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Chiropractic FAQs
What conditions
do chiropractors treat? [Top]
Chiropractors are experts trained in the neuromusculoskeletal
system . They diagnose and treat disorders of the spine and
other body joints by adjusting the spinal column or through
other corrective manipulation. Chiropractors provide conservative
management of neuromusculoskeletal disorders including, but
not limited to, back, neck and head pain (over 90 percent
of conditions treated). They also advise patients on corrective
exercises, lifestyle and nutrition.
What happens
during a treatment? [Top]
During your first visit, the chiropractor will want to know
about your health history as well as your current complaint.
Your home and work life as well as your level of physical
activity may also affect your health, so don't be surprised
to be asked questions about these.
Although chiropractors use their hands for most treatments,
they also use other methods such as heat, light, specialized
adjusting instruments, ultrasound, electrotherapy, personalized
exercise programs, muscle-testing and balancing. Your chiropractor
can also give you information and guidance on how you can
stay healthy through proper nutrition, exercise and lifestyle
changes.
What kind
of education and training do chiropractors have? [Top]
Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care
practitioners, with an emphasis on neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis
and treatment. Preparation for the practice of chiropractic
is concentrated on three areas: basic training in the biological
and health sciences, specialized training in the chiropractic
discipline, and extensive clinical training. Becoming a chiropractor
in Canada requires a minimum of 6 years of post-secondary
education including no less than 4500 hours of classroom
and clinical instruction at an institution approved by the
Council on Chiropractic Education Canada.
What results
can I expect from treatment? [Top]
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 chiropractic
doctor should tell you the extent of treatment recommended,
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, but Workers' Compensation
Board studies show, for example, that people with low back
pain get back to work much faster with chiropractic care.
You might also consider the benefits of regular chiropractic
adjustments even when you feel healthy. Sometimes you won't
know you have a disorder of the neuromusculoskeletal system
until it becomes acute and painful. So, just as you see your
dentist to have your teeth checked and your optometrist for
eye exams, regular visits to your chiropractor can catch
related health conditions early, often preventing them from
developing into major problems. Remember, your spine is every
bit as susceptible to wear and tear as your teeth and your
eyes so you should look after it.
How is chiropractic
adjustment performed? [Top]
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure
that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during
four intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractor
typically uses his/her hands to manipulate the joints of
the body, particularly the spine, in order to reduce pain,
and restore or enhance joint functioning.
Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure
that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the
procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients
often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately
following treatment.
How many
people see chiropractors? [Top]
Public surveys are finding that the proportion of Canadians
that are consulting chiropractors is rising every year. Statistics
Canada data found that over 11 percent (3 million) Canadians
consulted a chiropractor in 1996. The figures today are closer
to 15 percent, or over 4 million Canadians annually. There
are approximately 35 million office visits to chiropractors
each year.
Is chiropractic
covered by government health plans? [Top]
Chiropractic services are partially covered by the provincial
health plans of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta - unfortunately
they are no longer covered in the province of Ontario. Most
federal government departments (such as the RCMP and Veteran's
Affairs) also cover chiropractic services. All worker's compensation
boards and most employer and other third party insurance
plans cover chiropractic services as well, thereby making
it affordable health care by most Canadians.
Is chiropractic
manipulation a safe procedure? [Top]
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a drug-free,
non-invasive approach to common musculoskeletal conditions
such as headache, neck and back pain.
As such, it is a low risk therapy. Complications arising
from adjustment are rare.
Is chiropractic
really scientific? [Top]
Chiropractic is a healing discipline firmly grounded in
science. Few other health care interventions have been assessed
as extensively as chiropractic manipulation, both in terms
of safety and effectiveness. There have been at least six
formal government inquiries into chiropractic worldwide over
the last 25 years and all have concluded that contemporary
chiropractic care is safe, effective, cost-effective and
have recommended public funding for chiropractic services.
In addition, there have been countless scientific clinical
studies assessing the appropriateness, effectiveness, and/or
cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulation or chiropractic
manipulation, most notably for low back pain. The Canadian
Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) now offers research
grants in partnership with the Canadian Chiropractic Association
to chiropractors and other scientists for high quality, chiropractic
research.
