About

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest natural therapies available for the treatment of neuro-musculoskeletal complaints.

It has been widely debated in the media about the safety of chiropractic adjustments. According to research, let’s compare chiropractic with a few common medical facts and everyday accident rates to help put risk into perspective.

Medical Risks:
Overall death rate from spinal surgery = 700 in 1,000,000

106,000 deaths/year from adverse effects of medications

Everyday Risks:
Risk of death from smoking 20 cigarettes/day = 1 in 200

Risk of serious injury or death from driving in an automobile = 1 in 5,900

Approximate risk of being hit by lightning = 1 in 1,000,000

Chiropractic Risks:
Risk of serious neurological complication from neck adjustment = 0.6 in 1,000,000

Risk of death from neurological complications in neck adjustments= 0.3 in 1,000,000

Conclusion:
Chiropractic adjustments are remarkably safe. This can be reflected in the low liability/malpractice insurance rates for chiropractors compared to their medical colleagues. Having said that, any procedure carries a risk. There are certainly times when manual adjustments should not be performed. It is the job of the chiropractor to perform a complete case history and comprehensive physical examination to look for any risks in the patient. If found, the chiropractor should modify his/her technique to accommodate the specific condition.

Chiropractors are experts trained in the neuro-musculoskeletal system. They diagnose and treat disorders of the spine and other body joints. Chiropractors provide conservative management of neuro-musculoskeletal disorders and advise patients on corrective exercises, lifestyle, and nutrition modifications.

From professional athletes to homemakers, engineers to electricians, infants to seniors, chiropractic care has been a common answer to health. Many people see a chiropractor for back, neck or other joint problems, while others may seek relief headaches or other conditions. Still, some patients find that regular visits to their chiropractor keep their body functioning optimally.

We regularly have a dentist check our teeth, an optometrist check our eyes and a medical doctor check our blood pressure and heart. Yet, we take a crucial component of our body, the spine, for granted. Regular checkups of your spine can help you maintain better health.

No. A patient does not have to be referred. Chiropractors are considered primary contact health care professionals in every province in Canada. This means that patients can consult them directly. Similarly, chiropractors frequently refer to medical doctors when necessary.

Yes. Chiropractic care has been proven to be both safe and effective. Evidence proving that chiropractic care works is overwhelming. Based on the numerous scientific studies, the consensus is that chiropractic care is the natural treatment of choice for most spinal problems.

This all depends on the person. Children tend to respond quickly. Adults take longer as most spinal problems result from years of neglect. Progress depends upon personal history, and lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and regular adjustments.

Usually, yes. The body needs both time and repetition to retrain the muscles supporting your spine and to re-establish the proper position and motion of individual vertebrae.

Clinical evidence suggests that individuals with chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis or recurrent neck pain, back pain or headaches may experience less frequent and less severe symptoms when under regular chiropractic care. Similar evidence applies to individuals in highly stressful situations and those who experience repetitive physical and postural strain from their daily activities.

It is possible that the pain will diminish over time. However, the degenerative effects of uncorrected spinal problems worsen with time. Also, while pain may dissipate, it often returns months or years later, only it presents as a far worse condition. Unfortunately, long standing spinal problems are difficult and sometimes impossible to correct.

The chiropractor's goal is not only to alleviate pain but to reduce irritation to the nerves and surrounding structures. By reducing this irritation, it may also alleviate problems that appear unrelated to the back-related problem.

Pain or discomfort in one area of the body may be connected functionally to discomfort from another area. If you look at a model of the spine, you can see that the spine is an interconnected structure. If there is dysfunction in one area, another area may be forced to compensate. Consequently, addressing dysfunction in one part of the body may relieve symptoms in another part. Adjustments at various points along the structure may be needed to help reduce bio-mechanical stresses on other parts of the spine in order to relieve discomfort.

No. Each patient's spine, condition, and care plan is unique. With 24 moving bones in the spine, each of which can move in several different directions, a wide variety of spinal patterns is produced. Each patient's treatments are specific for their age, condition and health goals.

The “cracking” sound you may hear is not bones rubbing together. The sound is produced by shifting of gas and synovial fluids in the joints. The presence of this sound is not overly important and varies patient to patient.

This question is frequently asked because people associate the "cracking" or "popping" of one's back or neck with a chiropractic adjustment. The two are not the same thing. If a person has a desire to "crack" his/her neck or back, it is often because one area of their spine is fixated or jammed causing another area to move too much and "pop", sometimes by itself. It's the fixated or jammed area that needs to be properly adjusted by a chiropractor so that the other parts of the spine will not be hypermobile. When you "crack" your back you may notice a brief period of relief but you will notice it keeps coming back. That is because you are not giving yourself a specific chiropractic adjustment. The cause of the spinal tension is from the misaligned and/or fixated joint which has not been corrected.

No. Chiropractic doctors don't dispense drugs. Chiropractors rely on natural methods; they may provide you with icing instructions to help alleviate pain. When properly applied, ice can have an analgesic effect without the side effects of pain medications.

Yes. Rest assured that your chiropractic doctor will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. Surgery often causes instability above or below the involved level. These areas will be the focus of your chiropractic care.

Check your coverage! 

Chiropractic and Athletic Therapy care are covered extensively by third party payers. These include the federal public service, worker's compensation boards, the automobile insurance industry, private health care insurers, education boards, large employers, RCMP, OPP, Veteran’s Affairs Canada, Blue Cross and more!