed to see results, check out this blog and how we might be different from your previous experiences.

2. Who Should You See? (With a Chart)

After all that information that is probably swirling around in your head, here is a broken down version with a chart for your quick reference on who you should see for your pain or injury. Doctors handle serious injuries, imaging, and medications. Chiropractors focus on spinal adjustments for quick relief. Physical therapists work on long-term solutions, strengthening, and movement correction to prevent future pain.  

Why This Matters  

Choosing the right provider saves you time, money, and unnecessary treatments. A doctor is essential for red-flag symptoms like back pain with bowel issues or sudden vision changes. A chiropractor can help with acute misalignments, but may not address the root cause. A holistic physical therapist provides a movement-based approach to fix chronic pain, post-surgery rehab, and injuries from aging or exercise.  

At Mitchell Holistic Health here in Onalaska, we simplify rehab using GOATA and McKenzie methods, focusing on just 3-4 key movements so you get maximum results with minimal effort.  

Quick Reference Chart— Who to See for Common Issues:

Bottom line? The right provider means faster recovery and fewer setbacks. If you’re unsure, start with a holistic physical therapy consultation—we’ll help you get back to moving pain-free. 

3. Why the MHH Physical Therapists use the GOATA and McKenzie methods

We briefly touched on the GOATA and McKenzie methods, but we want to break it down for you further to help you understand exactly why we believe it is the best approach for whole body healing. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all rehab. Instead, we use a combination of GOATA (Greatest of All Time Athletes) and the McKenzie Method to get faster, more effective results. These approaches focus on full-body movement patterns rather than just treating isolated pain, allowing us to correct the root cause of discomfort and prevent future injuries. 

Faster Relief with the McKenzie Method for Physical Therapy

The McKenzie Method is a research-backed approach that helps 70% of people see a 50% improvement in symptoms within the first 2-3 sessions. Instead of relying on passive treatments, McKenzie focuses on targeted movements that reduce pain and restore mobility. It’s especially effective for issues like sciatica, herniated discs, and chronic back pain because it teaches patients how to self-treat and manage flare-ups.  

Why GOATA Matters for Long-Term Pain Prevention  

GOATA analyzes how the body naturally moves and identifies faulty movement patterns that lead to chronic pain or injury. Instead of only treating the area that hurts, we look at how your entire body functions—because a knee issue might actually stem from poor hip mechanics, and back pain could be linked to foot instability.  

By using GOATA, we help you retrain movement patterns, reducing strain on joints and improving overall stability. This makes it ideal for athletes, active individuals, and anyone looking to stay mobile as they age.  

Holistic Physical Therapy- Simplified & Sustainable Rehab

One of the biggest complaints about traditional physical therapist is that patients get a long list of exercises that feel overwhelming. At Mitchell Holistic Health in Onalaska, we want to do things a little differently. Instead of bombarding you with 6-8 movements, we streamline your rehab with just 3-4 highly effective exercises that fit into your daily routine. This ensures better consistency, faster progress, and long-term results—without adding extra stress to your life.  

By combining McKenzie’s targeted pain relief with GOATA’s full-body movement correction, we help you heal faster and move better—for good. 

We are Here for You! 

When it comes to pain relief and injury recovery, choosing the right provider makes all the difference.  At Mitchell Holistic Health, our physical therapists take a holistic, movement-based approach using GOATA and the McKenzie Method to provide faster relief and long-lasting results. By simplifying rehab with just a few effective exercises, we make it easy to stay consistent and see real progress.  

If you’re tired of temporary fixes and want to take a more hands-on approach to your pain management or injury recovery, schedule a consultation with us today—because moving better means living better!