How long does the treatment take?
The first consultation takes, on average, about 1 hour, and a treatment session about 30 minutes, but this will vary according to your condition and your needs.
How long will it take to get better?
Your recovery is dependent on many factors – the problem, the length of time you have had it and your own commitment to any rehabilitation exercises and maintenance visits which your chiropractor may recommend.
How often do I need to come for treatment?
An average course of treatments may entail five or six visits over two or three weeks, but every case is assessed individually, and it is important to keep your appointments, and make regular visits. Discuss this with your chiropractor, who will explain your treatment programme to you.
What is the popping noise of the adjustment?
When the two surfaces of the joint are moved apart rapidly, as happens in chiropractic adjustment, there is a change of pressure within the joint space. This may sometimes cause a bubble of gas to ‘pop’ – but this sound is not significant, and does not hurt.
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Will treatment hurt?
Manipulation, when carried out correctly by a qualified practitioner, is not usually painful. If you have acute muscle spasm, however, when even the lightest touch hurts, there may be some discomfort. Sometimes, if you have had a problem for some time, you may feel sore whilst your body starts to adjust. Your chiropractor will tell you if this is likely to happen, and also your chiropractor will never force you to have this done if you are not happy or not ready - plenty of people cannot have manipulation for other health reasons, and there are other ways of making a joint 'free up' through stretching, massage of the related muscles and gentle mobilisation.
What is the difference between Chiropractic and Osteopathy?
It is a myth that osteopaths treat the muscles and chiropractors treat the joints. Both professions are similarly qualified, and if history could be rewound, there simply wouldn’t be 2 separate professions.
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​There are as many different approaches as there are practitioners – the most important thing is that your chiropractor (or osteopath) is qualified and registered. They should also be local so that you don’t have to drive far for your care, and you should like them as the treatment is necessarily hands-on so quite personal.
Is chiropractic treatment safe? Even if I’ve already had surgery?
Chiropractic is remarkably safe when treatment is carried out by a properly qualified practitioner. Your chiropractor is trained to recognise conditions which require referral elsewhere, and can treat you even after surgery.