I have heard that once I start chiropractic care, I'll have to continue with it for the rest of my life. Is this true?

Isn't it true that some chiropractic treatments have a significant risk associated with them?

Do chiropractors treat conditions other than back pain?

• Skating Away With Chiropractic • U.S. Olympic speed skater Derek Parra, a two-time U.S. National All Around Champion, holder of three American records, and the reigning North American Champion, is a chiropractic patient and advocate. During the next year, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is officially sponsoring Parra, who will wear ACA's official logo on his uniform and will help promote ACA and the chiropractic profession through media and public relations opportunities and personal appearances. "I've always believed in chiropractic care," he said. "I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a chiropractor. I tell other athletes about chiropractic care, too." SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association TOP

• Chiropractic Helps Recurrent Low Back Pain • Investigators in Norway found that patients being treated for long lasting or recurrent low back pain report improvement early in the course of chiropractic treatment. 158 patients participated in the study where information on low back pain status was collected on each visit (maximum of 12 visits). Approximately 50 percent of patients reported that they had "improved" at the 4th visit and within two weeks. At the 12th visit (earlier if treatment was concluded before then), approximately 75 percent of the patients reported that "improvement" had occurred. SOURCE: Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics - 2001; 24:288-91. TOP

• Both Instrumental and Manual Manipulation Effective • Thirty patients diagnosed with neck pain were studied to determine the effect of cervical manipulations delivered by means of a hand-held instrument in comparison with traditional manual-delivered thrust cervical manipulations. The study found both treatment methods had a positive effect on outcome measures, with no significant difference being observed between the two groups. Both forms of manipulation were found to have beneficial effects associated with reducing pain and disability and improving cervical range of motion in this patient population. SOURCE: Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics - 2001; 24:260-71. TOP

• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treated with Chiropractic • Manipulation of the spine shows promise for relief of symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis - a condition common in the aging, often due to spinal arthritis. A study was conducted on a 78-year-old man with low back pain and severe leg pain. Flexion-distraction manipulation of the lumbar spine was performed. The patient experienced a decrease in the frequency and intensity of his leg symptoms and a resolution of his low back pain. These improvements were maintained at a five-month follow-up visit. Chiropractic adjustments helped relieve the patient's symptoms by helping to improve spinal biomechanics. SOURCE: Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics - 2001; 24:300-4. TOP