FAQs

If you have a question, please check our frequently asked questions below.

Will my doctor approve?
Increasingly, GPs are recognising chiropractic as an effective complementary treatment, particularly for back pain. You do not need a GP's referral to visit a chiropractor.

Can I get treatment on the NHS?
Some GPs are able to purchase chiropractic treatment for their patients on the NHS. Many health insurance companies will now pay for chiropractic treatment.

How long does treatment take?
The first consultation takes, on average, about half an hour to an hour, and a treatment session about 15 minutes, but this will vary according to your condition and your needs.

How long will it take to get better?
Your recovery is dependant on many factors - the problem, the length of time you have had it and your own commitment to any rehabilitative exersises and maintenance visits, which your chiropractor may recommend.

How often do I need to come for treatment?
An average course of treatment 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 a joint are moved apart rapidly, as happens in a 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.

Have I got a 'trapped nerve' or a 'slipped disc'?
These are common, general terms used to describe a multitude of conditions. Your chiropractor will make a more specific diagnosis and explain your condition to you.

Will treatment hurt?
Manipulation, when carried out correctly by a qualified practitioner, is not painful. If you have acute muscle spasm, 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.

Are all patients adjusted in the same way?
No. Your treatment programme will be tailored to your specific needs.

Should I bring my family for chiropractic checks?
Yes. The strength of chiropractic is that it can help prevent discomfort, pain and even disease, and is suitable for everyone. It is entirely appropriate to visit a chiropractor even if you have no pain, as restrictions in movement can often be detected before symptoms appear, just as regular visits to the dentist can help to prevent toothache.

What is the difference between chiropractic and osteopathy?
There are differences in technique and approach, as well as some similarities. The important factor is that the practitioner is well-qualified. Both professions now have statutory regulation.

How are chiropractors trained and qualified?
It takes at least four years of full-time study to become a chiropractor at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC), which offers a course leading to an MSc degree, or the University of Glamorgan, which offers a BSc (Hons) degree. The University of Surrey runs a two-year MSc course. The courses are followed by a postgraduate year spent on the British Chiropractic Association's Training Scheme (PRT), which students spend in a chiropractic clinic with the support of a qualified Trainer. Upon successful completion of the PRT the student is awarded the Diploma in Chiropractic (DC). Only chiropractors trained at an accredited college can become members of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), the largest association for the profession in the UK, established since 1925, and now representing over 800 UK chiropractors.

The Chiropractors Act received Royal Assent in July 1994. Resulting from it, the General Chiropractic Council was announced in January 1997. It is responsible for setting standards of both education and conduct within the profession, and required all chiropractors to be registered to practise legally in the UK.

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.

Why should I return if I'm feeling fine?
Your chiropractor has treated you, so allowing your body to heal, but if you have to continue the lifestyle, which caused the original condition, your chiropractor may recommend regular check-ups or treatment.

Is there anything wrong with me 'cracking' my neck or back myself?
Yes. You cannot properly control a manipulation to yourself and your relief may only be temporary. You are more likely to be 'cracking' the wrong joint, since movement in the affected one will be restricted. Consult your chiropractor!

Is there scientific proof that chiropractic works?
Yes, particularly for low back pain. The Clinical Standards Advisory Group recommended in 1994¹ that there should be earlier access to the manipulative therapies and a redistribution of resources within the NHS to make this happen. In September 1996 the Royal College of General Practitioners issued guidelines for GPs, which recommend manipulative treatment within the first six weeks for patients with low back pain. They also state that the risks of manipulation are very low in skilled hands.

Now research is beginning to concentrate on how chiropractic affects other areas of the musculo-skeletal system, including a trial at the University of Odense in Denmark² on the effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of neck-related headache and a Canadian patient satisfaction study³ which shows chiropractic as an effective means of resolving or improving back and/or neck pain.