Reverend Samuel Weed, a scholar and early chiropractic patient is credited with the naming of the profession. Taken from two Greek words, cheir meaning hand, and praxis meaning practice, "chiropractic" translates to "treatment by hand."

Chiropractic is a health profession concerned with detecting, correcting, and preventing malfunctions of muscles and joints ("subluxations") as well as the effects that these disorders have on the nervous system and general health.

Subluxation literally means "less than a dislocation." Like a misaligned gear, a subluxation is simply a joint that is stuck in an abnormal position. Subluxations typically arise from acute trauma (car accidents, work injuries, falls, etc.) or from more chronic stresses (bad postural habits — sitting/standing/sleeping/lifting, poor workstation design, repetitive/overuse motions, etc.). They may be relatively minor, producing no apparent symptoms, or may be more advanced, resulting in pain, inflammation, stiffness, and even organ disturbance.