Considering a chiropractic treatment? On this page you will find answers to some of the most common questions we receive at Aberdeen Chiropractic in Winnipeg. For questions not answered in this section, please feel free to contact our friendly staff. For more specific health-related questions, we suggest booking an examination to determine your treatment options.
A: The word “chiropractic” comes from the ancient Greek words of action (praktikós) by hand (kheír). For many centuries, manual adjustment techniques have been used on joints and they remain at the core of chiropractic care.
A: Chiropractors are highly educated and undergo extensive training to assess, diagnosis, treat, and prevent conditions and disorders of the spine, joints, muscles, and nervous system. These disorders may include back pain, neck pain, headaches, recurring pain in your arms and legs, etc. Chiropractors are regulated primary health care professionals, and they are one of only five classes of health care professionals in Canada that are able to use the title of Doctor, with its accompanying rights and obligations.
Chiropractors can also prescribe nutritional counselling, therapeutic exercises, and make recommendations on rehabilitation and injury prevention.
A: At some point during their lifetime, eighty-percent of Canadians will experience back pain. This means that at any given time, a third of Canadians are currently experiencing some form of back pain. Back pain can keep you away from work, school, and the many other things you love. If pain is interrupting or restricting your level of activity, you should consult a health care provider.
Many patients seek chiropractic treatments for wellness care. Others find that treatments help them to maintain mobility and good range of motion. Pain should never become a way of life, especially when qualified help is available.
There are many reasons to seek chiropractic care; work, accidents, sports injuries, household chores, even the stress of daily living can cause painful joint and spinal problems. Even if you do not have painful symptoms, chiropractic care can help you maintain healthy spine and joint function.
Here are some of the most common reasons why more than four million Canadians visit a chiropractor each year:
A: Chiropractic care can:
A: With precision and skill, an adjustment is typically applied manually to an affected joint of the body. The intent of an adjustment is to the optimize function of the joint and restore it to its proper movement.
After a joint has been adjusted, you may hear a “pop” sound. This is completely normal and is common with most forms of adjustments. The resulting sound of an adjustment is a gas bubble escaping from the joint.
Adjustment techniques have undergone many years of research. Complications and side-effects of the treatment are relatively rare, but may include temporary soreness. Your chiropractor is highly trained in evaluating the effectiveness of this treatment for specific types of injuries and ailments. We would also be glad to refer you to another health care provider if it is determined your needs will not be met through chiropractic care.
A: Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest, drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of headaches, as well as neck and back pain. Simply put, it has an excellent safety record. However, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. Even common over-the-counter medicines carry a risk.
Most patients experience immediate relief following an adjustment, however, some may experience temporary pain, stiffness, or slight swelling. Some patients may also experience temporary dizziness, local numbness, or radiating pain. However, adverse effects associated with spinal adjustment are typically minor and short-lived.
Athletes most often select treatment to improve their performance, whereas the average consumer will select chiropractic care to help manage aches and pains. In some cases, the treatment will be similar, but in all cases a treatment plan will be developed according to the goals and condition of the patient. In cases of professional and elite athletes, chiropractors often work in conjunction with other health care professionals, including medical doctors and/or sports medicine doctors, massage therapists, and physiotherapists.
A: X-rays can play an important role in your diagnosis. An X-ray may be taken when the need has been determined following a case history and physical examination. Chiropractors receive 360 hours of education in radiology that cover a full range of topics, from protection and X-ray interpretation to determining various diagnoses. In every province, governments recognize the training of chiropractors in using and interpreting X-ray data.