We see a large number of patients in our Schaumburg office, and Dr. Elahi has helped countless people overcome a variety of health issues. Even so, a common concern that seems to stop a lot of folks from pursuing care is whether or not chiropractic care is safe. Fortunately, according to three different studies (out of many on the issue), the answer to this concern is a clear: “Yes! Chiropractic is safe!”
Chiropractic is Safe, According to Australian Study
The first research paper(1) was published in Spine and involved 183 adults between the ages of 20 and 85. Each individual was suffering from spine-related pain, and half of the people received real chiropractic adjustments whereas the other half were given two fake chiropractic treatments. Data was gathered after each real or fake adjustment to discover whether or not any unfavorable reactions were caused by the actual chiropractic treatments.
Researchers found that no participants reported any significant undesirable adverse reactions at all after getting one or two sessions of chiropractic. Some individuals did state that they experienced a headache (9% of patients) or muscle stiffness (37 percent) post-treatment, but the results were not serious.
Nationwide Survey Finds that Chiropractic Adjustments are Safe
The next article(2), also released in the prestigious journal, Spine, was performed in an attempt to ascertain the safety of chiropractic. The test group was much larger — 20,000 people. Each participant received chiropractic adjustments of the cervical spine, with over 50,000 total adjustments for all patients.
Once again, the investigators discovered no serious negative side effects. The authors 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 first study, some participants did report non-serious, milder, unwanted effects such as dizziness (less than 2%) or a headache (4 out of every 100), and this caused the authors to conclude that “the risk of a serious adverse event, immediately or up to 7 days after treatment, was low to very low.”
Chiropractic Is Safe for Children
This third study(3) is different from the previous two pieces of research, as it focuses on the safety of chiropractic care for children. In this case, the authors investigated 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 responding to the survey reported only three cases where there were adverse side effects. When parents were questioned, they indicated only two adverse side effects out of 1,735 visits. Additionally, 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 judged safe and effective for everyone. To discover what chiropractic can do for you, call our Schaumburg office and schedule an appointment today at (847) 519-7046 .
References
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Dr. Elahi
Located in the heart of Schaumburg, the leading health professionals at Health First Wellness Center are dedicated to helping you achieve your wellness objectives — combining skill and expertise that spans the entire chiropractic wellness spectrum. Dr. Naveed Elahi is committed to bringing you better health and a better way of life by teaching and practicing the true principles of chiropractic wellness care.
