Safety and Technique

Safety

Chiropractic treatment is extremely safe. Treatment procedures are modified to suit the needs of each patient, young and elderly especially. Mild adverse reactions to chiropractic adjustment may involve stiffness and soreness, especially with a patient's first adjustment.

There is one risk arising from manipulation of the cervical spine that is potentially serious. Namely, vertebral artery syndrome (VAS), which may lead to stroke following cervical adjustment in a susceptible patient.

This is an extremely rare occurrence.

In sworn testimony in a Canadian court case, Dr Scott Haldeman, who is qualified as a chiropractor, a medical doctor, and a neurologist, stated that the risk of VAS causing serious harm following cervical adjustment is one (1) per million (1,000,000) for chiropractic treatment (Mason vs Forgie, S/C/1569/82, Court of Queen's Bench, New Brunswick, Canada, decision dated December 27, 1984, 19, 27).

Other medical specialists place the risk at 2-3 cases per million. (Gutman, G, 'Injuries to the Vertebral Artery Caused by Manual Therapy', Manuelle Medizin, 1983, 21:2-14, 2, English Abstract; Dvorak J et al, 'How Dangerous is Manipulation to the Cervical Spine?', Manual Medicine, 1985 2: 1-4.)

When compared with standard medical procedures for similar spinal conditions, chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine is extremely safe. For example:

• the risk of paralysis from neurosurgery on the cervical spine is -2% or 15,000 cases per million. (Rocha v Harris (1987) 39 CCLT 279, 283. Expert testimony by Dr Lawrence Clein, neurosurgeon in a Canadian case).
• chymopapain therapy for the treatment of leg and back pain, involves the injection of an enzyme extracted from papaya into an intervertebral disc. This popular treatment has a mortality rate of 1 in 700 patients (i.e. 1400 per million) (Fager, 'The Age Old Back Problem: New Fad, Same Fallacies' Spine 1984: 9: 326)

The overwhelming conclusion is that chiropractic treatment is safe when administered with the appropriate care and caution by a registered chiropractor. While there may always be the case where something goes wrong despite every reasonable caution, such cases are few and far between under chiropractic care. As indicated, the medical profession is by no means immune from this hazard and the risks to the patient under medical care are much higher.

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Technique

There are many techniques and different chiropractic adjustments performed by our chiropractors and they are all tailored by the different types of patients we see at this clinic.

The most common procedure is a specific chiropractic adjustment which involves movement of a joint with a quick thrust, which produces a 'clicking' sound as gas is released from the joint surfaces of the vertebrae. Some patients do not like the feel of a clicking procedure, and there are many different non-force adjustments that we use, such as an activator instrument or a drop-piece table that delivers measured force to a joint with no 'cracking' sound.

All our chiropractors have post-graduate qualifications in Sports chiropractic and are involved actively in looking after sporting teams and top level athletes. Stirling Chiropractic has exclusive rights to provide chiropractic services to the Hopman Cup Tennis tournament each year.

All our chiropractors use techniques for babies and young children, and we encourage spinal checkups for kids at the earliest possible date.

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