Frequently Asked Questions

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Chiropractic is a health profession specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of biomechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints & muscles), as well as the effects these disorders can have on the functioning of the nervous system and general health.

The spine is made up of 24 individual mobile vertebrae. It starts just below the base of your skull and ends between the hips. Each consecutive vertebra is connected to the immediate vertebrae above and below it via joints. Consecutive vertebrae are connected by joint capsules, ligaments and muscles, which enable the entire spine to function as one dynamic unit. There are seven neck (cervical) vertebrae, 12 mid- or upper back (thoracic) vertebrae and five lower back (lumbar) vertebrae, with a cartilaginous disc in-between each vertebra. This disc is there to help cushion and absorb shock, reduce friction between the vertebrae and to allow increased movement to occur within the spine. A pair of spinal nerves exits between each vertebra through an opening called the intervertebral foramen. Each one of the 31 pairs of nerves originate from the spinal cord, which runs the length of the spine.

The spinal cord and spinal nerves acts like relay tracks for the messages sent from the brain to the body and vice versa. This process can be hindered by something called a subluxation – also referred to as a “misalignment” or a joint that is “restricted” or “out of place”. When this happens the spinal nerve that exits from the intervertebral foramen, becomes irritated either through direct pressure or through indirect stimulation/irritation. The body is still able to function but not optimally or at 100%, as the full message cannot get through from the body to the brain and vice versa. Therefore, any problem in any one of the vertebral joints can affect the related part of your nervous system, which in turn can lead to such symptoms as pain in the back or neck as well as many other spinal problems. Although most chiropractors predominantly focus on the spine and how it is functioning, the biomechanics of the upper and lower limbs is also of great importance.

It’s a chiropractor’s task to evaluate the biomechanical structure of the spine, to ensure that each one of the individual vertebrae are moving freely. After identifying the areas of subluxation/s, the chiropractor will use specific techniques to manipulate (also called adjust) the vertebrae. This will restore the normal range of movement and neuro-communication thus allowing the body to start the healing process in order to function optimally

Chiropractic care in South Africa is readily available, low cost, low risk and offers a non-invasive, natural approach to healing. Taking the high costs of medical care in the case of back-related problems into consideration, (due to extensive diagnostic procedures, medication, surgery and hospitalization), it makes financial sense to encourage patients to seek a more cost-effective route.

Chiropractors treat and manage patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions normally pertaining to injuries and disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system. They are probably best known for their expertise in managing back pain, neck pain and headaches.
Conditions include:
– Acute and chronic Lumbar (low back), Thoracic (upper or midback) and Cervical spine (neck) pain:
– Whiplash;
– Sacro-iliac syndrome;
– Intervertebral disc herniations;
– Enthesopahies which includes rotator cuff strains, tennis and golfer’s elbow, Achilles tendonitis, Plantar fasciitis, Adhesive capsulitis;
– Headaches (cervicogenic, tension, migraine, cluster);
– Myofascial pain syndromes;
– Degenerative joint and disc disease (osteoarthritis);
– Sports related injuries;
– Nerve entrapment syndromes (sciatica);
– Ligament sprains and muscle strains;
– Bursitis;
– Scoliosis;
– Paediatric (infantile colic; reflux, nocturnal enuresis)
– Pregnancy-related aches and pains.

In most cases, pain is the last alarm that the body sounds that something is wrong. Before the pain, the patient might have noticed for example a loss of joint movement, discomfort or muscle stiffness. Thus, there was already a “problem” which the body couldn’t correct itself. This problem could have either been caused or aggravated by habits such as poor sitting or sleeping posture, bad office ergonomics, sedentary occupation, muscle weakness or incorrect techniques at gym (and many others).

