Frequently Asked Questions
- I was told I should see a Chiropractor. What is Chiropractic?
- What are subluxations?
- How do subluxations happen?
- How are subluxations corrected?
- What is an adjustment?
- Does it hurt to get adjusted?
- If I go to see a chiropractor, will I be expected to keep going?
- Doesn't it cost a fortune?
- What should I expect during the first visit?
- Do physicians recommend chiropractic care?
1. I was told I should see a Chiropractor. What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractors are doctors who practice the art of healing by adjusting, or manipulating, the spinal column and other joints of the body. Healthy, well aligned joints that move with full range of motion allow the nervous system to perform properly, which is vital because it controls every function of your body.
Specifically, chiropractors practice a drug-free, manual approach to health care that includes patient assessment, diagnosis and treatment. In particular, chiropractors assess patients for disorders related to the spine, pelvis, extremity joints, and their effect on the nervous system. As a result of performing a physical assessment, taking a patient history, and providing a report of findings, chiropractors are able to provide a differential diagnosis for the patient's presenting condition(s) and develop a comprehensive treatment/management plan. Chiropractors are also trained to recommend therapeutic exercise, to utilize other non-invasive therapies, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.
Chiropractic today is one of the largest primary health care professions in Canada with over 6,000 practicing chiropractors. Chiropractic is a regulated health profession recognized by statute in all Canadian provinces and American states. In Ontario, the profession is regulated by the College of Chiropractors of Ontario.
Every year more than 4 million Canadians seek the help of a chiropractor for relief from muscle, joint and spinal pain conditions such as repetitive strain injury, whiplash, sports injuries, home and workplace accidents, as well as to improve and support their overall wellbeing.
Subluxations are problem areas of the spine, or other joints of the body, that can affect your entire nervous system. In these problem areas, the joints are misaligned or have lost their normal range of movement. This irritates or puts pressure on local nerves and can lead to localized muscle pain and spasm which interferes with the communication between your brain and body (and vice versa). When occurring at the spinal level, the result is known as a vertebral subluxation complex, which can in turn affect your overall health.
3. How do subluxations happen?
The stresses and strains of everyday living such as housework, gardening, desk work, lifting, or even sleeping on the couch can cause spinal and other joint problems. So can falls, accidents (especially car accidents), sports activities and injuries. In children, subluxations can initially occur during the birth process, while learning to walk, in play, and from everyday childhood activities.
4. How are subluxations corrected?
Your chiropractor will reduce and correct subluxations with highly skilled adjustments to your spine and other joints. If the subluxations have been present a short time, you may only need a few adjustments. However, long-term, chronic subluxations will require more frequent adjustments to retrain the problem areas of the spine and other joints to allow them to move within their normal, healthy positions. As subluxations are corrected, your nervous system starts to function properly again and your body heals itself.
Chiropractic adjustments are highly skilled, gentle manipulations of your spine and other joints. The chiropractic adjustment is the most common form of treatment utilized by chiropractors in clinical practice. Also known as spinal manipulative therapy, the adjustment is a non-invasive, manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed through four years of intensive chiropractic education.
The adjustment is a carefully controlled procedure delivered by a skilled practitioner to dysfunctional spinal and other joints of the body. Adjustments help your nervous system to function properly again, which allows your whole body to regain and maintain its good health.
6. Does it hurt to get adjusted?
The chiropractic adjustment is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. However, as it is a manually applied therapy, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment, which usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. For example, the technique is modified when treating children, pregnant women and older patients. Patients typically note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
7. If I go to see a chiropractor, will I be expected to keep going?
That's entirely up to you. Some people only want to be treated for a specific pain or illness and when the symptoms disappear, they stop going. Others use chiropractic care to fully correct the underlying cause of the symptoms and to remain feeling really well. Like a car, you body has constant stress and wear, and it benefits from a 'tune-up'. However, which treatment approach you want is always your choice.
No. Many of the pain-killers and drugs you buy to treat pain and illness cost more than chiropractic care. Yet chiropractic care treats more than the symptoms of poor health, it treats the underlying cause. It also helps to restore and maintain good health - without using any drugs.
9. What should I expect during the first visit?
In order for the doctor to treat you, he or she needs to fully understand how your body functions as a whole. In particular, they will focus on your spine, joints, muscles, and nervous system. A complete picture of your health history and overall current health is also required in order to provide the best possible treatment for you.
During your first visit, your chiropractor may ask about the following:
- personal and family medical history
- major illnesses you have experienced
- surgeries or operations you have had
- medications that you are taking (if possible, please be aware of your current medications)
- a description of your present condition
- the steps you have taken to manage your condition
- your diet and exercise
- your sleeping habits, daily activities, work routine, stress levels, and home life
- activities that aggravate/relieve your complaints
Following the above, your chiropractor will perform a physical examination which may include the following:
- a check of your blood pressure
- a test of your reflexes, strength and skin sensation
- an analysis of your posture
- an analysis of your joint movement, identifying restrictions and areas of improper motion
- orthopedic and/or neurological testing of your area of complaint to help determine the cause of your complaint
- referral for x-rays when indicated
These assessments will help your chiropractor to make a diagnosis of your condition, prescribe a course of treatment, and once the matter of informed consent is discussed, and depending on your diagnosis, treatment will usually begin the same day.
10. Do physicians recommend chiropractic care?
Many physicians refer their patients for chiropractic care and are being treated by chiropractors themselves. Chiropractors often work closely with medical doctors, 44 per cent of whom refer their patients to chiropractors when they believe chiropractic treatment will help alleviate a patient's condition. Similarly, chiropractors frequently refer to medical doctors when necessary.