Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, a chiropractic adjustment does not hurt when carried out by a qualified practitioner. If you have acute muscle spasm in the area being treated, you may experience some temporary discomfort or if you have had a condition for a long time, you may feel sore as your body starts to heal. Your chiropractor will advise you if this is likely to happen and will tell you how to minimise any discomfort.

You do not need a GP’s referral to see a chiropractor. Increasingly, GP’s are referring patients to us and recognising chiropractic as an effective complementary treatment, particularly for back pain.

Every individual responds differently. Generally most patients feel a positive improvement after one or two treatments. Generally, the longer you have had the problem, the longer the recovery time will take. Recovery time is also dependent on your commitment to your treatment plan, home exercises and any diet or lifestyle improvements recommended by your chiropractor.

Your first visit takes about 30-40 minutes to complete. Treatment sessions thereafter are approximately 15 minutes, but may vary according to your specific needs.

How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you. Initially, your treatment sessions will be more frequent than later in your plan when your sessions will reduce and you will be given exercises and stretches to maintain your condition. More people are now recognising the benefits of prevention rather than cure and choose to come back for a treatment from once a month to every few months. It is always your decision whether you want to continue with chiropractic care. You are under no obligation at any point during your treatment plan.

When the surfaces of two joints are moved apart rapidly, as in a chiropractic adjustment, there is a change of pressure within the joint space, which sometimes causes a bubble of gas to ‘pop’. The sound is insignificant and does not hurt. If you are uncomfortable with the noise, other techniques can be used that are more gentle.

Yes. You cannot properly adjust your own spine and any relief you do get will only be temporary leaving the need to keep on cracking. You are more likely to be cracking the wrong joint, hence only temporary relief. If you feel the need to crack you own back, it is usually a sign of spinal misalignment. Consult your chiropractor. Even chiropractors themselves consult other chiropractors for regular spinal check ups.

Yes, in most cases chiropractic care is suitable after surgery. Many people who suffer with pain after surgery have sought relief from chiropractic treatment. Furthermore, many have avoided unnecessary surgery by opting for a healthier chiropractic lifestyle.

Yes, chiropractic care is suitable during and following pregnancy. With the many physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy, chiropractic can help with back pain and posture It can even ease the strain of labour through it balancing effects on the muscles and ligaments.

Yes, chiropractic care is suitable for everyone. Your chiropractor’s specialist training allows them to adapt their techniques to suit people of all occupations and ages, from office workers and manual labourers, to new born babies, pregnant women and elderly. Children often consult chiropractors for conditions such as bed wetting, colic, ear infections and asthma which have shown marked improvements with care.

It takes at least four years of full-time study to become a chiropractor at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic or the University of Glamorgan, which offers a BSc degree. The courses are followed by a postgraduate year training with a chiropractor under the British Chiropractic Association’s Vocational Training Scheme (VTS). Upon successful completion of the VTS a Diploma in Chiropractic is awarded

The Chiropractors Act received Royal Assent in July 1994. Resulting from it, the General Chiropractic Council was announced in 1997. It is now responsible for setting standards of both education and conduct within the profession, and requires all chiropractors to be registered to practise legally in the UK.

Chiropractic and osteopathy were both developed in the late 19th century in the USA. The similarities between both professions not outweigh the differences in terms of technique and approach. Both professions have statutory regulation and the important factor is that you ensure your practitioner is registered with their professional body.