Is chiropractic
regulated in Canada? [Top]
Like medicine and dentistry, chiropractic is a self-regulating
profession, and each provincial chiropractic regulatory body
has the authority to grant a license to practice chiropractic.
There are Chiropractic Acts in all 10 provinces and the Yukon
Territory which establish a self-regulatory process which
includes extensive testing for licensure. In all provinces,
licensure requirements include a minimum of two years pre-professional
university studies, graduation from an accredited chiropractic
institution (4 or 5 years), and passing national and provincial
board examinations.
Do chiropractors
treat children? [Top]
Chiropractic treatment is based on the basic biological
and physiological sciences which apply equally to children
as they do to the adults. Chiropractic treatment is as beneficial
to children as it is to adults, and children should be seen
by chiropractors when appropriate. The scientific literature
is now demonstrating that low back pain is a very prevalent
condition amongst school children. For example a 1992 study
in the American Journal of Public Health found that the prevalence
of low back pain (LBP) in adolescents up to age 15 is over
36 percent, and thus concluding that LBP in adolescents is
a serious public health problem. As well, children can benefit
by periodic spinal examinations where the chiropractor will
look for clues to possible postural weaknesses that may predispose
children to later problems related to their spine and skeleton.
Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient.
It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children,
very gentle. While there is some clinical evidence that musculoskeletal
treatment of infants may have positive effects, well-controlled
studies are required to verify the benefits that are seen
in clinical practice.
Is every
patient's treatment the same? [Top]
The treatment a patient receives is related to the specific
condition diagnosed by the chiropractor, and will vary from
person to person depending on each person's unique situation.
Like M.D.'s chiropractors follow generally accepted protocols
and guidelines.
Is chiropractic
treatment ongoing? [Top]
The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially
what sends patients back to the chiropractor a number of
times. To be treated by a chiropractor a patient needs to
be in his or her office. In contrast, a course of treatment
from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan
that is conducted at home (ie. taking a course of antibiotics
once a day for a couple of weeks). A chiropractor may provide
acute, preventative and/or maintenance care thus making a
certain number of visits sometimes necessary. The average
number of annual visits per patient is eight.
Can chiropractic
treatment cure colds, earaches and other ailments? [Top]
Chiropractic care cannot "cure" these conditions,
but there is some evidence to indicate that adjustment may
have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions. Adjustment
may alleviate some of the secondary, or referred pain, arising
from the response of the musculoskeletal structures to the
primary cause. For example, research conducted in Denmark
resulted in chiropractic treatment being recommended for
the relief of infantile colic. Similarly, a recent U.S. study
concluded that the application of manipulative techniques
in children with recurring ear infections can prevent or
decrease surgical intervention or antibiotic overuse.
Can chiropractic
treatment provide a preventative function? [Top]
Clinical experience suggests that individuals with chronic
conditions such as degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis)
or recurrent neck pain, back pain or headaches may experience
less frequent and less severe symptoms when under regular
chiropractic care. This also applies to individuals in highly
stressful situations and those who experience repetitive
physical and postural strain from their daily activities.
Whether ongoing chiropractic treatment can prevent back pain
from occurring in the first place, or prevent a previous
condition from re-occurring, requires further study.
What is
the difference between Physicians and Chiropractors? [Top]
That's like asking the difference between a physician and
a dentist: they are different professions within the health
care spectrum. Both chiropractors and physicians are legally
entitled to use the title "doctor". As the appellation
MD means "Doctor of Medicine", so DC means "Doctor
of Chiropractic".
The role of chiropractic is complementary to other areas
of primary health care. Chiropractic is not, for example,
a replacement for medical care, but may offer an alternative
to medication and surgery in appropriate circumstances.
Recognition by health science that many illnesses of our
modern society are lifestyle based has shown us that we,
as individuals, can influence our own health and well being.
Many people, therefore, welcome chiropractic's emphasis on
healthy lifestyle and patient responsibility, as well as
its help in improving the body's functions and ability to
fight off disease.
