+ What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a safe, natural and non-invasive health service. Chiropractic care is not a one size fits all healthcare option. Chiropractors carefully assess each patient individually and tailor their care accordingly. By using a variety of non-surgical techniques, such as specific spinal adjustments, manual therapy and low-force intervention, chiropractors offer a drug-free, hands-on approach to spinal healthcare. Did you know over 300,000 Australians visit a chiropractor every week?

+ What Is A Chiropractic Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the application of a specific force in a precise direction, applied skilfully to a spinal joint that is fixated, “locked up”, or not moving as it should. This can help improve or restore motion to the joint, helping the spine to gradually regain more normal motion and function.There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the chiropractor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly-accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure.Your spine and pelvis consists of 33 bones and over 70 joints, all of which through injuries, postural factors, environmental factors and emotional stressors etc have the potential to become restricted. Your chiropractor has trained for over 5 years to determine the exact position of these vertebra and joints, and furthermore to know exactly when, where and how to deliver an adjustment.

+ Are Adjustments Safe?

Chiropractors use skill, not force or strength to conduct specific chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic care has a very low risk profile, especially when compared with more invasive methods of spinal healthcare however, all forms of manual treatment have the potential for adverse reactions in some people.Adjustments are a natural and conservative approach to health that avoid invasive procedures or addictive drugs. In relation to the treatment of neck and back pain, studies have shown that a course of chiropractic care was 250 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs. (1) 1. Dabbs,V., & Lauretti,W.J. (1995). A Risk Assessment of Cervical Manipulation vs NSAIDs for the Treatment of Neck Pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 18(8), 530-536

+ Does A Chiropractic Adjustment Hurt?

In most cases, not at all. While brief discomfort after an adjustment can occur, it is rare and most people find having an adjustment very relaxing.With some adjustments you may sometimes feel or hear a popping sound from the spinal joints. This is simply caused by a gas release from the joint capsule as spinal movement is improved/restored (similar to that of a can of soft drink being opened). Some Chiropractors use a hand held instrument to adjust the spine. Others use pelvic blocks to re-align the body. Special techniques are used for adjusting infants and children. Whatever the technique, Chiropractors use skill, not force or strength, to conduct a safe, effective adjustment. At Glow Health Co, we understand that chiropractic care is not a one size fits all health care option. This is why we specifically utilise a number of different techniques so that we can we take your preferences into account when we meet with you and we can tailor your care accordingly to get the best result for your body on any given day. We use techniques such as Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, SOT, paediatric and pregnancy specific techniques, extremity, sports specific and cranial work.

+ Is Chiropractic Treatment Safe During Pregnancy?

Your body goes through many changes when pregnant due to pregnancy hormones and changes in centre of gravity. During the first Trimester the body releases a rush of the hormone ‘relaxin’. The relaxin hormone does exactly what is says on the package, it enables ligaments in the body to relax, which enables childbirth. Over the course of pregnancy a mother’s weight may increase between 13-18kgs and the majority of this will be at the front of the body around the abdomen and then the chest. This increase in weight may create spinal misalignment and changes in posture which can affect nerves, muscles and the mobility of joints. These postural changes include (but are not limited to) – anterior pelvic tilt, increased curve through low back (lumbar spine), increased curve through mid-upper back (thoracic spine), forward head carriage and rounded shoulders. With the pelvis in a balanced state, the ligaments connected to the uterus maintain an equalized, supportive suspension for the uterus. Relief of these constraints also offer the best possible chance for baby to be in the right position when labour commences. • Throughout pregnancy and birth chiropractors have been able to assist patients with the following (but not limited to): o Low back pain o Pelvic and pubic pain o Heartburn and indigestion o Intrauterine constraint o Foetal positioning o Reduced labour time due to correct pelvic alignment

+ How Are Chiropractors Educated?

