Is Chiropractic Care Safe?

Chiropractic treatment is generally considered safe when performed by a registered, university-trained practitioner, though like all healthcare interventions, it may cause adverse reactions in some people.

The largest safety study to date analysed 960,140 chiropractic treatment sessions across 54,846 patients at 30 clinics (Chu et al., 2023, published in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal).

The study found that serious adverse events occurred at a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 sessions. Across n...

Research suggests approximately one-quarter to one-half of patients may experience some mild reaction after treatment.

The most commonly reported side effects include localised soreness at the treatment area, mild muscle aching, temporary stiffness, and occasional light fatigue or headache.

These are typically mild, self-limiting, and resolve within 24 to 48 hours (Senstad et al., 1996; Leboeuf-Yde et al., 1997). Serious complications are extremely rare. In the 960,140-session study mentioned...

This is an understandable concern and one we take seriously.

The most important study on this question is Cassidy et al. (2008), published in the journal Spine, which analysed over 100 million person-years of data covering 818 vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) strokes in Ontario, Canada.

The researchers found no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic care compared to primary medical care. The study found that patients were equally likely to have visited a chiropractor o...

Cervical (neck) adjustments are among the most researched areas of chiropractic care. A study of over 50,000 cervical adjustments across approximately 20,000 patients (Thiel et al., 2007) reported no serious adverse events.

That said, your comfort and preferences are always respected. If you'd rather not have a traditional neck adjustment, we have alternative techniques available, including instrument-assisted methods and gentle mobilisation.

Let us know your preferences and we'll adapt the t...

Yes. There are certain conditions where spinal manipulation should not be performed, and others where techniques need to be modified.

Conditions where chiropractic is typically not appropriate include acute fractures, spinal instability, severe neurological deficits, cancer-related spinal pain, acute myelopathy, cauda equina syndrome, and active bone infections.

Conditions requiring modified techniques include osteoporosis, joint hypermobility, inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthr...

Chiropractic care can be appropriate for older adults when techniques are adapted to the individual. Many older patients benefit from gentle, low-force methods that accommodate conditions like reduced bone density or arthritis.

A study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 to 99 (Whedon et al., 2015) found that the risk of injury was actually 76% lower after a chiropractic visit compared to a primary care physician visit.

During the initial assessment, factors like bone health, medication use, an...

Chiropractic care is a conservative, non-invasive approach that does not involve medication or surgical intervention.

The American College of Physicians (2017) issued a clinical guideline recommending non-pharmacologic therapies, including spinal manipulation, as first-line treatment for low back pain before considering drug therapies.

This recommendation was made in part because of the lower risk profile of manual therapies compared to the well-documented risks of long-term NSAID use, opioid...

Yes. Chiropractic is one of only 16 health professions regulated under Australia's Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.

All practising chiropractors must be registered with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), the same body that registers medical doctors, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, and psychologists.

Registration requires completing an accredited university degree, passing clinical competency requirements, maintaining annual continuing professional de...

Here is a summary of the key safety studies in the chiropractic literature: Chu et al. (2023), Scientific Reports (Nature): 960,140 sessions, 54,846 patients. Serious adverse events: 0.21 per 100,000 sessions.

Zero life-threatening or fatal events. Cassidy et al. (2008), Spine: 100+ million person-years analysed. No evidence of excess stroke risk from chiropractic compared to GP care.

Thiel et al. (2007): ~20,000 patients, 50,000+ cervical adjustments. No serious adverse events. Church et al....

You should see a GP first if you're experiencing symptoms that suggest something beyond a musculoskeletal issue: unexplained weight loss, fever with back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, severe or worsening neurological symptoms (such as progressive weakness or numbness), pain following significant trauma, or pain that doesn't change with position or movement.

If you come to us and our assessment suggests something outside our scope of practice, we will tell you directly and refer you ...