Chiropractic helps to remove postural imbalances and structural misalignments that can accumulate in our bodies over time. Our spines change and develop problems just like our teeth, eyes and heart. Left unchecked for a long time, these changes may lead to pain, stiffness or other more serious problems.

The nervous system is a key part of your body. It is the communication system between your brain and all of your body's muscles, organs and tissues. For your body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous system to function well, it must be free of interference. The spine is the most common site of nervous interference because nerves travel from the spinal cord through openings on either side of the spine to get to all of your cells and organs.

Each of us is born with the ability to heal and recover from illness. Our bruises heal, cuts mend and common colds are overcome.Your nervous system regulates this inborn healing ability. Think of your brain as a central command post sending and receiving information through telephone wires (your nerves) which branch out to connect all areas of a city (your body). A short circuit in a wire cuts off communication just like misalignments in your spine can put pressure on the nerves. This pressure interferes with your nervous system, affects your ability to self-heal and may prolong injury or illness.

The customized care you receive from your chiropractor may help to improve your posture, muscle balance and mobility. It can also restore the integrity of your nervous system and get rid of pain quickly, so you can get back to feeling good…today!

Yes, chiropractic care is safe and effective.

Over the past 20 years, many controlled and independent research studies have shown again and again that chiropractic care is safe and effective for treating low back pain, neck pain, headaches and other conditions relating to the spine. Based on these studies, the consensus is that chiropractic care is the treatment of choice for most spinal problems. The extent to which a person can benefit from care varies depending on their problem and how long it has existed.

Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Preparation for the practice of chiropractic is concentrated on three areas: basic training in the biological and health sciences, specialized training in the chiropractic discipline, and extensive clinical training.

Becoming a chiropractor in Canada requires a minimum of six years of post-secondary education including no less than 4500 hours of classroom and clinical instruction at an institution approved by the Council on Chiropractic Education Canada.

Alternative and non-medical health care is on the rise in this country and chiropractic is by far the most popular form. According to current research, approximately one-third of the population recognizes the benefits of alternative health. The majority of these alternative healthcare users choose chiropractic.

The non-surgical, drug-free healing nature of chiropractic provides benefit to the health of millions of people worldwide each year. Most chiropractic patients experience real relief and general well being and continue to make regular visits a part of their healthy lifestyle choice.

Your chiropractor will discuss the need for ongoing care with you and it will depend on your specific problem. For some people, chiropractic treatment is like a regular physical tune-up—it helps the body deal with the daily wear and tear of life. For others, it's simply an effective treatment when back pain or other health issues strike. Take the time to discuss with your chiropractor the level of care that's best for you.

Chiropractors are experts trained in the neuromusculoskeletal system. They diagnose and treat disorders of the spine and other body joints by adjusting the spinal column or through other corrective manipulation. Chiropractors provide conservative management of neuromusculoskeletal disorders including, but not limited to, back, neck and head pain (over 90 percent of conditions treated). They also advise patients on corrective exercises, lifestyle and nutrition.

During your first visit, the chiropractor will want to know about your health history as well as your current complaint. Your home and work life as well as your level of physical activity may also affect your health, so don't be surprised to be asked questions about these.

Although chiropractors use their hands for most treatments, they also use other methods such as heat, light, specialized adjusting instruments, ultrasound, electrotherapy, personalized exercise programs, muscle-testing and balancing. Your chiropractor can also give you information and guidance on how you can stay healthy through proper nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes.

Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Preparation for the practice of chiropractic is concentrated on three areas: basic training in the biological and health sciences, specialized training in the chiropractic discipline, and extensive clinical training. Becoming a chiropractor in Canada requires a minimum of 7 years of post-secondary education including no less than 4 years of full-time classroom and clinical instruction at an institution approved by the Council on Chiropractic Education Canada.

That depends on your condition. The length of time you have had the problem, your age and the degree of your disability all affect the length of your treatment. Your chiropractic doctor should tell you the extent of treatment recommended, and how long you can expect it to last.

One of the main reasons people choose chiropractic is that they often get quick results. Individual cases vary and chronic conditions obviously need more treatment, but Workers' Compensation Board studies show that people with low back pain get back to work much faster with chiropractic care.