• In Australia, chiropractors share a common tertiary education pathway with osteopaths and physiotherapists and chiropractic education involves undergraduate and/or masters-level university training over five years.
• All accredited chiropractic programs in Australia include units in basic and clinical sciences. Also included are units in physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, radiology, nutrition, paediatrics, geriatrics, public health and evidence-based practice. • As with other primary healthcare professions, chiropractic pre-professional training requires a significant proportion of the curricula to be clinical subjects related to evaluating and caring for patients. As part of professional training, final-year students must also complete a minimum of a one-year supervised clinical internship. • All registered chiropractors must complete mandatory continuing education each year to maintain registration and practice as a non-pharmacological, non-surgical spine care and musculoskeletal-allied healthcare professional.

+ Are Chiropractic Treatments Safe For Children And Babies?

An extensive search was undertaken by Safer Care Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government during 2019 to identify evidence of harm sustained by children who had received spinal manipulation. This included: a literature review by Cochrane AustraliaCapture of patient complaints Practitioner notification data from Australian complaints and regulatory agenciesCapture of Australian insurance claim data from the primary insurers for registered chiropractors· Stakeholder feedback from both online consultations. This extensive search identified very little evidence of patient harm occurring in Australia. In particular, there were no patient complaints or practitioner notifications that arose from significant harm to a child following spinal manipulation. The Queensland Office of the Health Ombudsman reported that since its inception on 1 July 2014 it has not received any complaints relating to spinal manipulation of children under 12 years. The Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) reported no complaints against a chiropractor related to the treatment of a child No cases were reported where an insurance agent has had to defend or settle such a claim. The public responses indicated very strong consumer satisfaction. Of all respondents, 99.7% (21,750) reported a positive experience with the chiropractic care of their children. The overwhelming majority of parents/guardians reported that chiropractic spinal care helped their child, with 98% (21,474) indicating that their child improved after treatment. Chiropractic care carries low risk for children because chiropractors are trained to suitably modify techniques to suit the child’s age, muscle development and presentation. These are gentle and precise procedures.

+ Why See The Chiropractors At Glow For Sports And Rehab?

A growing number of athletes in the world make use of chiropractic care. There is a increased number of local and professional sporting associations taking advantage of chiropractic care for their athletes. Research has shown improvement in multiple aspects of performance such as blood flow, coordination, balance, speed, agility, concentration and very importantly a reduction in injury prevalence. The majority of the NFL teams have a private sports based Chiropractor on their health team. Both our chiropractors at Glow have done further study in this area and are currently finishing their studies to become International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic (ICSC). Here are a few athletes that use chiropractic care regularly to help them perform at their best:Tiger Woods (15 X Major Championships), Michael Jordan (Basketball Legend), Tom Brady (6 X Super Bowl Champion), Brian Shaw (4 X Worlds Strongest Man), Hafthor Bjornsson (1 X World Strongest Man, Mountain from Game of Thrones), Arnold Schwarzenegger (8 X Mr Olympia, Actor, Governor of California)Usain Bolt (Olympic Gold medalist)Venus Williams ( 5 X Grand Slam Champion)Andy Murray ( 3 X Grand Slam Champion) Dr Theunis Nieuwoudt was appointed Queensland Chairman for Sports Chiropractic Australia (2019-Current) and Dr Georgia Lowe is a current board member for Sports Chiropractic Australia (QLD). This has enabled them to coordinate, oversee and treat a high calibre of athletes in a range of different sports at local, national and International events such as the following: • Sunshine Coast Ironman 70.3 • Sunshine Coast Marathon • Crossfit Australia/NZ Team Series 2018 • Asia Pacific Powerlifting Championship • National Uni Games Div 1 and Div 2 • Aussies National Lifesaving Championships • National Volleyball Competition • AIMS Sports Festival

+ Are Chiropractors Regulated?

• All chiropractors must be registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia and meet the Board’s registration standards, in order to practise in Australia. • Under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory, a person cannot call them self a chiropractor (or hold them self out to be a chiropractor) or undertake manipulation of the cervical spine if they are not registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia.