Common Questions

If you’re new to chiropractic care, you’ll want to know what type of results you can expect.

Statistically, research shows that Chiropractic care is more effective and economical and gives longer lasting results for disorders of the spine than most other forms of health care.^1-3

Individual experience varies from person to person, but most people can expect some benefits soon after beginning care, and for these to consolidate further as treatment continues.

1. Low Back Pain of Mechanical Origin: Randomised Comparison of Chiropractic and Hospital Outpatient Treatment, Meade, TW, Dyer S, Browne W, Townsend J,Frank AO. The British Medical Journal 1990; 300:1431-7
2. The Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low Back Pain. Manga P, Angus D et al (1993) Pran Mange and Associates. University of Otowa, Canada.
3. The Appropriateness of Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain: Indications and Ratings by a Multidiscplinary Panel. Shekeffe PG, Adams PH, Chassin MR et al, Santa Monica, Calif RAND Corp 1991.

Chiropractic care is exceptionally safe for people of all ages.

In a study comparing a course of chiropractic care with a course of anti-inflammatory drugs, chiropractic care was shown to be 250 times safer.¹

Safer than drugs or surgery

In comparison, neck surgery carries a three to four per cent rate of complications which in turn leads to 4,000 to 10,000 deaths per million cases.²

And according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, drugs and surgery are the third biggest cause of death second only to cancer and heart disease.³

1. A Risk Assesment of Cervical Manipulation vs NSAIDS for the Treatment of Neck Pain. Vaughan Dabss, DC nad William J Lauretti. DC. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1995; 18(8)530-6
2. The Cervical Spine Research Society Editorial Committee. The Cervical Spine, Second Edition. Philadelphia, PA Lippincott 1990:834
3. Is US Health Really the Best in the World? Starfell B. Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) 2000 Jul 26:284(4):483-5

Well, it may surprise you to know that many GP’s are in fact chiropractic patients. Most chiropractors have excellent relationships with their local GP, and they cross refer patients to each other on a routine basis.

But chiropractors are the only health professionals who are specifically trained and qualified to correct joint fixations.

Australian Chiropractors study at university for a minimum of five years, full-time. They graduate with either a double Bachelor’s Degree in Chiropractic Science and Clinical Science, or a Master’s degree, depending on their university.

Their training includes anatomy, physiology and diagnostic sciences, as well as chiropractic studies. This comprehensive knowledge means they are experts in knowing when a person will benefit from specialised chiropractic care, and when referral to another health provider is required.

Chiropractors are fully licensed health professionals who are governed by state registration boards in every state in Australia.

Yes, as with any form of health care, there are some risks.

Some people may feel slight soreness following their first few adjustments as the body begins to re-align. This is usually very mild and only lasts for a short time.

There is a very rare risk of strain/injury to a ligament or disc in the neck (less than I in 139,000) or the low back (1 in 62,000).¹

There is also an extremely rare risk of stroke associated with adjustments of the neck which all published studies agree is extremely low.^2-4 The most recent research published in 2001 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal puts such an event at one in 5.85 million adjustments.⁵

To put things into perspective, if you drive your car to see your Chiropractor, then you have a far greater chance of being injured in a car accident than from your Chiropractic care.⁶

1. Dvorak study in Principals and Practice of Chiropractic, Halderman 2nd cd.
2. Manipulation and Mobilisation of the Cervical Spine: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Hurwitz et al, Akier PD. Adams AJ, Meeker WC, Shekelle PG. Spine. Spine. 21(15); 1746-1760, 1996
3. Risk Factors and Precipitating Neck Movements Causing Vertebrobasilar Artery Dissection After Cervical Trauma and Spinal Manipulation. Halderman S, Kohlbeck FJ, Mc Gregor M, Spine 24(8):785-794,1999
4. Conservative Management of Mechanical Neck Pain: A Systematic Overview and Meta-Analysis, Aker PD, Gross AR et al. The British Medical Journal, 313:1291-96, 1996
5. Arterial Dissections Following Cervical Manipulation: The Chiropractic Experience, Haldeman S, Carey P, Townsend W, Papadopolous C. Canadian Medical Assocation Journal Vol 165 No. 7, 905-906, 2001.
6. What are the Risks of Chiropractic Neck Adjustments. William Lauretti, DC. JACA 1999; 36(9):42-47

In most cases, not at all. In fact most people find having an adjustment very relaxing.

With some adjustments you may sometimes feel or hear a popping sound from the spinal joints. This is simply caused by a gas release from the joint as spinal movement is restored.

Techniques include using a hand held instrument to adjust the spine, or pelvic blocks to re-align the body. Special techniques are used for adjusting infants and children.

Whatever the technique, your chiropractors will use skill, not force or strength, to conduct a safe, effective adjustment.

In Australia, Chiropractic are fully licensed primary health care practitioners, and integrated into the mainstream health care system.

This means that they are trained to recognise a large number of symptoms.

If your symptoms are not suitable for chiropractic care, or are not responding as expected, your chiropractor is able to make the decision to refer you to another health care practitioner.