When Should You Not See A Chiropractor?

Many people experience different types of physical traumas and suffer from severe pain, whether it’s in the shoulders, neck, or lower back. Anyone who has suffered pain understands its all-consuming effect. People with chronic pain usually try almost anything to get relief from it and ease symptoms.

Of the millions of people that suffer from chronic pain, the majority have found relief through chiropractic treatment, which is a complementary therapy that involves the use of manual and mechanical adjustments or physical alignment of the spine that has slipped/moved out of position.

As long as you go to a chiropractor who is licensed and properly trained, the risk of getting injured or a health complication is fairly low. Research shows that chiropractic care may be helpful for unexplained or muscle-related lower-back pain (but not for severe issues such as arthritis).

But there is some basic chiropractic knowledge that you should know before going to a chiropractor. The chiropractor applies sudden, controlled force with his hands or any device on specific points along your spine. Therefore, if the source of your pain is a herniated or slipped disk, spinal thrust can actually make things worse, particularly if it’s not performed correctly.

If surgery or medication is a better treatment for your condition, the chiropractor should let you know. Chiropractors do not do surgery or prescribe drugs. Also, chiropractors do not treat the following:

• Bone tumors
• Broken bones
• Infections
• Severe arthritis
• Osteoporosis (thinning of bones)

If you’re planning a visit to a chiropractor, it’s important to know about situations and conditions that health professionals generally believe should be treated by other medical experts – and not chiropractors. These may include;

High Blood Pressure: Some chiropractors offer cures for high blood pressure by performing spinal manipulation. Some reports suggest chiropractic treatment for the neck might lower blood pressure. However, hypertension (high blood pressure) is purely a physiological phenomenon and should be treated by a physician. 

Asthma: Asthma is another condition some chiropractors claim to cure. A review of eight studies on chiropractic treatment for asthma suggested it should not be used as an alternative to traditional medical treatment to treat acute or chronic asthma.

Stroke: Some types of stroke can be caused by damage in blood vessels of the neck, which might occur when manipulation of the neck leads to overstretching of arteries, leading to the formation of a clot or a tear that blocks blood flow towards the brain. Chiropractors treating neck or lower-back pain may perform neck manipulation, but it’s perfectly all right to ask your chiropractor to avoid manipulating your neck. 

Numbness: If you’ve got any tingling or numbness, or if you are suffering from cancer, you should skip the chiropractic treatment altogether. If not, consult your doctor and ask him to refer you to one if he thinks it might help.

Slipped or herniated discs: Patients with slipped or herniated discs and those with severe arthritis may need proper advice from specialist health physicians before visiting a chiropractor. If there is an injury or physical abnormality in your body, such as a joint displacement, you may not be referred to a chiropractor. People with fragile health and osteoporosis should also consult an orthopedic specialist before going for chiropractic care. 

So, what’s the best way to find out if you could benefit from visiting a chiropractor? Simply consult with a chiropractor! They are the best professionals to consult and talk to if you want to know whether your problem can benefit from chiropractic treatment. A simple consultation in which you discuss your medical history and symptoms along with imaging tests to find out any physical abnormalities can aid a chiropractor to determine if you need his services.