Headaches
Neck Pain
Shoulder tendinitis
Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Low Back Pain or Stiffness
Hip, Knee or Ankle Problems
Foot Pain
Wanting to improve your nutrition and physical fitness levels
Feeling stressed at home and/or at work
Chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions including muscle, nerve and joint problems. Treatment involves hands on techniques such as spinal and joint manipulation or adjustments. They are also trained to educate patients about making and implementing healthy lifestyle choices. This includes stretching and exercise programs as well as nutritional advice. Chiropractors receive training to know when a patient needs to be referred to another health care practitioner, whether this be an exercise or massage therapist, Naturopathic Doctor, counselor, Medical Doctor or other health care practitioner.
When you see a chiropractor, a detailed health history and physical exam will be done. This enables the chiropractor to make a diagnosis and to provide you with a treatment plan that will help you to achieve your health goals most efficiently. Chiropractors will take the time to answer all the questions you may have about your current condition and about your treatment options.
The Chiropractic adjustment has been rigorously examined for safety, and its record is enviable. Six government inquiries into chiropractic worldwide in the last 25 years have all concluded that contemporary chiropractic care is safe, effective and cost-efficient, leading them to recommend licensure and government funding.
Your chiropractor is trained to recognize when you may be at risk, and adapt treatment accordingly. Communication between patient/doctor is the key element of chiropractic treatment; so ask questions. Your chiropractic doctor will keep you informed every step of the way.
Every health care intervention carries with it some risk. The greatest risk factor in chiropractic care is that of stroke following neck manipulation. A stroke may be precipitated by virtually any neck movement, particularly a sudden rotary movement if there is a predisposition or fragility of the arterial wall. There is no greater risk of an occurrence following neck manipulation than from natural movements of the head involving sudden or extreme positioning such as yoga, overhead work, coughing bouts or turning your head while driving.
1. One case of stroke for every 362 chiropractic years and every 1.3 million cervical spine treatment sessions. Stroke after Manipulation, Klougart et al" Danish study 1978-1988 Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1996
2. In Canada between 1986 and 1990 the estimated risk of a stroke following neck manipulation was found to be between 1 in 3-3.8 million, none of them involving death.
A Report on the Occurrence of Cerebral Vascular accidents in chiropractic practice, Carey P. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association 1993
3. A Risk assessment of other easily available/commonly used therapies for neck complaints compares the risk of neck manipulation versus the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Conclusion was that neck manipulation was several hundred times safer.
A Risk Assessment of Cervical Manipulation Vs. NSAIDs for treatment of Neck Pain, DabbsV, Lauretti WJ, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1995
4. NSAIDs "Death Risk Now 1 in 1200
NSAID Death Risk Now One in 1,200, Birchard K. Medical Post" Canada April 4, 2000
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), both prescribed and over the counter, are in wide use for symptom relief from back and joint pain including arthritis. New research shows that complications and deaths for those taking NSAIDs are much more frequent than was previously appreciated both from gastrointestinal ulceration/bleeding and congestive heart failure.
GI Complications: A recent study in Pain by British and Swiss researchers analyzed 100 trials worldwide involving more than one million people "and found that gastric complications were more common that perceived." In particular:
For patients taking NSAIDs for at least two months, which is common particularly with patients suffering joint pain from arthritis, 1 in 5 has GI erosions and ulcers, about 1 in 70 has stomach pains/symptoms, 1 in 150 has an ulcer that bleeds and 1 in 1200 dies.
Congestive Heart Failure: A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine from the University of Newcastle, Australia, reports another large concern with NSAIDs that has been little recognized an significantly increased risk of congestive heart failure in elderly patients.
So, as you can see the risk for serious complication following chiropractic care is extremely low and relatively safe compared to other methods of treatment for neck pain.
* Hypertension carries 10-12 times increased risk compared to normal
* Smoking increases risk 50% (higher for women)
* Diabetes increases risk 2-3 times
* Obesity increases risk 1.5-2 times
* High cholesterol levels increase risk by 30%
* Having 3 or more drinks/day increases the risk 2 times
* Oral contraceptives increase the risk by 80%
* Migraine headaches increase the risk by 3 times in young women
* Migraine headaches plus oral contraceptive use increases the risk 14 times
* Migraine headaches plus smoking increases the risk 10 times in young women
* Lifetime risk you will die of flesh-eating disease: one in 1,000,000
* Risk you will die in the bathtub this year: one in 1,000,000
* Annual risk of being killed by a falling object: one in 342,000
* Risk of contracting HIV from a blood transfusion: one in 400,000
* Risk of being killed by someone: two in 100,000
* Risk of being killed by someone's dog: one in 700,000
* Risk of dying from smoking by age 35: one in 600
* Risk of dying in a bicycle accident: one in 88,000
* Risk of being struck by lightning: one in 1,900,000
* Risk of dying from a bee sting: one in 5,500,000
* Risk that you will eventually have some form of cancer: three in 10
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Canada Safety Council: The book of risks by Larry Laudan
So as you can see, when compared with risks involved in other forms of health care and even some daily activities, chiropractic manipulation is a relatively safe form of treatment.
