Frequently Asked Questions about Chiropractic Care:
How does Chiropractic care
work?
Do many people see chiropractors?
What is a chiropractic
adjustment? Is it safe?
What results can I expect
from treatment?
How long do chiropractors go
to school?
How does a chiropractor become registered and licensed to practice?
Is neck adjustment a forceful
action?
Is neck
adjustment safe?
How does Chiropractic care work?
Chiropractic helps to
remove postural imbalances and structural misalignments that can accumulate in
our bodies over time. Our spines change and develop problems just like our
teeth, eyes and heart. Left unchecked, these changes may lead to pain, stiffness
or other more serious problems.
The nervous system is a key part of your body. It is the communication system
between your brain and all of your body's muscles, organs and tissues. For your
body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous
system to function well, it must be free of interference. The spine is the most
common site of nervous interference because nerves travel from the spinal cord
through openings on either side of the spine to get to all of your cells and
organs.
Each of us is born with the ability to heal and recover from illness. Our
bruises heal, cuts mend and common colds are overcome. Your nervous system
regulates this inborn healing ability.
The customized care you receive from your chiropractor can help to improve your
posture, muscle balance and mobility. It can also restore the integrity of your
nervous system and get rid of pain quickly, so you can get back to feeling
good…today! Back to FAQ List
Do many people see chiropractors?
According to current
research, approximately four million Canadians visit a chiropractor each year.
The non-surgical, drug-free healing nature of chiropractic also provides benefit
to the health of millions of other people worldwide each year. Most chiropractic
patients experience real relief and improved general well being, and continue to
make regular visits a part of their healthy lifestyle choice. Back to FAQ List
What is a chiropractic
adjustment? Is it safe?
An adjustment is the main
method of treatment used by your Doctor of Chiropractic. It is a specialized,
controlled and safe pressure applied to your spine to restore the proper motion
and position of your vertebrae. It is a precise procedure that your highly
skilled chiropractor has learned and perfected over years of training at a
Chiropractic College and in clinical practice.
Every health procedure, from taking aspirin to giving blood, involves a level of
risk. Chiropractic adjustments are among the safest of all health care
interventions because they are non-surgical, drug-free and present an extremely
low risk. And they work! Back to FAQ List
What results can I expect
from treatment?
That depends on your
condition. The length of time you have had the problem, your age and the degree
of your disability all affect the length of your treatment. Your Doctor of
Chiropractic should be able to give you an estimate of the extent of relief you
should receive from the recommended treatment and how long you can expect it to
last. One of the main reasons people choose chiropractic is that they often get
quick results. Individual cases vary and chronic conditions obviously need more
treatment. However, Workers' Compensation Board studies show that people with
low back pain return to work much faster with chiropractic care. Back to FAQ List
How long do Chiropractors go to
school?
Today's graduating Doctors of Chiropractic have studied and trained
in a post-secondary college or university for at least seven years.
Just like medical or dental students, they must first complete
undergraduate study before applying for admission to a chiropractic
college.
Becoming a chiropractor is a demanding and highly rewarding path
that includes a minimum of 4,500 hours of intense academic study
including classroom learning, clinical science and internship
training. During the course of their training, he/she will have
studied the following three areas:
- Basic sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology
(the study of diseases), biochemistry, clinical sciences, X-ray
interpretation and differential diagnosis.
- Training in the philosophy and practice of chiropractic.
- Clinical internship with emphasis on hands-on practice.
Your chiropractor is a primary contact provider just like your
family physician, optometrist or dentist. You do not need a referral
from your medical doctor to see a chiropractor. Back to FAQ List
How
does a chiropractor become licensed and registered to practice?
By law, every province
requires chiropractors to earn a license before they can practice. Graduating
chiropractors must attain passing scores on national examinations administered
by the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board (CCEB) and provincial board exams.
Chiropractic is a self-governing profession, which means that Doctors are bound
to a professional code of ethics through national and provincial chiropractic
licensing bodies, such as the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors.
This self-regulating and disciplinary process ensures that the public's health
concerns are the chiropractic profession's highest priority. Back to FAQ List
Is neck adjustment a forceful
action?
No. This has been demonstrated in studies to
determine the degree of physical strain applied during adjustment. It is skill,
not strength, that is needed to conduct a safe, effective adjustment. Back to FAQ List
Is neck
adjustment safe?
All health treatments have the potential for
adverse effects and, on rare occasions, neck adjustment has been associated with
stroke and stroke-like symptoms. A Canadian study, published in 2001, concluded
that stroke symptoms associated with neck adjustments are so rare that it is
difficult to quantify. Similarly, a medical review published in 2002 looked at
73 studies of chiropractic care and found no serious complications reported in
any of them. By way of comparison, neck adjustment is significantly safer than
other common treatments for headache, neck and back pain. Back to FAQ List |
