What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.

The word Chiropractic comes from Greek chiro "hand" and praktikós "concerned with action".

Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a variety of conditions that are due to problems with the joints, ligaments and tendons of the body, particularly involving that of the spine and its effects on the nervous system.

Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that the nervous system controls the function of virtually every tissue, cell, organ and system of the body. In most cases the treatment is aimed at removing nerve compression and irritation, usually brought on by abnormal alignment or dysfunction of the spinal joints. Spinal dysfunction and misalignment can be brought on by a number of factors associated with modern day living, including accidents, physical stress, mental stress, anxiety, poor diet, lack of exercise and repetitive movements.

Chiropractors use gentle specific manipulation of spinal joints to restore their normal function. The result is an increase in mobility, decrease in any pain or discomfort and removal of irritation of the nerves with a wide range of health benefits.

Not only does chiropractic offer hands-on pain management, it can also promote optimum health and give a general sense of well-being as the body balances itself through treatment and starts to function without interference. An important part of chiropractic management of your health is to ensure that once you get better, you will also stay that way. The ultimate goal is to restore and optimise health and keep irreversible degenerative changes to minimum.

Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession, so you do not need to be referred by your doctor. A chiropractor is trained to diagnose your problem and will refer you to another health-care practitioner if necessary.

The effectiveness of chiropractic treatment is supported by research as well as by various UK government and medical organisations.

In common with medical practitioners and dentists, all chiropractors are registered by law under the Chiropractors Act 1994 and the title ‘Chiropractor’ is protected under this legislation. The profession is statutorily regulated through the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and it is illegal to practise as a chiropractor without being registered with the GCC.