During the adjustment, you may be asked to lie down on a specially designed table. By placing the hands in precise places and performing controlled movements, the chiropractor works on one joint at a time. This is to help improve movement and ease pain.
Chiropractic
adjustment is a procedure in which trained specialists called chiropractors use their hands or a small instrument to apply controlled force to a spinal joint.The goal of this procedure, also called spinal manipulation, is to improve the movement of the spine and the body's ability to move. Low back pain, neck pain, and headaches are the most common reasons people seek chiropractic adjustments. You don't need to do anything special before a chiropractic adjustment. During a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor will most often place you in certain postures for treating affected areas.
You're likely to lie face down on a special padded chiropractic table. Using their hands to apply controlled force to a joint, the chiropractor pushes the joint beyond their usual range of motion. You may hear popping or crackling sounds when the chiropractor moves the joints during the treatment session. Some people have mild side effects for a few days after the chiropractic adjustment.
These may include headaches or pain in the parts of the body that were treated and being tired. Chiropractic adjustments can ease lower back pain. Depending on the cause of your lower back pain, you may need several sessions. Research shows that spinal manipulation works to treat certain types of low back pain. Some studies also suggest that chiropractic adjustments may work for headaches and other spine-related conditions, such as neck pain.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenues support our nonprofit mission. Donate to our 2025 campaign to cure cancer and transform the way cancer is treated and defeated. Where does all this leave us when we try to perform a risk-benefit analysis? On the one hand, the benefits are uncertain; on the other hand, we must take into account common non-serious adverse effects, as well as serious complications that occur at an unknown rate.
Given this situation, an interim risk-benefit analysis cannot yield a positive result. Therefore, the conclusion must be that, based on the evidence available to date, chiropractic spinal manipulation is no more beneficial than harmful. In view of the incompleteness of our current knowledge and the popularity of chiropractic, research should be intensified in this complex area. Chiropractic treatments can cause mild and temporary side effects, such as discomfort, stiffness, or headache.
Rarely, people also report serious episodes, such as spinal cord injury, arterial dissection, and stroke. There is currently a lot of evidence showing that more than half of patients experience mild to moderate adverse effects after consulting a chiropractor. Conclusions Spinal manipulation, especially when performed on the upper part of the spine, is frequently associated with mild to moderate adverse effects. It can also cause serious complications, such as vertebral artery dissection followed by a stroke.
The incidence of these events is currently unknown. For the sake of patient safety, we should reconsider our policy regarding the routine use of spinal manipulation. Chiropractors can effectively treat musculoskeletal conditions and are generally considered safe when performed by a licensed professional and trained. However, like any medical treatment, there are risks associated with chiropractic care.
After a chiropractic adjustment, some patients may experience side effects such as temporary pain, discomfort, or stiffness. Rarely, more serious complications can occur, such as a herniated disc, a stroke, or a worsening of an existing condition. While chiropractic care may be effective for certain conditions, it may not be appropriate or effective for all people. Patients with certain medical conditions, such as osteoporosis or spinal cord compression, may be at greater risk of complications and should consult a healthcare professional before chiropractic treatment.
It is essential to choose a licensed and qualified chiropractor and to discuss any concerns or questions with the professional before beginning treatment. The disease, chiropractors say, is due to pressure on the spinal nerves; therefore, it can be cured by “adjusting” the spine. In Samuel Homola's opinion, a good chiropractor can do a lot to help you when you have mechanical back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. Chiropractic treatments may include stretching, applying pressure, and manipulations, in which a chiropractor performs a pushing motion on a joint.
Chiropractors use practical manipulations to realign joints and alleviate discomfort caused by a wide variety of causes. In fact, this review shows that the professionals involved are not only chiropractors, but also surgeons, shiatsu practitioners, “bone healers” and general practitioners (table). Spinal manipulation had been performed by orthopedic surgeons (50%), physical therapists (14%), chiropractors (11%) or other health professionals. In patients younger than 45, the chances of suffering a spinal cord injury within a week of visiting a chiropractor increased by a factor of five.
In 22 cases (published in 20 articles), the therapists were chiropractors (table 9-28), while in 10 cases (published in nine articles) they were other health professionals (table). Virtually all chiropractors regularly use spinal manipulation to treat low back pain and other musculoskeletal pain. People can visit a chiropractor for help with various conditions related to the musculoskeletal system, such as neck or back pain A 2003 survey of the entire profession revealed that most chiropractors (whether “straight” or “mixed”) still hold views on innate intelligence and on the cause and cure of diseases (not just back pain) consistent with those of the Palmers. Although 84% of respondents considered that nurses' ethics were very high or high, only 36% felt the same way about chiropractors.
Singh wrote in The Guardian criticizing chiropractors' claims about the efficacy of spinal manipulation in treating childhood illnesses., among other things.
