The Chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a very specifically applied force to the subluxated vertebra. The vertebra will be restricted in its movement or misaligned in a very specific way. Your Chiropractor is able to determine exactly how the vertebra needs to be moved by the adjustment to correct this problem. The purpose of the adjustment then is to improve joint function, thereby improving nerve function and subsequently improving health.

Often associated with the adjustment is a 'popping' noise. The pop is exactly the same noise that accompanies a person stretching their fingers to make them pop. When a joint is gently stretched, a point is reached when restriction and pressure in the joint is released and is accompanied by the 'pop', a little like the noise you hear when a champagne cork is popped. So each time you have an adjustment and hear a 'pop' you have cause to celebrate.

The claim that Chiropractic is unsafe has been a tactic used for years by people who should know better. This notion has driven considerable research into this area and the results are greatly reassuring. You might expect me to say that Chiropractic is incredibly safe and it is. Research backs up this claim.

Studies have indicated that you have a greater chance of an adverse event following the taking of over-the-counter pain relief medication. In relation to treatment for neck and back pain, a course of Chiropractic Care is 250 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Even insurance companies recognise the safety of Chiropractic. Health funds, workers compensation, the motor accident authority all cover claims for Chiropractic treatment. They wouldn't do this if they thought it was unsafe. To give the topic another perspective, malpractice premiums set by insurance companies assessing potential risk, are a fraction of the cost for Chiropractors compared to Medical Practitioners.

Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that is proven safe and effective.

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Chiropractic care is incredibly safe and is most important for children. Although often mild, trauma can occur during childbirth, and through all the stages of growing up when our little bundles of joy (most the time) are learning about the world when running, jumping climbing and occasionally falling. If un-assessed and untreated these little problems can be taken into adult life and are a considerably different treatment proposition.

We want the best for our children. We want them to grow up to be as healthy and happy as possible and a healthy spine and nervous system will help them achieve just that. A regular Chiropractic check-up will identify problems early and prevent them from developing into a more serious issue.

Naturally Chiropractic adjustments are modified when applied to children.

Very recently, Tim has attended a very exciting seminar where he learnt techniques to assess and treat children with learning difficulties such as ADHD, developmental co-ordination disorder, developmental delay syndrome among others. Early results are very encouraging and it is an area of study and treatment that offers great promise.

With the growing elderly population more interest is being placed on lifestyle and I'm not talking about how fancy your house may be. As our lifespan increases, so does our desire to maintain the best health in our 'greying years'. Concerns are greater about the growing list of medications we are prescribed and the potential associated side effects.

People are better educated and informed than they ever were in the past and they are demanding health alternatives to what has become a pill-popping culture driven by pharmaceutical companies.

One of the areas the aging population is turning to is Chiropractic as they are finding they can remain fitter and healthier longer if their spinal health is maintained. They enjoy greater vitality, mobility and endurance. Again, Chiropractic care is modified for the elderly to accommodate the problems unique to an aging population and particularly spinal health issues like osteoporosis.

In short, it is entirely up to you.

When visiting your Chiropractor many aspects will need to be considered. How long have you had the problem? Was the initial injury significant, like a car accident or a fall off a horse or ladder? Have you received any treatment for this problem in the past? Some problems that may have existed since childhood will have been developing for years. It needs to be understood that they are not going to be resolved in a few short visits. As has often been said: "Rome was not built in a day".

Some people will simply want pain relief and this needs to be respected. However most Chiropractors will encourage you to follow through an initial course of corrective care that is designed to restore the best possible function to your spine given the nature of the problems being addressed. After this phase of care is completed what is then important is the maintenance of this optimal spinal health. This can only be achieved by a periodic check-up with the Chiropractor.

The best analogy for this approach is something we do for our cars when we take them in for a 'grease and oil'. This regular care manages existing problem areas keeping them functioning at their best. It also detects other problems that may develop in the course of 'living a life', locating them early and hence not allowing them to develop. As I often say: "Most problems dealt with in the Chiropractors office are not life-threatening but they certainly can be lifestyle-threatening".

So this question: "How long will I need Chiropractic care?" is probably best answered by another: "How long do you want to enjoy the best life has to give you?" and the answer to that question is different for everybody. I challenge you however to seek the best in life and seek the best of health and ONLY Chiropractic can give you the best in spinal health and everything that flows from that.

Most often people will not need a doctor’s referral. Chiropractors are primary contact health care professionals and no referral from a doctor is required.

If however you are a Veteran's Affairs patient or someone who has been involved in a workplace injury and is seeking treatment for a compensable injury or if you wish to see a Chiropractor under the Medicare-funded Enhanced Primary Care Scheme, then you will need a doctor's referral for Chiropractic treatment.