WebMD: About 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually.  7.7 million or 35% want low back pain relief.  They also visit a chiropractor for neck, leg, arm pain and headaches.  

Truth: 60% see chiropractors for low back pain and 33% visit a chiropractor for neck pain.  That leaves about 7% for other issues. 

Why do people only see a chiropractor for low back and neck pain?  

Most people don't understand what chiropractors really do.  Of course we can help with pain and assist any joint in the body move properly but they also allow the body to heal all on its own.  The key is that our work helps nerves send signals properly to the brain relieving pain and helping all systems function properly.  If more people understood that chiropractic care is essential to overall health, more people would take advantage of what we do and live more vibrant lives. 

What is Chiropractic Care?

It is used for pain relief of muscles, joints, bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. It is sometimes used in conjunction with conventional medicinal treatment.  

Truth: Not all chiropractors do hands-on adjusting.  There are chiropractic tools and tables that help joint movement.  Proper alignment is only a part of chiropractic.  Chiropractors understand how issues arise in the body based on lifestyle choices, injuries, and nerve interference.  

Chiropractors do help with pain relief but that is mostly because that is what patients seek us out for. There are many techniques out there that help with breech baby position, better sleep, improved fertility, decreased blood pressure, imbalance, vertigo and so much more.  

What does chiropractic treatment for back pain involve?

WebMD: The doctor takes a medical history, physical examination and may use tests or diagnostic imaging to determine if treatment is right for you.  

The treatment plan may involve one or more manual adjustments where the doctor uses a controlled, sudden force to improve range and quality of motion.  Many chiropractors provide nutritional counseling and exercise/rehabilitation into the treatment plan.  

The goals of chiropractic care include the restoration of function and prevention of injury in addition to back pain relief.  

Truth: Chiropractors do take a medical history, exam and appropriate testing to find out what can be attributing to the symptom that the patient is coming in for.  Adjustments along with other physiotherapy methods can be used to help the body heal faster.  

The goals of chiropractic care is to relieve any interference in the body that is coming from the nervous system.  This interference is caused by stress.  We find out what the stress is and where it is festering in the body.  Then we address the areas by performing an adjustment and relieving that stress allowing the body to do what it is made to do - heal.  

What are the benefits and risks of chiropractic care?

WebMD: Spinal adjustments and chiropractic care are generally safe, effective treatments for acute low back pain. sudden injuries that result from moving furniture or getting tackled.  Acute back pain which is more common than chronic pain, lasts more than six weeks and typically gets better on its own.

Truth: Chiropractic care has very little risk and is safe and effective for pain, improved function, lowered blood pressure, raised immune function, better sleep and overall body function.  Acute back pain does normally last for six weeks but does not go away on its own.  The pain goes away but the problem is still there.  The likely hood of more episodes of back pain (or any symptom really) will show up later on again if not addressed.  Chiropractors find the cause of pain and then treat areas that are involved allowing the body to then heal on its own and recover.  

WebMD:
Research has shown chiropractic care to be helpful in treating neck pain and headaches. In addition, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia may respond to moderate pressure used both by chiropractors and deep tissue massage.  

People who have osteoporosis, spinal cord compression or inflammatory arthritis, take blood thinning medications should not undergo spinal manipulation. In addition, patients with a history of cancer should first obtain clearance from their medical doctor before undergoing spinal manipulation.  

Truth: Chiropractic does help greatly with neck pain and headaches and any pain really.  We find out where the problem stems from and address it.  As long as there is not a fracture we can help the joints move properly and send messages through the mechanoreceptors to the brain to help the brain reduce pain signals.  

As far as osteoporosis, spinal cord compression, blood issues and cancer.  Once these problems are diagnosed, alterations are made by the chiropractor to make sure the technique is safe.  Osteoporosis doesn't mean the bones will break with a gentle adjusting tool like and Activator.  Spinal cord compression can be alleviated not only with an adjustment but also a decompression table that a lot of chiropractors have in their offices.  Cancer is safe for chiropractic work and can help alleviate stress in the body leading to better healing.  

MedMD:
All treatment is based on an accurate diagnosis of your back pain.  The chiropractor should be well informed regarding your medical history, including ongoing medical conditions, current medications, traumatic/surgical history and lifestyle factors.  Although rare, there have been cases in which treatment worsened a herniated disc or slipped disc, or neck manipulation resulted in a spinal cord injury. To be safe, always check with your medical doctor to make sure your condition will benefit from chiropractic or other pain alternatives.  

Truth:
Yes, the chiropractor should be well versed and understand your injury and history. Exams should be performed to see what is necessary to do for your health.  Treatment for a herniated or slipped disc do not get 'worsened" by chiropractic care and it has been shown that in the lower back in order to have a disc slip, there needs to be a 9 degree movement in the lumbar spine.  The facets that are the stabilizer of the spine only allow a 2 degree movement so it is not possible to make it worse.  In the cervical spine studies have now shown that there is a 0% chance of a chiropractor slipping a disc. 

When seeing a medical doctor for pain, in most cases you are given an inflammatory or muscle relaxant drug. This helps for a while but the pain will come back because the problem and injury has not been solved.  Checking with you medical doctor is fine but there are a lot of medical doctors out there that don't understand what chiropractors really do and have biases.  It is not dangerous to see a chiropractor.  Chiropractic care is safe and allows your body to heal without drugs.  

The risks of taking prescription drugs for pain relief:

Prescription drugs are addictive and rising.  Deaths in the United States have increased 11.9% in 2021 to 224,935 (an all-time high).  This includes a 17.6% increase in drug overdose deaths (again a record high).  98,268 people died from drug overdoses in 2021 (also an all-time high).  If people are relying on drugs for their pain relief, then it is clear that the problem is not solved and pain still persists. 

Over the last two years drug overdose deaths increased 58.0%.  The 98,268 people that died from preventable drug overdoses was an increase of 781% since 1999.  

Chiropractic is natural and there is no addiction.  People do come in for care regularly after being in pain to make sure problems do not arise once they are gone.  If you have a "bad back" or neck issue, it takes time and effort to keep from a re-injury. So, body work is necessary to avoid reoccurances.  Just like going to the gym, eating healthy, meditating etc. people do it because  they feel good and want to continue to feel good.