Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy or an “adjustment” refers to a high-velocity low-amplitude thrust (a gentle but firm movement) that helps to restore function and motion to a joint that has become restricted or “stuck”. The adjustment also stimulates the nervous system to help reduce pain and relax local musculature.

The “popping’ noise often heard during an adjustment is the release of nitrogen gas from the fluid within the joint capsule surrounding the joint.

Chiropractic adjustments have been published as a gold standard technique for the treatment of low back pain since the mid-1990s. There are many studies that have proven the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic adjustments. Research continues to be performed and shows the effectiveness of Chiropractic adjustments for mechanical back pain and headaches.

Everyone reacts differently to all types of physical therapy and Chiropractic is no exception. Some people feel results immediately after their first adjustment while others need a few adjustments to notice any difference. Factors such as the length of time the problem has been around for, the reason it came about, your lifestyle, your job, your general health, and your genetics all affect how Chiropractic treatment will help your body to recover from injury and stress.

Safety of Chiropractic

The first “Manga Report” was published in 1993.

This comprehensive study reviewed all the published literature on low back pain and made some astounding suggestions. In a nutshell, it concluded that Chiropractic should be the treatment of choice for low back pain – excluding traditional medical care altogether.

The specific Findings of the report were:

  • There is an overwhelming body of evidence indicating that Chiropractic management of low-back pain is more cost-effective than medical management.
  • Many medical therapies are of questionable validity or are clearly inadequate.
  • There is no clinical or case-control study that demonstrates or even implies that Chiropractic spinal manipulation is unsafe in the treatment of low-back pain. Some medical treatments are equally safe, but others are unsafe and generate iatrogenic complications for lower back pain patients.
  • Chiropractic is more cost-effective. There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of lower back pain was transferred from medical physicians to Chiropractors.
  • There is good empirical evidence that patients are very satisfied with Chiropractic management of lower back pain, and considerably less satisfied with physician management.

The Safety of Cervical Adjusting

    No one pays closer attention to injury statistics than Malpractice Insurance carriers.

    Scott Haldeman, MD, DC reviewed malpractice claims records for a 10-year period between 1988 and 1997. In reviewing the outcomes following the application of 134.5 million cervical manipulations (commonly referred to as the chiropractic adjustment), the records indicated that there were 23 reported cases of stroke or vertebral artery dissection (VAD). [10] Of this group, 10 of the patients had the complicating factors of high blood pressure, use of oral contraceptives, or a history of smoking, all of which are associated with vascular disease. The actual incidence of stroke or VAD following cervical manipulation was found to be one per 5.85 million cervical adjustments. That means that the average chiropractor could work for 1430 years (or practice 48 full chiropractic careers!) before they might be involved with this type of litigation.