Yes, Chiropractic have been found to be effective in the treatment of many neuromusculoskeletal conditions such as neck pain, headaches (including migraines), whiplash, shoulder pain, arm and elbow pain, tingling in arms and hands, all the way to back pain, hip pain, leg pain, sciatic, knee pain and even foot pain. Any condition that is related to any joint in the body can potentially be helped through chiropractic care. If your chiropractor isn’t able to help or if a favourable outcome is not being reached, they will refer you onto the appropriate health care provider.
Yes, chiropractic is recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Even though chiropractic has an excellent safety record, there are certain risks (as with all other health treatments) which could result in potential adverse effects. Where the chiropractor feels that your condition may be better treated by another health practitioner, he/she will proceed to make the relevant referral.

The chiropractor will start by asking you about your medical history and the reason for making an appointment in the first place. Questions such as what type of pain do you have, where the pain is, how did the pain start and so forth will be asked. He/she will also ask questions about your past health history, family history, and any other conditions that you might previously have suffered from. After the case history has been taken, a complete physical exam will be performed in order to assess your condition.

This will be followed by a physical examination. Imaging or lab tests may be required but isn’t always necessary. Your chiropractor will determine if and when such tests are required.

Taking all of the above into consideration, the chiropractor will then reach a diagnosis and advise you whether chiropractic treatment is appropriate and necessary. The treatment you will receive will generally consist of highly specialised manipulative techniques often referred to as adjustments or manipulations.

An adjustment (or manipulation) is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the chiropractor`s intensive years of education. They use their hands or a mechanical device to deliver a controlled, high velocity, low amplitude thrust, directed at specific joints in the spine or extremities. The joint/s are moved within their normal physiological range of motion to restore or enhance their function. It also helps to resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient’s pain. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
The sound is called a cavitation. During adjustments there is a change in the pressure within the joint which causes the gas bubbles to be released and results in the popping sound. Even though movement of the dysfunctional joint have been restored successfully through a manipulation, a cavitation might not be heard. Thus, a cavitation isn’t an indicator of the quality of the adjustment.
A chiropractor undergoes years of training to develop the necessary skills to determine the areas of joint dysfunctions and then specific manipulation techniques to restore normal movement. There are risks involved when performing manipulations and thus shouldn’t be done without the correct training and understanding. When performing self-adjustments of the neck or back, the wrong vertebral level is often adjusted. The “click” then comes from the normal moving vertebrae and not the correction of the dysfunctional vertebra. A temporally relieve of pain is experienced after due to the endorphins being released. However, the more you adjust these normal moving vertebrae, the more unstable they can become and could lead to more pain or the development of serious complications.
Basically anybody! But it is very important for the chiropractor to take a case history, do an examination and make a diagnosis in order to determine whether chiropractic treatment is appropriate and safe for your condition.

The birthing process is a traumatic event for a baby, regardless whether it is a natural or a caesarean birth. In today’s time more babies are being delivered through caesarean or with the aid of a ‘clamp’ or “vacuum”. During a natural birth, the spine of the baby undergoes movement which aids in its ‘alignment”. Misalignment of the joints in the spine of a baby can result in nursing issues, poor sleep, head deformities, postural asymmetries, gastrointestinal problems (eg colic, reflux and constipation) and fussiness.

Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort.

Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient and in the case of babies and children very gentle and specific manipulations are used.

A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thereby making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your chiropractor should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.
In South Africa the course can be studied either at Durban University of Technology (DUT) or at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The chiropractic programmes at both universities are accredited by the European Council on Chiropractic Education. The course stretches over six years with both theoretical and practical components. Upon completion a Masters degree in Chiropractic is obtained.
No, a referral letter is usually not required to see a chiropractor. However, for re-imbursement purposes it is advisable to contact your medical aid directly as they may have specific referral requirements.

In most cases yes. In South Africa, the majority of the medical schemes cover the reimbursement of chiropractic services. This does however, depend on the patient’s payment plan and on which option they are. If you are unsure whether you are covered to receive chiropractic care, contact your medical aid directly for further information.

However, not all chiropractors are contracted into medical aids and you may have to pay for your appointment and send the claim to them yourself.

No not at all! Chiropractors know that due to the complexity of the human body that there are many things that can go wrong. In some cases, the only appropriate options available to the patient are medication or surgery. A chiropractor is trained to know when they can help a patient and when it is best to refer the patient to another healthcare provider.