1. Is chiropractic care safe?
Chiropractors are registered by the Chiropractic Board of Australia and like all other registered health care providers, must adhere to National Law and profession specific codes of conduct and guidelines. Chiropractic care is delivered by university educated, regulated healthcare professionals. The profession is committed to ensuring evidence informed care is provided to patients.
2. What is a chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is the skill 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.
There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the chiropractor'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 university training and clinical experience, each chiropractor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.
3. Is chiropractic care appropriate for children?
Since significant trauma can occur at birth, many parents choose to have their newborns checked for any spinal health related problems. Later, learning to walk, riding a bicycle, and other childhood activities can lead to musculoskeletal related problems.
4. Am I too old for chiropractic care?
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, chiropractic is providing an alternative treatment.
After a careful examination and history, the adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.
5. For 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, 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 or who have stressful jobs may seek preventative visits.
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.
6. Do adjustments hurt?
In most cases, not at all. In fact most people find having an adjustment very relaxing.
With some adjustments you may sometimes feel or hear popping sound from the spinal joints. This is simply caused by a gas release from the joint as spinal movement is restored, such as when a wet glass is removed from a table. Some Chiropractors use a hand held instrument to adjust the spine.
Others use pelvic blocks to re-align the body. Special techniques are used for adjusting infants and children. Whatever the technique, at Body Balance we cater the treatment to you and your body’s needs. Personal preference for treatment types is always a consideration.
7. What results can I expect?
If you’re new to Chiropractic care, you’ll want to know what type of result you can expect. Individual experience varies from person to person, but most people can expect some benefits soon after beginning care and for these to consolidate further as therapy continues.
8. The difference between Chiropractic and Physiotherapy?
In understanding the difference between Chiropractic and Physiotherapy, we recommend referring to the definition of each practice. Chiropractic is a wholistic health care discipline based on the premise that the body can respond appropriately to its environment. The practice of Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine, and pelvis) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system. Chiropractors are five year university trained including studies in nutrition, pharamacology, radiology, rehabilitation and neurology.
Physiotherapy, as described by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, “uses a variety of techniques to help your muscles and joints work to their full potential.
Each individual is different and must make their own choice about the most appropriate method of care for them. We believe Chiropractic, with its central focus on the spine, nervous system and their impact on entire body provides a health care option that can assist most people with their needs.
9. Do you need a referral from a GP?
Chiropractors are primary health care practitioners therefore a referral is not necessary. However more and more GP's are referring to Chiropractors via the Enhanced Primary Care Program (EPC).
