-What will happen when I see a chiropractor?
-Can a chiropractor treat children and babies?
-My GP says my problems are due to "wear and tear" and it's just my age. Can the chiropractor help?
-Can chiropractors help osteoporosis?
-What about just taking painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs?
-Rest doesn't seem to have made it any better. Why not?
-Will chiropractic improve sporting performance?
-What about just 'running it off'?
Chiropractic is a healing art that straddles the divide between conventional and alternative medicine. While being firmly based on sound scientific foundations chiropractic treats people as a whole. It works on the belief that healing comes from within each individual and that the doctor’s responsibility is to release that healing capability rather than the conventional approach of trying to impose a ‘cure’ from the outside involving drugs and/or surgery. Chiropractors work closely with conventional medicine and are trained to recognise those conditions which require urgent medical attention. Indeed the training, at four years full-time with a further probationary year, is comparable with medical training. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Chiropractic is mostly known for treating bad backs, as these are so prevalent. Chiropractic is functional approach i.e. looking at how something isn’t working and fixing it – usually by hand. This means that it is effective for all sorts of problems especially those involving joints and muscles. These include a vast spectrum of disorders from neck pain to sciatica, from arthritic joints to shoulder pain and foot pain. BACK TO QUESTIONS
What will happen when I see a chiropractor?
Firstly you will be asked to fill out form and give consent and then the chiropractor will ask you some questions about you and your specific complaint. By now he will be getting a good idea of what is going on. Next he will examine you thoroughly and then discuss the findings with you and outline the recommended course of treatment or further investigations, such as x-rays, that may be necessary. Treatment can then start and this involves gently addressing joints and muscles that aren’t moving properly and adjusting them using specific manual techniques.BACK TO QUESTIONS
Can a chiropractor treat children and babies?
Yes, in fact the sooner your baby is checked, the sooner any injury or stresses from the birth can be dealt with safely and gently. Some chiropractors treat mothers and babies as an area of special interest.BACK TO QUESTIONS
My GP says my problems are due to "wear and tear" and it's just my age. Can the chiropractor help?
Degenerated joints are sometimes the result of the surrounding joints not doing their fair share of work, so that the load is not managed equally. Chiropractic aims to restore your normal joint function spreading the load and taking excessive strain away from degenerated joints. Your BCA chiropractors can also give you advice on exercise for maintaining joint function.BACK TO QUESTIONS
Can chiropractors help osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis happens when the amount of calcium in the bones (which gives them strength) is very low and leaves them weak and easily breakable. This is partularly common in women past the menopause. However, having osteoporosis doesn't mean that you will have a fracture. Your BCA chiropractor will be able to use various modified treatment methods to cater for someone with osteoporosis as well as advise on other available treatments. Chiropractic helps to keep your joints mobile and improve your balance and muscle tone to minimise the risk of falling.BACK TO QUESTIONS
What about just taking painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs?
Painkillers can dull your pain, but it may well return as they do not necessarily deal with the cause. They may also have side effects. Regularly taking painkillers to treat headaches (i.e. on more than 15 days a month, every month) can actually cause more headaches.BACK TO QUESTIONS
Generally, a chiropractic adjustment does not hurt - although there may be some minor short-term discomfort which quickly passes for most patients. You will normally find that follow-up treatments are much more pleasant, as your smptoms improve and you feel more at ease with your chiropractor.BACK TO QUESTIONS
I suffered whiplash in a car crash, but there was no pain straight after the accident. Why has it started now?
The pain from a whiplash doesn't have to happen immediately after a trauma; often your body can compensate in the short-term for injuries and it is not until weeks or even months later that the pain develops.BACK TO QUESTIONS
I was involved in a high speed accident, and I seem to be fine, but my friend had an accident at 10mph and had severe pain. Why?
Tiny receptors in your neck make sure that when it is stretched very quickly, an immediate muscle spasm will sometimes protect it from harm. However, if the neck is stretched more slowly, the receptors don't recognise that there is a problem, and the protective mechanism doesn't kick in, leaving you open to injury.BACK TO QUESTIONS
Rest doesn't seem to have made it any better. Why not?
It is important to rest for a short period whilst tissues are inflamed. It then becomes equally important that you move your neck, to ensure that, if scar tisue develops, it remains flexible. Chiropractic treatment helps restore appropriate movement in your neck as quickly as possible.BACK TO QUESTIONS
Will chiropractic improve sporting performance?
Yes, probably. By going 'behind' the injury, chiropractic will help to eliminate the cause of your problems as well a improving the mechanics of your joints and muscles and the nerves supplying them. many athletes find a significant improvement in performance because of this.BACK TO QUESTIONS
What about just 'running it off'?
This is usually not a good idea. If your body isn't working properly, you will continue to overload the injury, prolonging the healing process and risking further problems as a result of your body compensating. When your chiropractor has improved the movement and strength of your joints and muscles, your injury will heal more quickly and be much less likely to come back. BACK TO QUESTIONS
