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 Is chiropractic safe? 

The evidence points to YES.

In fact, in a study comparing a course of chiropractic care with a course of NSAID’s (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) – indicated that the best evidence suggests that cervical (neck) manipulation for neck pain is much safer than the use of NSAID’s, by as much as a factor of several hundred times1. 

Although it is worth noting that as with any form of health care, be it allopathic or alternative, there are always going to be some inherent risks. There is an extremely rare risk of stroke associated with adjustments of the neck. A paper published in 2001 is quoted as stating "The likelihood that a chiropractor will be made aware of an arterial dissection following cervical manipulation is approximately 1:8.06 million office visits, 1:5.85 million cervical manipulations, 1:1430 chiropractic practice years and 1:48 chiropractic practice careers."2

Despite the many benefits of medical care, there are again some risks associated. For example, in a study conducted over a ten year period it was identified that deaths occurring as a result complications secondary to cervical (neck) surgery occurred at a rate of approximately 0.32% (or 1 in 3200).3

Does everyone receive the same treatment?

That’s a definite no. Your chiropractic treatment is very much determined by your individual presentation. And that can change from day to day. Not all patients respond well to manipulative therapy, as a result here at Mind Your Spine Chiropractic we listen to you in helping to tailor a treatment that best suits you and your body. In saying that we do offer massage as a standard part of our treatments.

What is a chiropractic adjustment? 

 A chiropractic adjustment involves using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixed, locked up, or not moving properly. This therapy can help to restore motion to the joint. The aim of the adjustment is to restore joint function, nervous system function, remove muscle tension, and as a result to enhance health.

There are many ways to adjust the spine. Here at Mind Your Spine Chiropractic we use a combination of manual adjustments (performed by hand – you may hear a pop sound), instrument adjustments (the activator, SOT) or drop pieces on the table. 

What qualification does a chiropractor have?

 Chiropractors whom have studied in Australia have undergone a 3-year undergraduate program (Bachelors) and a further 2-year postgraduate program (Masters). That is a total of 5 years study. During this time, the final year of study also involves a full year of clinical placement where the students are supervised whilst practising on the general public.

Subjects which are rigorously taught include but are not limited to anatomy and physiology, pathology & diagnostic sciences, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, and chiropractic spinal adjusting techniques. 

All Chiropractors are fully licenced health professionals who are governed by APRHA (https://www.chiropracticboard.gov.au/). As a part of the registration process, in order to maintain a licence to practice all therapists must undergo continuing professional education focusing on improving skills and being up to date on the latest research available. 

 How long or often will I need to see my chiropractor?
A question that is probably most frequently asked in any therapists office. At Mind Your Spine Chiropractic our first and foremost focus is to get you out of pain; Acute pain Management. We then will endeavour to educate you on the areas you can improve in order to minimise the chance of a relapse, including advice and exercise recommendation. Once you are out of pain, or considerably improved, we then give you the option of one of 2 paths. First path a maintenance path, where prevention is better than cure. Your treatment frequency will be determined co-operatively and is normally anywhere between 1 and 3 months. The Second path is “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, meaning we will see you the next time you have any aggravation of your pain. Either way, we want you to make that choice yourself. 

Your Sleep - Buying the right mattress  

 As chiropractors we get this question a lot. Firstly, you need to remember that the warranty for a mattress is typically 7-8 years, as a result it is recommended to change mattress every 7-10 years, also note that it is advisable to flip and/or rotate the mattress every 3 months. With so many options out there, Memory Foam, Latex, Pocket Spring, Futon, Water Bed, differing densities Firm/Medium/Soft, you can get overwhelmed in the decision-making process. Follow this link for an excellent guide as to what to look for in a mattress.

https://www.sleepadvisor.org/mattress-buying-guide/

Best sleep posture – Worst posture to sleep in is on your stomach (the prone position). It increases the amount of extension in the lower back (loading up the joints), it also causes you to rotate your neck (placing unnecessary strain and sprain to muscles and ligaments of the neck). Many people report low back pain, Neck pain and Headaches as a result of poor sleep posture. Sleeping on the back (supine) or on the side is preferable in order to reduce the strain on your back and neck.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/say-good-night-to-neck-pain

Your Pillow – with the best sleep posture being back or side, at Mind Your Spine Chiropractic we offer our patients a contoured pillow. With one side slightly higher than the other, so that you have the option of both sleep postures. The High side is typically used for the side sleeper, whilst the low side gives support to the back sleeper. Please speak to your chiropractor about your pillow.

Referencing

 1. A Risk Assessment of Cervical Manipulation vs NSAIDs for the Treatment of Neck Pain. Vaughan Dabbs, DC and William J Lauretti, DC. JMPT 1995; 18(8):530-6.

2. Arterial Dissections Following Cervical Manipulation: The Chiropractic Experience, Haldeman S, Carey P, Townsend M, Papadopoulos C. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol 165, No 7, 905-6, 2001.

3. Rates of Mortality in Cervical Spine Surgical Procedures and Factors Associated With Its Occurrence Over a 10-Year Period: A Study of 342 477 Patients on the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Poorman G, Moon J, Horn S, Jalai C, Zhou P, Bono O, Passias P. Int J Spine Surg, Vol 12, No 2, 276-284, 2018.