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What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a health care discipline based on the scientific premise that the body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. These important functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves of the body. “Chiropractic” comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning “done by hand.”
The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine, and pelvis) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
The skull protects the delicate tissues of the brain. The moving bones of the spine protect the intricate communication pathways of the spinal cord and nerve roots. If these nervous system pathways are impaired, malfunction of the tissue and organ function throughout the body can result.
Chiropractors call this the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Chiropractic is the science of locating these subluxations, the art of reducing their impact to the nervous system, and a philosophy of natural health care based on your inborn potential to be healthy.
Chiropractic also places an emphasis on nutrition and exercise, wellness* and lifestyle modifications for promoting physical, mental, social, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual health.
*The CAA uses the following definition of wellness: “Wellness is a lifelong process of assuming personal responsibility that empowers the individual to exercise choice, make informed decisions and take action towards a more balanced, dynamically sustainable and fulfilling existence in all dimensions of life.”
How Does Chiropractic Work?
Chiropractic is based upon the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system.
Chiropractic works by helping to restore your own inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissue, and organs of your body are designed to function well and resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help reduce interferences to your natural state of being healthy.
A common interference to the nervous system is the twenty four moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system. This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.
Chiropractors aim to improve nervous system function primarily through chiropractic adjustments (with particular attention to the spine, skull and pelvis), to help remove any interference that may be impairing normal health.
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
Is chiropractic care safe?
What type of educational qualifications do chiropractors receive?
Is chiropractic care appropriate for children?
Is chiropractic care appropriate for over 55’s?
How long will I need chiropractic care?
Do I need a referral from a GP to see a chiropractor?
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, “locked up”, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the joints to gradually regain more normal motion and function. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to permit improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.
There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the doctor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly-accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure.
After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.
Is chiropractic care safe?
In the words of the New Zealand government’s inquiry, chiropractic care is “remarkably safe.”
In relation to the treatment of neck and back pain, studies have shown that a course of chiropractic care was 250 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs. However, it is important to note that while chiropractic has an excellent safety record based on drug free non-invasive care, no form of healthcare is entirely free of potential adverse effects.
While some reports have attempted to associate chiropractic neck adjustments with an occurrence of a particular kind of stroke (vertebral artery dissection), research conducted in 2008 in the journal Spine provides the strongest support for the extremely high safety of chiropractic care. According to the research, increased risks of vertebral artery dissection were likely explained by patients with pre-existing stroke-related neck pain and headaches consulting chiropractors and primary care physicians before the occurrence of a stroke.
Furthermore, the research asserted that while there was an association of vertebral artery stroke with chiropractic patients under 45, a similar association existed between the same type of stroke and use of primary care physicians in all age groups.
To put things into perspective, you are no more likely to suffer a stroke after a visit to a chiropractor than you are after a visiting a GP. Chiropractors use skill, not force or strength to conduct safe, effective adjustments.
Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that is proven safe and effective. Please feel free to discuss this matter with your chiropractor.
What type of educational qualifications do chiropractors receive?
Today’s chiropractor is a highly educated professional. Chiropractic training in Australia involves five year courses at Sydney’s Macquarie University, Melbourne’s RMIT University and Perth’s Murdoch University. Many Australian chiropractors received similar education in the US, Europe or New Zealand.
These courses are of similar length and depth as medical courses, but focus on promoting healthier lifestyles via better body function, rather than on drugs and surgery. Accordingly, chiropractic education involves a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques and related subjects.
This demanding curriculum enables doctors of chiropractic to care people with a range of health conditions, and help individuals on the path to overall wellness. A chiropractor’s education never ends. After entering practice, all CAA chiropractors must complete continuing professional development courses and seminars to upgrade and improve their skills and to stay current on the latest scientific research.
Is chiropractic care appropriate for children?
Yes, chiropractic care is remarkably safe for children. Since significant trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for any nervous system impairments. Later, learning to walk, riding a bicycle, and other childhood activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child’s spine, skull and nervous system is the unique domain of a chiropractic doctor.
Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as “growing pains” can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child’s spine, particularly babies’.
Is chiropractic care appropriate for over 55’s?
More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.
Restoring better spinal function can help improve lifestyle areas associated with the over 55’s age group including mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite. Many patients report improvements with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associate with the aging process. The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results. As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.
How long will I need chiropractic care?
Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These long-standing problems are often associated with muscle weakness or tension, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine. Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful lives, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventative visits are helpful in the maintenance of good health and for fostering wellness.
Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of “crisis management” is usually more costly and time consuming, chiropractors stand ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.
How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you?
Do I need a referral from a GP to see a chiropractor?
Chiropractors are primary contact, primary healthcare practitioners – as such, no form of referral is required as a prerequisite to visit a doctor of chiropractic.