You might also consider the benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments even when you feel healthy. Sometimes you won't know you have a disorder of the neuromusculoskeletal system until it becomes acute and painful. So, just as you see your dentist to have your teeth checked and your optometrist for eye exams, regular visits to your chiropractor can catch related health conditions early, often preventing them from developing into major problems. Remember, your spine is every bit as susceptible to wear and tear as your teeth and your eyes so you should look after it.

Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during four intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractor typically uses his/her hands to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to reduce pain, and restore or enhance joint function.

Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient.

Statistics Canada data found that over 11 percent (3 million) Canadians consulted a chiropractor in 1996. The figures today are closer to 15 percent, or over 4 million Canadians annually.

Most federal government departments (such as the RCMP and Veteran’s Affairs) cover chiropractic services. All worker’s compensation boards and most employer and other third party insurance plans cover chiropractic services as well. Motor vehicle collision injury insurance also covers chiropractic care.

Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to common musculoskeletal conditions such as headache, and neck and back pain. As such, it is a low risk therapy. Complications arising from adjustment are rare.

Chiropractic is a healing discipline firmly grounded in science. Few other health care interventions have been assessed as extensively as chiropractic manipulation, both in terms of safety and effectiveness. There have been at least six formal government studies into chiropractic worldwide over the last 25 years and all have concluded that contemporary chiropractic care is safe, effective, cost-effective and have recommended public funding for chiropractic services. In addition, there have been countless scientific clinical studies assessing the appropriateness, effectiveness, and/or cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulation or chiropractic manipulation, most notably for low back pain. The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHI) now offers research grants in partnership with the Canadian Chiropractic Association to chiropractors and other scientists for high quality, chiropractic research.

Like medicine and dentistry, chiropractic is a self-regulating profession, and each provincial chiropractic regulatory body has the authority to grant a license to practice chiropractic. There are Chiropractic Acts in all 10 provinces and the Yukon Territory which establish a self-regulatory process which includes extensive testing for licensure. In all provinces, licensure requirements include university studies followed by graduation from an accredited chiropractic institution, and passing national and provincial board examinations.

Yes, children may benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.

While there is some clinical evidence that musculoskeletal treatment of infants may have positive effects, well-controlled studies are required to verify the benefits that are seen in clinical practice.

The treatment a patient receives is related to the specific condition diagnosed by the chiropractor, and will vary from person to person depending on each persons unique situation.

The hands-on nature of chiropractic treatment is essentially what sends patients back to the chiropractor a number of times. To be treated by a chiropractor a patient needs to be in his or her office. A chiropractor may provide acute, preventative and/or maintenance care thus making a certain number of visits necessary. The average number of annual visits per patient is eight.

Chiropractic care cannot "cure" these conditions, but there is some evidence to indicate that adjustment may have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions. Adjustment may alleviate some of the secondary, or referred pain, arising from the response of the musculoskeletal structures to the primary cause. For example, research conducted in Denmark resulted in chiropractic treatment being recommended for the relief of infantile colic. Similarly, a recent U.S. study concluded that the application of manipulative techniques in children with recurring ear infections can prevent or decrease surgical intervention or antibiotic overuse.

Clinical experience suggests that individuals with chronic conditions such as degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) or recurrent neck pain, back pain or headaches may experience less frequent and less severe symptoms when under regular chiropractic care. This also applies to individuals in highly stressful situations and those who experience repetitive physical and postural strain from their daily activities. Whether ongoing chiropractic treatment can prevent back pain from occurring in the first place, or prevent a previous condition from re-occurring, requires further study.

That's like asking the difference between a physician and a dentist: they are different professions within the health care spectrum. Both chiropractors and physicians are legally entitled to use the title "doctor". As the appellation MD means "Doctor of Medicine", so DC means "Doctor of Chiropractic".

The role of chiropractic is complementary to other areas of primary health care. Chiropractic is not, for example, a replacement for medical care, but may offer an alternative to medication and surgery in appropriate circumstances.

