Chiropractic Proven Safe

We tend to a large number of patients in our Kettering office, and Dr. Poelking has helped countless people manage a wide array of health issues. However, one worry that seems to stop a lot of men and women from pursuing treatment is whether or not chiropractic is safe. Well, according to three different studies (out of many on the issue), the answer to this concern is a resounding: "Yes! Chiropractic is safe!"

Australian Study: Chiropractic is Safe

The first article(1) was published in Spine and involved 183 adults between the ages of 20 and 85. Each test subject reported affected by spine-related pain, and half of the individuals received actual chiropractic care visits while the remaining patients received two fake chiropractic treatments. Data was obtained after each real or fake adjustment to identify whether or not any unpleasant reactions occurred as a result of the genuine chiropractic treatments.

The doctors reported that no one documented any serious negative side effects whatsoever after getting one or two sessions of chiropractic. Some people did report that they got a headache (9% of patients) or muscle stiffness (about 1 out of 3) after treatment, but the effects were not serious.

Large US Survey Confirms that Chiropractic Care is Safe

The second article(2), also released in the prestigious medical journal, Spine, was done in an attempt to determine the safety of chiropractic. The study group was much larger as it involved just under 20,000 individuals. Each participant received chiropractic adjustments of the neck, with over 50,000 total adjustments for all patients.

Again, the investigators discovered no serious negative side effects. The experts calculated the risk of total negative effects to be approximately 6 out of every 10,000 consultations or every 100,000 treatment sessions. Plus, just as with the previous study, some individuals did report non-serious, milder, unwanted effects such as dizziness (about 1.6%) or a headache (4%), and this prompted the authors to determine that "the risk of a serious adverse event, immediately or up to 7 days after treatment, was low to very low."

Chiropractic Care Is Safe for Children

The third research paper(3) is different from the first two reports, as it focuses on the safety of chiropractic care for kids. In this case, the researchers analyzed data reported by both chiropractors and parents involving 816 children who participated in 7,173 chiropractic adjustments.

Out of 5,438 chiropractic appointments made for the children, chiropractors answering the survey documented only three cases where there were adverse side effects. When parents were surveyed, they indicated only two adverse side effects out of 1,735 visits. Furthermore, both chiropractors and parents reported "a high rate of improvement with respect to the children's presenting complaints."

Based on studies like these, chiropractic has been deemed safe and effective for everyone. To find out what chiropractic can do for you, call our Kettering clinic and make an appointment today at (937) 299-2900.

References

1. Walker BF, Hebert JJ, Stomski NJ, Clarke BR, Bowden RS, Losco B, French SD. Outcomes of usual chiropractic. The OUCH randomized controlled trial of adverse events. Spine 2013;38(20):1723-9.
2. Thiel HW1, Bolton JE, Docherty S, Portlock JC. Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine: a prospective national survey. Spine 2007;32(21):2375-8.
3. Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore NY 2009;5(5): 290-5.