Is Chiropractic Treatment Safe?

Chiropractic is still a gray area for many. Is it a science? Or hocus pocus? Or something in between? A lot of this confusion is because of less awareness about chiropractors among people. Especially less sensitization around the questions like what is chiropractic, how it benefits people, what does a chiropractor do, and who can (or cannot) use chiropractic treatment leads to more unverified myths and the question – “is chiropractic safe?”

Let’s discuss all these to give a comprehensive idea about chiropractic treatment and will also answer the safety related questions.

What is Chiropractic Treatment?

Chiropractic is a type of alternative medicine and non-invasive treatment procedure. In this system a trained person, or chiropractor, manually adjusts the spine and other joints to help help help help help improve its functionality, as well as to treat pains, usually back and neck pain. Chiropractors use their hands, often small tools, to examine and identify problems of the bones, muscles and joints. The next step after diagnostics is a treatment plan. Outcomes of diagnostics suggest the type of problem a patient is facing and the reasons behind it. Based on this diagnosis the Chiropractors design a personalized treatment plan which may include spinal adjustment, spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy, range of motion, lifestyle advice, even playing sport.

Is Chiropractic Safe?

There is no such evidence that says chiropractic treatment is unsafe. Rather, Chiropractors undergo rigorous training before becoming a certified chiropractor and follow a comprehensive safety guideline during treatment. Chiropractic treatment is generally a safe treatment method, however you have to undertake some safety considerations, which are as follows.

● Training and Licencing: Before you start taking treatment ensure that your chiropractor is properly trained from a reputed institution, and registered with and licenced by a recognized authority. For example, chiropractors in Australia must be registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia.

● Common Side Effects: It is absolutely normal to experience some soreness, discomfort at the treated area. There is no need to panic because these issues will be gone within 24 – 48 hours. However, if the uneasiness lasts longer or increases intensity then you must consult your doctor.

● Consult Your Primary Healthcare Provider: If you have underlying health conditions or are unsure whether chiropractic care is right for you, it’s a good idea to consult with your primary healthcare provider first.

Medical Conditions to Check

Chiropractic treatment becomes difficult in certain medical conditions. Since chiropractic treatment is centered around manipulating the spine and other bone joints, individuals having spine and bone joint related medical conditions, neurological conditions and inflammatory conditions needs to be treated very carefully.Below is the list of medical conditions which are a red flag for chiropractic adjustments.

● Severe osteoporosis
● Multiple myeloma
● Osteomyelitis
● Bone tumors
● Paget’s disease
● Rheumatoid arthritis
● Ankylosing spondylitis
● Psoriatic arthritis
● Reactive arthritis

A well trained and experienced chiropractor will first assess all the prevailing medical conditions and will examine the patient properly before starting the treatment. It is not that individuals with these diseases cannot be treated by a chiropractor, rather a good chiropractor will moderate the treatment plan as per the prevailing condition of the patient.

Conclusion

Is chiropractic safe is probably not the right question. Chiropractic is a proven method to help help help help help improve musculoskeletal functionality but everything depends on the chiropractor you choose. Your chiropractor should be skilled and experienced. That’s why I consult with MyChiro’s experienced chiropractors who are certified and have long experience of treating patients. They will offer you relief from headaches, back pain, neck pain, poor posture.