Yes, like medical doctors, chiropractors refer patients to other health professionals when they feel it is appropriate. Chiropractors are well trained to recognize risk factors as well as individual disease patterns and will not hesitate to make a referral when it is in the best interest of the patient’s health.

No. A patient does not have to be referred. Chiropractors are legislated as primary contact health care professionals in every province in Canada. This means that patients can consult them directly.

Like MD’s, the chiropractor will take a detailed health history during the first visit, prior to initial treatment. This will include details on lifestyle and risk factors to give the chiropractor a full picture of the patient’s health in order to determine the best treatment. As well, a detailed health history is important to rule out any contraindications to treatment and to fully investigate risk factors before a diagnosis and treatment recommendation can be reached.

X-rays can play an important role in diagnosis and are taken when a need has been determined after taking a patient case history and conducting a physical examination. Chiropractors receive 360 hours of education in radiology covering a full range of topics from protection to X-ray interpretation and diagnosis. Governments in every province have recognized the training and competence of chiropractors to take and interpret X-rays and have granted them this right.

No, it does not, as anyone who has had their neck adjusted will attest. Neck adjustment is done within the normal range of motion and is often performed to improve flexibility and reduce pain. The normal range during treatment is less than what is required to turn your head when backing up a car.

All health treatments have the potential for adverse effects and, on rare occasions, neck adjustment has been associated with stroke and stroke-like symptoms. A Canadian study, published in 2001, concluded that stroke symptoms associated with neck adjustments are so rare that it is difficult to quantify. Similarly, a medical review published in 2002 looked at 73 studies of chiropractic care and found no serious complications reported in any of them. By way of comparison, neck adjustment is significantly safer than other common treatments for headache, neck and back pain.

No. This has been demonstrated in studies to determine the degree of physical strain applied during adjustment. It is skill, not strength, that is needed to conduct a safe, effective adjustment.

Canadian chiropractors are taught a variety of adjustment techniques and there is no evidence to suggest that any one technique is less safe than the others. Chiropractic techniques that are applied appropriately are effective and safe.

Pain or discomfort in one area of the body may be linked functionally to discomfort arising from another area. Consequently, addressing dysfunction in one part of the body may relieve symptoms in another part. If you look at a model of the spine, you can see that the spine is an interconnected structure. Adjustment at various points along the structure may be needed to help reduce biomechanical stresses on other parts of the spine and to relieve discomfort.

Adjustment of a joint may result in release of a gas bubble between the joints that makes a popping sound – it’s exactly the same as when you "crack" your knuckles. It is not painful. It is caused by the change of pressure within the joint resulting in gas bubbles being released.

Visit the Canadian Chiropractic Association's website for access to current research on chiropractic. The Research Library contains the latest on: effectiveness & cost-effectiveness, patient satisfaction, government reviews, lower back and cervical research, safety, paediatric chiropractic, and evidence-based healthcare.

Scrutiny of the health care profession is much greater today than ever before. Government ministries and independent researchers conduct scientific trials, track clinical results and survey patients to assess effectiveness and safety of treatment as well as cost efficiency.

Chiropractic has been one of the most rigorously assessed health care fields. In addition to many scientific trials, there have been at least six formal government inquiries into chiropractic worldwide over the past 25 years. The value of chiropractic care continues to prove itself through these tests with high marks for effectiveness, safety and cost efficiency and extremely high patient satisfaction ratings.

Doctors of Chiropractic serve over three million patients each year in Canada. More and more people are referring their friends and family members to chiropractors. And government regulators are becoming more aware of the importance of this health field, especially in treatment of such conditions as lower back pain.

According to the 2006 Health Quality Council of Alberta Survey, chiropractic received a 90% overall satifaction rate with over 67% of respondents indicating extreme satisfaction.

Respondents also indicated an overwhelming 95% satisfaction rating with regards to ease of access to chiropractic care.

On behalf of Alberta's chiropractors, the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors (ACAC) would like to thank Albertans for their exceedingly flattering review of chiropractic. We will strive to continually provide superior chiropractic care to Albertans.

To read the full report, please visit http://www.hqca.ca/.