We are currently insearch for the right Chiropractor to replace the recent departure of David Weedon. Stay tuned. Our other practitioners are glad to work with your particular needs.

Chiropractic

With the introduction of chiropractic care to the NR Chi clinic, we would like to give you a better understanding of how it relates to our holistic approach to balancing your health.

Please feel free to email or talk to any of our practioners to explain further if you still have any concerns.
THESE ARE REALLY ALL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SO YOU MAY WANT TO MOVE THE HEADING UP. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT WHERE THE ANSWERS ARE MORE THAN APPROX. 100 WORDS THAT IT IS DONE ASA ‘READ MORE LINK’ ON A SEPERATE PAGE ON NR CHI LETTER HEAD. Yell out if you need help with this.

What is Chiropractic Care?

• Chiropractic is a health care discipline based on the scientific premise that the body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism.
• These important functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves throughout the body.
• “Chiropractic” comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning “done by hand.”
• The practice of chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine, and pelvis) and function (which is coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
• The skull protects the delicate tissues of the brain. The moving bones of the spine protect the intricate communication pathways of the spinal cord and nerve roots in the brain. If these nervous system pathways are impaired, malfunction of the tissue and organ function throughout the body can result.
• Chiropractic care is holistic as it also places an emphasis on nutrition and exercise and healthy lifestyle modifications.

How Does Chiropractic Care Work?

• Chiropractic care is based on the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system.
• Chiropractic care works by helping to restore your own natural ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissue, and organs of your body are designed to function well and resist disease and ill health.
• The chiropractic care approach to better health is to locate and help reduce interferences to your natural state of being healthy.
• A common interference to the nervous system is the twenty four moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system. This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.
• Chiropractors aim to improve nervous system function primarily through gentle chiropractic adjustments (with particular attention to the spine, skull and pelvis), to help remove any interference that may be impairing normal health.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is the use of specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, or “locked up”, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the joints to gradually regain more normal motion and function. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to permit improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.

There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the adjustments are done manually by the chiropractor and in some cases a specially designed instrument is used to deliver a brief and highly-accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure.

After years of university training and clinical experience, each doctor of chiropractic care becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches, with a thorough understanding of which adjustments are required for each individual problem.

How are chiropractors regulated?
Chiropractors undertake five year university training, are government regulated and registered by the government as healthcare professionals. The government established chiropractic registration boards (WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THEM? SUPPLY A HYPERLINK) – have regulations chiropractors must strictly adhere to in order to maintain authority to practice. These bodies are responsible for maintaining the highest standards for all practitioners.

Is chiropractic care safe?
According to a NEED AN AUSTRALIAN STUDY TOO IF POSS  New Zealand government inquiry, chiropractic care is remarkably safe.  In relation to caring for neck and back pain, studies have shown that a course of chiropractic care was 250 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs**. However, it is important to note that while chiropractic care has an excellent safety record based on drug free non-invasive care, no form of healthcare is entirely free of potential adverse effects. Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that is safe and effective. Please feel free to discuss this matter with your chiropractor.

Myth Busting
While some reports have attempted to associate chiropractic neck adjustments with an occurrence of a particular kind of stroke (vertebral artery dissection), research*** conducted in 2008 in the journal Spine - undertaken as part of the World Health Organisation Bone and Joint Decade Neck Pain Taskforce - provides the strongest support for the extremely high safety of chiropractic care. According to the study, increased risks of vertebral artery dissection were likely explained by patients with pre-existing stroke-related neck pain and headaches consulting chiropractors and primary care physicians before the occurrence of a stroke.

Furthermore, the research asserted that while there was an association of vertebral artery stroke with chiropractic patients under 45, a similar association existed between the same type of stroke and use of primary care physicians in all age groups.

In the study, researchers noted that patients are no more likely to suffer a stroke following chiropractic care than they would after visiting their family doctor's office. Chiropractors use skill, not force or strength to conduct safe, effective adjustments.

What type of educational qualifications do chiropractors receive?
Today’s chiropractor is a highly educated professional. Chiropractic training in Australia involves a five year course at Sydney’s Macquarie University, Melbourne’s RMIT University or Perth's Murdoch University. Many Australian chiropractors received similar education in the US, Europe or New Zealand which are all recognised in Australia.

These courses are all of similar length and depth as medical courses, but focus on promoting healthier lifestyles via better body function, rather than on drugs and surgery. Accordingly, chiropractic education involves a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques and related subjects.

A chiropractor’s education never ends. After entering practice, all CAA IS THIS THE REFERENCE TO THE GOVERNMENT BODY THAT COULD BE LISTED ABOVE? chiropractors must complete ongoing professional development courses and seminars to upgrade and improve their skills and to stay current on the latest scientific research ( is there a set no of hours req’d annually).

Is chiropractic care appropriate for children?
Yes, chiropractic care is safe for children. Since significant trauma can occur, at birth particularly as they pass through the birth canal, many parents choose to have their newborns checked for any spinal health related problems. Later, learning to walk, riding a bicycle, and other childhood activities can cause spinal health related problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the potential underlying structural damage to the child’s spine, skull, pelvis and extremities is the unique domain of a doctor of chiropractic before permanent damage is done.

Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as “growing pains” may be able to be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups may be able to identify these problems and may help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.

Is chiropractic care appropriate for senior patients?
More and more people are consulting chiropractors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.

Restoring better spinal function may help improve lifestyle associated with the over 55’s age group including mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite, giving them a more positive outlook on life. Many patients report improvements with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting technique used by your chiropractic doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.

How long will I need chiropractic care?
Spinal health related problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These long-standing problems are often associated with muscle weakness or tension, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine. Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful lives, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventative visits are helpful in the maintenance of good health and for fostering overall physical and mental wellness.

Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of “crisis management” is usually more costly and time consuming, chiropractors stand ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.  How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.

Do I need a referral from a GP to see a chiropractor?
No. Chiropractors are primary healthcare practitioners – as such, no form of referral is required as a prerequisite to visit a chiropractic doctor. It is recommended that your doctor, any specialists and your chiropractor are all kept well informed of all levels of care being undertaken – including medication, counseling, surgery, acupuncture etc..

REFERENCES  (HAVE I KEPT THESE ALL RELATIVE??)
* Hasselberg, PD (1979). Chiropractic in New Zealand: Report of the Commission of Inquiry. Wellington, New Zealand: Government Printer.
** Dabbs, V., & Lauretti, W.J. (1995). A Risk Assessment of Cervical Manipulation vs NSAIDS for the Treatment of Neck Pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 18 (8), 530-536.
*** Cassidy JD, Boyle B, Cote P, He Y, Hogg-Johnson S, Silver FL, Bondy SJ. Risk of vertebro-basilar stroke and chiropractic care: results of a population based case control and case crossover study. Spine 2008 Feb 15; 33 (4 suppl): S176-83