Chiropractic care is not well understood, let’s explore some common “chiropractic myths”
“Getting an adjustment will hurt.”
Rarely do patients experience discomfort as a direct result of the manipulation, but on occasion, it may happen. As with any manually applied therapy, certain factors can alter the sensations experienced after the adjustment. Some minor complaints that have been mentioned in the literature include local discomfort, fatigue, and headaches. As rare as this is, if experienced, the patient should expect the discomfort to subside within 24-48 hours. Using ice on sore areas will help to decrease these minor side effects.
“It isn’t safe.”
Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest and effective forms of health care available. But in reality, no form of health care is complete without risk. A study printed in the Journal of Gastroenterology stated that approximately 1/3 of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal (gut) bleeding can be attributed to aspirin and NSAID use.
“If you crack your knuckles too much, you’ll get arthritis.”
Absolutely false. Research has actually found that knuckle cracking can cause a delay in the development of osteoarthritis (1).
“Why should I bother going to a Chiropractor, I can just crack my own body!”
The chiropractic adjustment is delivered by a highly trained doctor to the joints that are in need of manipulation, generally due to a restriction. Contact points and line of the thrust are extremely important in the effectiveness and safety of an adjustment. When you “self crack” what happens most of the time is that you are “cracking” a joint or joints that are hypermobile (too much motion), and you are simply creating instability in these joints instead of addressing the problem.
“Once you start, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.”
Just as it would be ludicrous to believe that visiting a dentist once per lifetime would ensure permanently healthy teeth and gums it’s equally as silly to think that visiting a chiropractor a few times will ensure a lifelong healthy spine. Our spinal tissues undergo daily bombardment of stresses originating from bad postural habits, suboptimal work environments, psychological stress, and hectic lifestyles just to name a few.
That being said, only YOU can make the decision to receive chiropractic treatment! I give recommendations based upon patient history, evaluation, and response to treatment. How you decide to use them is your decision.
1. Chan PS, Steinberg DR, and Bozentka DJ. Consequences of knuckle cracking: A report of two acute injuries. The American Journal of Orthopedics. 1999 May. Vol 41(5), 949-50.
