FAQ’s

What is it that chiropractors do?

Chiropractors locate regions in the spine that are not functioning as well as they should be and then, by gently adjusting the spine their aim is to restore movement and function to those spinal joints.  When spinal dysfunction has been present for long enough, in most cases it will cause some symptoms – whether locally in the way of pain and restriction in the spine, or by means of nerve irritation and referred symptoms. However, the time frame before those symptoms begin can vary from instant onset to a delay of many years before symptoms become obvious.

Does chiropractic treatment hurt?

Many people think a chiropractic adjustment is going to be a painful experience and are quite surprised at how gentle it can be.  Although some of the clicks and pops coming from your spine may come as a surprise to you, when performed by a skilled practitioner there is very little pain involved. These days most chiropractors have a range of equipment and techniques at their disposal to help with making the process easier and gentler. Many of these alternative adjustment techniques can achieve the result without any clicking or popping from the joints if that is what a patient is nervous about.

What makes the cracking noise during adjustments?

When a chiropractor performs an adjustment, he or she creates a fast and gentle stretch in your spinal joints. When this occurs, there can be a small pop as gas is released from the synovial fluid in your spinal joints. This is due to a rapid change in pressure in the joint capsule. The gas slowly diffuses back into the joint space but the benefits of the stretch to the joint capsule and ligaments remains.

Does everyone need x-rays?

Not all our patients require x-rays before starting chiropractic care. Every case is assessed by our chiropractors on an individual basis to determine whether x-rays are necessary. Factors that are likely to increase the likelihood of needing x-rays include previous history of trauma to the spine, chronic problems, evidence of nerve irritation, arthritis, poor posture, history of serious illnesses, scoliosis, and advancing age.

How many adjustments will I need?

 Every person is different in terms of how much care they need, and how quickly they will respond to treatment. Your chiropractor will discuss with you what your goals for treatment are and will make recommendations accordingly. He or she will also be able to give you an idea of what an average time frame may be to achieve the desired results, although this will vary depending on your own body’s response rate. As chiropractors, we treat many spinal dysfunctions every day that are asymptomatic. Many of these “silent spinal dysfunctions” can be present for years if left unchecked, often compromising the flexibility, balance, and mobility.

Can a dysfunctional spine fix itself?

Some do – we have all heard at least one story of someone with a chronic health problem that suddenly goes away after they turn quickly and feel a loud click in their spine. Our bodies do have an amazing ability to heal themselves, but most areas of spinal dysfunction come with other baggage such as muscle spasm and shortening in connective tissues, and the body struggles to overcome these compensations. Chiropractors spend 5-8 years of university-based training, mastering the skills to gently adjust the spine. Most often a dysfunctional spine requires the gentle assistance of a chiropractic adjustment to help the body in doing what it does best – that is getting on with the job of healing itself.

I have heard that once you start going to a chiropractor you have to keep going back.

Chiropractic is a very effective treatment method for your symptoms of back and neck pain. But is also very effective at restoring full and proper function to your nervous system, allowing your body to function how it used to. Most people, once they experience the benefits of chiropractic care, choose to continue with some sort of ongoing maintenance care, not because they are locked into a never-ending treatment cycle for back pain, but because they want to continue to experience the health benefits of a well-functioning body. Your chiropractor will discuss with you your health goals and make recommendations for care accordingly. Rest assured that if all you want is occasional relief care for your symptoms, we will not pressure you into ongoing programs of care.

Doesn’t repeated manipulation of the spine cause arthritis?

Any treatment, if administered in excessive doses, can be harmful. Our chiropractors will assess your spine and make recommendations specific to your needs. In some cases, this may require an initial intensive period of adjustments 2 or 3 times per week. This is perfectly safe in the initial phase while the body is overcoming long-term patterns of restriction and muscle spasm, but once the joint function starts to improve, your chiropractor will reduce the frequency of your adjustments. Well timed adjustments at suitable time intervals for your body are beneficial and will not cause arthritis when skilfully applied.

I would like to bring my kids in for chiropractic care, but I don’t want them to have their spines “cracked.”

Our approach at Southern Vales Family Chiropractic is to apply the lowest force technique that will achieve the result desired. As children are generally very flexible, and their spinal problems are rarely chronic, they respond to very light, low force adjustment techniques. It's important to be aware that the methods used for chiropractic treatment of babies and children are vastly different to those used on adults. Chiropractors modify their techniques and methods to suit children of all ages, using techniques that are extremely gentle and have a well-documented safety record. This means that in most adjustments performed on children there is no “crack” in the spine at all – just a gentle correction using the light pressure techniques, cranial work or using an activator instrument.

What is an Activator Instrument?

An Activator Instrument is a small, hand-held adjusting tool used by chiropractors to deliver a gentle impulse vibration force to the spine with the goal of restoring motion to the targeted joint. It is an alternative adjusting technique to the traditional manual form of spinal manipulation. Using an Activator Instrument allows the practitioner to control the power of the adjustment to the spinal segment that has lost function. This technique is used on patients who prefer a less manual style of adjusting and is used for treatment of young children, babies, and elderly patients. All our chiropractors incorporate the use of the Activator Instrument with their numerous other techniques. If you prefer an Activator adjustment, just let one of highly skilled chiropractors know that is your preferred method of adjustments.

Is it safe to get adjusted when you are pregnant?

 Chiropractic care is proven to be safe and effective during pregnancy and aims to help expecting mothers with the aches and pains that occur during pregnancy. Studies have shown that women experience a 24% reduction in labour time. Chiropractic care releases any musculature imbalances and adjust any pelvic issues, which then allows the joints to expand more freely during labour. This improves the ease of delivery, creating less stress and pressure on both the mother and the baby. Our chiropractors have been trained to adapt their technique to accommodate the changes that occur during the different stages of pregnancy.