The family doctor isn’t the lone option to heal aches and pains, as chiropractors such as Dr. Douglas Edwards are now treating a wider variety of things.

One of the ways Edwards, of Albert Lea Chiropractic, can treat a wider range of ailments is by utilizing new technology that he said other chiropractors in the area are not using. He’s one of few chiropractors in the area using electronic health records and digital X-rays.

He also said he’s the first chiropractor in the Midwest to have a secure tunnel via the Internet for medical records. Meaning, he can send X-rays to a specialist in the Twin Cities, if he thinks that’s necessary.

“It’s just such a collage of things now compared to what we used to do,” Edwards said.

Edwards said chiropractors’ roles have changed quite a bit in the last 20 to 25 years.

“We are seeing, certainly, individuals now coming in that we’d never have seen 15, 20 years ago, or even as little as five years ago,” Edwards said.

When he started in 1984, Edwards said he treated mostly spinal discomforts, like lower and middle back pain, but now chiropractors are beginning to treat ailments like knee, back, shoulder, foot and headaches, and people can find relief for these types of ailments at a bargain price.

“There’s kind of a motto around here to do what you do best and send out the rest,” Edwards said.

The scope of what chiropractors do best may be changing, as some people believe that chiropractors can be a piece in the puzzle of solving things like high blood pressure and ear infections and acid reflux, and Edwards said they’re seeing many patients go to chiropractors before going to a clinic.

“Now they’re popping in here first. I think they do it for a couple of reasons,” Edwards said. “One, I think they realize we’re treating a lot more than we used to. And two, I think that once you’ve seen a patient, there’s a tremendous trust there that they realize that even if they come with something seemingly out of the ordinary, they realize that we’ll make sure they get where they belong.”

Chiropractors have to work with doctors on certain cases, because patients may come in for an ailment that requires a medical doctor, like a heart attack or an aneurism.

“In the end, our job is to make sure we take care of the most worrisome problem first,” Edwards said.

So if a patient actually has something like a heart issue or aneurysm, Edwards said it’s important to deal with that issue first.

According to Edwards, part of the tremendous amount of business for modern day chiropractors is due to the fact that chiropractors can refer patients to doctors and other specialists when the need arises.

“It’s tremendously relieving to patients to realize that they can waltz in one place with a variety of different issues and make sure they’re going to get in the right place in the end to help them with their ailments,” Edwards said.

Edwards said his profession is much more visible than it ever has been, and he said chiropractors are spending time with their patients and letting them know the services they can provide.

“Like the dentist, I believe, education to the population is finally paying off. For years, we’ve tried to get people to understand that chiropractors are not just spinal specialists, but joint specialists in general,” Edwards said.

Edwards’ clinic has a full therapy bay, ultrasound, acupuncture, and has a number of services that are more economical in a solo practitioner’s clinic, Edwards said.

Edwards doesn’t think patients should avoid local doctors and strictly use chiropractors. For many ailments, chiropractic care can serve as a piece of the puzzle, and Edwards said medical doctors and chiropractors in the Freeborn County area work very well together.

“I really believe that in today’s world and in today’s health care market, the chiropractor is still terribly underutilized,” Edwards said. “I think the chiropractor is the best bargain in health care.”