Chiropractic FAQ

What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic has been helping people of all ages with a variety of health issues for over a century without the use of surgery or drugs.

Chiropractic is a natural health care treatment that focuses on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system and how that interaction can affect our health. Chiropractic corrects spinal misalignments of the joints, stimulates nerve activity and improves muscle tone.

Your spinal cord is protected by 24 moving vertebrae.  When these bones lose their normal motion they can irritate the nervous system.  This can result in pain, stiffness, headaches, low back pain and a variety of other health issues. Your chiropractor focuses on correcting spinal misalignments via adjustments (done by hand or Activator instrument) to allow normal nerve transmissions to your body's vital systems.

Chiropractors in Australia are nationally registered and regulated primary healthcare professionals.  Australian chiropractors are highly qualified, completing a minimum 5 years study at university. 

Most people including children enjoy having their spine adjusted. Techniques and pressure used vary for different age groups and conditions.

Chiropractic is considered a 'low risk' health approach, especially when compared to medical approaches such as anti-inflammatory drugs.

("A risk assessment of cervical manipulation vs. NSAIDs for the treatment of neck pain"-Dabbs V et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995.)

No. Some of our patients only use chiropractic for pain relief and so stop care when their pain settles.  Others continue care and use chiropractic to help strengthen and balance their spine once their pain settles. Some patients also attend regular wellness visits because they enjoy the feeling they get with chiropractic care and the ongoing benefits they receive from regular spinal adjustments.

Tension or limitation in joint movement can occur before pain is felt. Only 10% of the nervous system registers pain, so pain is often the last indicator of a joint dysfunction. Chiropractors therefore may encourage regular or maintenance adjustments to help improve joint mobility/movement rather than use pain as an indicator.

No. Chiropractors are primary health care practitioners (the 3rd largest world wide after medical doctors and dentists). We often work with other practitioners like physiotherapists, naturopaths, GPs, myotherapists to help people achieve their health goals.  We can also process specific Medicare cases referred by a GP for chronic conditions under the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) program (formerly Enhanced Primary Care or EPC program).