BENGALURU: No other healthcare profession is as polarising as chiropractic. First, there’s a general lack of awareness in India, despite its popularity around the world. Second, there is a significant shock factor when one types in the word ‘chiropractic’ into any search engine. And finally, for those who at least have a basic understanding of it, there’s hesitance on its effectiveness.
Chiropractic care, which focuses on spinal ‘adjustments’ to improve body function and relieve pain, has been around for over a century, and evolved exponentially over the last several decades. Globally, professional athletes, desk jockeys, and homemakers alike have experienced the benefits of chiropractic care. So, does chiropractic really work? Let’s look into the research.
Back pain, neck pain, and headaches
Chiropractors are most sought out for lower back pain, neck pain, and headaches, in that order. When someone visits a chiropractor for back pain, for example, the practitioner will examine the spine and area of concern, including thorough orthopaedic and neurological testing. When the diagnosis is made, the chiropractor will usually perform manipulations to the spine to correct the position and function of joints in that region.
One major review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that this can be as effective as other treatments for back pain, including medications and physical therapy. It verified what chiropractors were touting all along – back pain can improve without medicine.
Chiropractic care has also shown positive results in treating headaches, particularly tension headaches and migraines. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported that people who received adjustments experienced fewer and less intense headaches compared to those who didn’t. This is important because migraines and headaches are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, with electronic gadget usage, poor posture and work from home culture, making non-invasive methods to improve them, extremely valuable.
Not a cure-all
However, it’s also worth noting that chiropractic care is not a ‘cure-all’. While it can be very helpful with specific types of neuromusculoskeletal disorders, it may not be for other conditions. For example, some studies have shown mixed results when it comes to treating non-musculoskeletal issues like asthma or high blood pressure. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found limited evidence supporting chiropractic adjustments for these conditions (Posadzki & Ernst, 2011).
Chiropractic care usually follows a set plan of action. ‘Miracle cures’, often popularised by online personalities, are not factual simulations of real-life issues. Consistency of applied principles is the key. Chiropractors aim to rehabilitate spinal issues by gently recreating better movement patterns for the body to perform better, until those movements are assimilated into the nervous system. Disc bulges or ‘slipped discs’, for example, show demonstrable changes when treated with chiropractic. Over 80 per cent of cases we see are disc-related, and less than 0.01 per cent of cases wind up going for surgery.
Safety is another important consideration, especially in India, where regulations are not formalised by legislation. According to research published in Spine, chiropractic care is generally safe when performed by a trained professional (Rubinstein et al., 2012). However, like any treatment, it does come with some risks, including the possibility of soreness or stiffness.
Serious complications are rare, but it’s always a good idea to talk with a chiropractor registered with the Indian Association of Chiropractic Doctors before starting any treatment. There are only a handful of officially registered chiropractors in India, so ensure you do your research before visiting someone representing themselves as a chiropractor.
(The writer is director, head of chiropractic, Atlas Chiropractic and Wellness)