5 Common Misconceptions of Chiropractic

The Chiropractic profession has been around for over a century. Yet, there are still many misconceptions about what Chiropractors do and the benefits of care. Like many other industries, it has progressed over time and adapted to the more modern day version that we know today. The word “Chiropractic” comes from the Greek meaning “done by hand”. It is a form of alternative medicine related to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system.  

Chiropractors can have a bad reputation with the high click bate, loud cracking adjustment videos posted on social media, or just from one bad experience story that spreads. It’s a shame because you can get good and bad in every profession, whether that’s plumbers or medical doctors. A bad story or experience wouldn’t stop you seeking another when the time called. Yet the Chiropractic profession tarnishes with a negative brush for some reason.  

Chiropractic Vs Osteopath?

In all honesty, Chiropractic isn’t miles away from the Osteopath profession. Both manual therapists specialise in spinal manipulation therapy after many years of training. I tend to advise people to be cautious about having this type of technique done by a Physio or Sports Therapist. This is because they would have only enrolled on a weekend course before implementing in clinic. There are risks with everything in life. Chiros/Osteos go through extensive training to identify when the technique is contraindicated and how to deliver the impulse specific for each person and their body composition.   

You may not be able to tell the difference between a Chiropractor and Osteopath if you saw the two practitioners back-to-back. With any manual therapists, I tend to find that the difference is more based on professional philosophy, personal interests and extra enrolled courses than the professional title itself. There can be a huge variation in the type of Chiropractor you see when going to a clinic. This can vary in appointment time, open or closed treatment room, techniques used, certain home advice and exercises given. My recommendation, if you see a Chiropractor but did not love the experience for any reason, please consider seeing another without ruling out the whole profession totally.  

 1. Chiropractors only treat back pain. 

This is probably one of the biggest common misconceptions, thinking that Chiropractors only treatment neck and back pain. Now don’t get me wrong, I would say we are certainly experts in this area as it is a common complaint we see! But Chiropractors along with Physios and Osteos, are trained to assess, diagnosis and treat any musculoskeletal problem from head to toe. Again, this is really dependant on the personal and professional interests of the practitioner. If a Chiropractor has a strong interest in rehabilitation, they will probably be very good at treatment areas such as ankles and knees, which you might not necessarily associate with a Chiropractor.  

2. Chiropractors only use spinal manipulation.  

Now some do! As previously mentioned, it comes down to the individual practitioner. At Tivoli Chiropractic Clinic, our Chiros use an array of techniques. They know that what works for one person may not for another. The spinal manipulation probably makes up 5 minutes of our 20-30 minute appointments. The rest consists of soft tissue massage, dry needling, K-taping, instrumented fascia release and rehab exercises. As well as what I think is the most important part – education about the problem, psychological support and home advice that will help people improve quickly. Occasionally, spinal manipulation isn’t appropriate for some. We have other methods of getting the joint moving with mobilisation techniques, and a little gadget called the activator, which puts little impulses into the joint without the crack sound.  

3. Chiropractors only assess and move bones. 

This one always makes me chuckle. All manual therapists must learn and appreciate all structures that make up the musculoskeletal system. This includes muscle, joints, bones and nerves. Now certain disciplines have more of a focus on particular areas. For example, Sport Therapists will concentrate more on muscles during their treatments. There certainly must be an understanding and appreciation for all when looking at mechanical issues in the body though, as it moves as one unit.  

Chiropractors inherently focused more around the function of nerves and how they innovate the whole body, including our internal organs. I would say in more modern times this has changed slightly. I personally focus on all joint, muscles and nerves equally when assessing patients. Chiropractors are trained to the same level as a GP when it comes to more systemic problems. We know when to triage to different medical professions if the problem doesn’t present as a simple MSK complaint. I often have regular patients that come to me first to discuss certain symptoms, before booking in with a GP. This is so that they can see what avenue is the best to take. The other amazing thing that is unique to Chiropractors compared to other manual therapists, is that we are trained to take and read x-rays. Not all Chiropractic offices have this facility, but it is beneficial for a deeper assessment when images have been attained prior to the consultation.   

4. Chiropractic is only for athletes. 

Chiropractic is perfect for the whole family!! Care can benefit new-borns, professional athletes, desk workers, pregnant mums to be and your 99-year-old pensioner. Obviously, modifications are made depending on who the person is in front of us. Treatment looks very different on all of these examples. How I would treat a professional Gloucester rugby player will be very different to how I treat your 80-year-old granddad. With paediatric and pregnancy care, specialist training would have been undertaken. This is because it really does differ with conditions that can present.  

Athletes can benefit from regular Chiropractic care to improve performance in their sport and prevent injury, BUT I would say even Joe Bloggs would benefit from regular care! About 80% of my patients who come to see me in pain continue with an MOT type maintenance treatment, even when they are better. This is to prevent reoccurrences and for just feeling great all the time! I explain to patients the more you do your exercises and move, the less you need to see me. It’s also about finding the “sweet spot” of when to do the MOT and everyone’s different. The sweet spot is when they don’t necessarily feel like they desperately need treatment, but they leave feeling better without realising they needed it. Depending on many different factors, our patients have MOTs that can range from 2 weeks to 3 months.  

5. Chiropractic isn’t safe with little research.  

Chiropractic spinal adjustments are extremely safe when a thorough assessment is completed and when used at the correct times. The benefits are amazing actually! There is lots of research that supports the effectiveness of it too and even in various formats. For example, I don’t discount research specific to Osteopathic adjustments as there is so much similarity with them being virtually the same. Chiropractic studies have shown to help reduce pain, improve function and prevent future injuries. From that list, what’s not to like?  

The next time you have a niggle or something more severe, consider booking in with one of our Chiropractors at the clinic. We have an hour consultation to fully assess the problem. As well time to discuss a plan of action to get you feeling your best again ASAP!  

 Call the clinic on 01242 329949, email enquiries@tivolichiropractic.co.uk or book online