Do chiropractors
refer patients to medical doctors when necessary? [Top]
Yes, like medical doctors, chiropractors refer patients
to other health professionals when they feel it is appropriate.
Chiropractors are well trained to recognize risk factors
as well as individual disease patterns and will not hesitate
to make a referral when it is in the best interest of the
patient's health.
Does chiropractic
treatment require a referral from an MD? [Top]
No. A patient does not have to be referred. Chiropractors
are legislated as primary contact health care professionals
in every province in Canada. This means that patients can
consult them directly. However, chiropractors often work
closely with MDs, 44 per cent of whom refer their patients
to chiropractors when they believe chiropractic treatment
will help alleviate a patient's condition. Similarly, chiropractors
frequently refer to medical doctors when necessary.
Do chiropractors
take a medical history? [Top]
Like M.D.'s, the chiropractor will take a detailed health
history during the first visit, prior to initial treatment.
This will include details on lifestyle and risk factors to
give the chiropractor a full picture of the patient's health
in order to determine the best treatment. As well, a detailed
health history is important to rule out any contraindications
and fully investigate risk factors before a diagnosis and
treatment recommendation can be reached.
Does chiropractic
treatment require x-rays? [Top]
Guidelines have been developed by the chiropractic profession
with regard to the use of X-rays as a diagnostic tool. X-rays
provide vital information to help determine a diagnosis but
they are not required in every case. In fact, at CMCC from
1997 to 1998 fewer than 20 per cent of chiropractic patients
received X-rays, and only 6 percent of patients under the
age of 16 required an X-ray.
X-rays can play an important role in diagnosis but are only
taken when a need has been determined by a careful case history
and physical examination. Chiropractors receive 360 hours
of education in radiology covering a full range of topics
from protection to X-ray interpretation and diagnosis. Governments
in every province have recognized the training and competence
of chiropractors to perform X-rays and have granted them
this right.
Does neck
adjustment require stretching and rotating the neck beyond
its normal range of motion? [Top]
No, it does not as anyone who has had their neck adjusted
will attest. Neck adjustment is done within the normal range
of motion and is often performed to improve flexibility and
reduce pain. The normal range during treatment is less than
what is required to turn your head when backing up a car.
Is neck
adjustment safe? [Top]
No health treatment is completely free of potential 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.
Is neck
adjustment a forceful action? [Top]
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. Chiropractic education in Canada is
an intensive four-year program following three years of university
undergraduate studies. By the time they graduate, Canadian
chiropractors are among the most skilled in the world.
Are all
neck adjustment techniques equally safe? [Top]
Canadian chiropractors are taught a variety of adjustment
techniques and there is no evidence to suggest that any one
technique is less safe than the others. Chiropractic techniques
that are applied appropriately are effective and safe.
Why
would neck adjustment have an effect on anything other
than neck pain? [Top]
Pain or discomfort in one area of the body may be linked
functionally to discomfort arising from another area. Consequently,
addressing dysfunction in one part of the body may relieve
symptoms in another part. If you look at a model of the spine,
you can see that the spine is one continuous structure. Adjustment
at various points along the structure may be needed to help
reduce biomechanical stresses on other parts of the spine
and to relieve discomfort when it is clinically necessary.
The spine is also the protective channel that surrounds the
spinal cord. Apart from special nerves originating from the
brain and brain stem, all nerves in the body involved with
bodily functions such as sensation and motor control emanate
from the spinal cord and travel through openings in the spine
between the vertebrae. Spinal nerves carry highly complex
information that is important for the proper functioning
of the human body. Spinal dysfunction can have an effect
on proper functioning of the nervous system causing symptoms
in other parts of the body. Adjustment, often in combination
with other therapies, may help alleviate symptoms and even
address the causative factors.
Why is
there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted? [Top]
Adjustment of a joint may result in release of a gas bubble
between the joints that makes a popping sound – it's
exactly the same as when you "crack" your knuckles.
It is not painful. It is caused by the change of pressure
within the joint resulting in gas bubbles being released.
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