You might have encountered the term “chiropractic treatment” at one point. Yet, do you know exactly what it does. What does it mean? And why are people looking for a chiropractor? Is it safe? Is it effective?

All these are just common questions regarding chiropractic treatment, and it is not surprising since the procedure is still regarded to be in a great unknown in the medical field by many because people are used to getting treatment through medications and not with physical therapy.

However, there are still many patients that are willing to submit themselves to getting chiropractic treatment. But do they know the risks and the side effects of getting one?

In this article, we will enlighten you to an unbiased reference on what are the risks that might entail in getting chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic Treatment: When should I get one?

That is basically the first thing you should be asking yourself before you do anything else. Are you suffering from severe body pains? Is that neck pain constantly bugging you at work? If you are not relieved in getting rest and taking a pain reliever, then you should consider visiting one.

There are many chiropractor in eastern suburbs of Adelaide that can offer a quality chiropractic treatment. They are professional, licensed, and fully qualified to perform spinal manipulation to relieve those kinds of pains.

One thing you should remember in getting this kind of physical treatment is to always look for qualified specialists or chiropractors in your area.

The risk that we will discuss next is highly related to untrained, unlicensed, and not a qualified practitioner that performs chiropractic treatment.

The Risks of Chiropractic Treatment

Just like any other treatment, whether taking in medication or getting physical therapy, risks, and side effects are accounted for. And chiropractic treatment is not any different. Here are the common side effects that you might experience when you undergo your first session.

The Risks of Chiropractic Treatment

Risks associated with chiropractic treatment are very rare with minimal to zero occurrences, especially when a trained and expert chiropractor performs chiropractic treatment. Thus, we highly emphasize to visit only the professionals.

Risk Complications Include the Following:

  • worsening of a slipped or herniated disc
  • compression of spinal nerves
  • vertebral artery dissection

It is important to emphasize that all these risk-related occurrences happen when a patient has a pre-existing condition. Thus, professional chiropractors are cautious with every patient. A thorough physical examination is done before any treatment discussion happens.

“Red Flags” in Chiropractic Treatment

Patients with health conditions undergo a thorough medical history study and evaluation by the chiropractors before any treatment happens. These are considered “red flags” in performing chiropractic treatment; thus, it requires a physical examination. From there, the chiropractor will assess what method or technique should be applied based on the patient’s final evaluation report.

Here are some of the following conditions:

  • severe osteoporosis
  • cancer of the spine
  • bone structure abnormalities
  • risk factors of stroke
  • inflammatory arthritis
  • patients who take blood-thinning medications
  • Pinched nerves in the lower spine (cauda equina syndrome)
  • Multiple myeloma (cancer affecting the body’s plasma cells)
  • Osteomyelitis (spinal bone infection)
  • Bone tumors (benign or cancerous growths)

With all the medical conditions listed above, if you have one of those, it is better to consult your primary attending physician first before visiting a chiropractor clinic. It is imperative to talk to your doctor first before undergoing other treatments. This is all for your benefit as well.

Side Effects of Chiropractic Treatment

The commonly reported side effects of getting a chiropractic treatment exist after your first session and normally last within the day of the treatment. If you are new in getting your bones popped, it might last for a day or two, but technically, the side effects are minor and short-lived.

The Most Common Side Effects are:

  • minor discomfort in the area of treatment (i.e., neck or lumbar spine)
  • headaches
  • nausea
  • fatigue
  • dizziness

Every patient is different from the other; the side effects you are feeling might not be the same as the other patient. It goes to show that the body’s pain management and threshold are different. And maybe, you won’t feel any side effects at all, and you’ll feel at ease and light after your first treatment. That all depends on every patient.

Takeaway

Chiropractic treatment is considered safe and effective by many medical professionals and experts. There are even researches that backed up this claim. However, it is not inevitable that there will be claims of worsened cases after getting the treatment. That is why getting educated and informed is valuable. Also, consulting with your attending physician can be helpful, so you will get professional advice, whether getting a chiropractic treatment is good and beneficial for you or not.

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