Navigation:
- Chiropractic Neck Adjustments
- Spinal Adjustments: What You Need to Know
- The Benefits of Spinal Adjustments
- Conclusion
Chiropractic treatment has always been controversial. Time and time again, it has been proven safe. And yet time and time again, people question its safety.
It’s not all that surprising either: we’re talking about the neck and the spine here—the latter enables all our movement and function. Having either part damaged can impact how we live the rest of our lives. Would you really trust an alternative treatment method with something so crucial? This is what people think about when considering chiropractic care.
The very nature of this alternative treatment method means that it will always be facing scrutiny of some sort. But for the purpose of this article, and for the information of everyone reading it, we will once again answer the question: “are chiropractic neck adjustments dangerous?”
Chiropractic Neck Adjustments
According to the American Chiropractic Association, neck manipulation is a “remarkably safe procedure”. They went on to say: “While some reports have associated upper high-velocity neck manipulation with a certain kind of stroke, or vertebral artery dissection, recent evidence suggests that this type of arterial injury often takes place spontaneously, or following everyday activities such as turning the head while driving, swimming, or having a shampoo in a hair salon.”
Indeed, stroke is one of the most common concerns when people ask about chiropractic neck adjustments. But this side effect is extremely rare. Spinal adjustments rarely even have side effects.
One study that focused on a group of 28,807 chiropractic patients who received a total of 50,276 neck adjustments combined reported only mild dizziness as a potential side effect. From all of these sessions, dizziness was considered uncommon, and those who did get it reported that the dizzy spell dissipated quickly. No other adverse effects were found.
Stephen Perle, a spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association further stated that many people go to chiropractors when they have neck pain that “may have turned into a stroke without manipulation”. So while stroke caused by chiropractic adjustments is extremely rare, even those specific instances may have occurred because of something else entirely. The causation is unknown, and does not point to chiropractic neck adjustments.
A 2008 Canadian study found that of those who had strokes following neck manipulation, most had already been having symptoms suggestive of a stroke. In any case, we suggest that you consult your doctor if you are displaying such symptoms before trying out any alternative treatment methods for neck pain.
Spinal Adjustments: What You Need to Know
When spinal adjustment is performed, there will often be an audible popping sound. There’s nothing to be worried about. This sound is called a cavitation, and it refers to the release of gas that occurs during adjustment, which creates the audible pop.
Chiropractic treatment is all about adjusting the spine with the use of a high-velocity low amplitude (HVLA) thrust technique. It aims to correct vertebral subluxations. This condition refers to a vertebra which has lost its normal position and/or motion in relation to the vertebrae above or below it.
When vertebrae are not functioning properly within the spinal framework, they generate mechanical stress. This leads to “wear and tear” within the spine. It causes inflammation, pain, and reduced spinal mobility. It also compromises function elsewhere within the body.
Chiropractic treatment aims to correct these issues with non-invasive physical manipulation.
The Benefits of Spinal Adjustments
While the actual risks of chiropractic care are rare, its benefits are quite prominent. Patients experience reduced pain and inflammation soon after receiving the treatment. This allows them to recover quickly from conditions like headaches, dizziness, whiplash, and other issues related to the neck.
Chiropractic treatment has also been proven effective against hypertension, because it addresses issues in the cervical spine.
Professionals have been using chiropractic neck manipulation for years. They deliver safe manipulations to millions of people every year. They help realign your spine, so that your body can heal itself better. This alternative treatment method operates under the knowledge that the body has an amazing way of healing itself. It can recover from a lot of physical conditions on its own. But if the spine is misaligned, the rest of the body is affected.
Conclusion
Chiropractic care is a natural treatment method. It does not rely on drugs such as painkillers and prescription opioids. This is perfect for those who have a history with substance abuse and addiction. It also doesn’t make use of surgery to achieve its desired results.
The chiropractic profession is often misunderstood. But people simply need to weigh the risk vs the benefits to see that this is one good form of medical care. And as we’ve established, the risk factors are actually quite uncommon. Every form of health care treatment has some form of risk, and in this case, it’s very rare. Instead, you can experience various benefits like improved range of motion, improved blood flow, healthier nervous system, improved blood pressure, and improved health.
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