Chiropractors are trained to care for patients of all ages with various health conditions. They are best known for treating patients with back pain, neck pain, migraines, and headaches. In addition, chiropractors can treat a range of injuries and disorders of the muscles, ligaments, and joints.

The benefits of chiropractic care extend to general health issues, as body structure affects overall function. Chiropractic care cannot “cure” every ailment, but there is evidence that adjustments may have beneficial effects on a variety of conditions.

In Canada, chiropractors are legislated as primary health professionals, meaning that patients can consult them directly without needing a referral.

Chiropractic is one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is entirely free of possible side effects. However, the risks associated with chiropractic care are very small, especially compared to other treatments like over-the-counter pain medication.

Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness, or aching, similar to the feeling after exercising. Literature shows that this minor discomfort typically fades within 24 hours.

Yes, chiropractic care is adapted to an individual’s needs regardless of age. Adjustments for children differ significantly from those for adults and typically require no more pressure than can be applied comfortably on your eyeball.

Children are physically active and often experience bumps and bruises from daily activities, sports, and even birth. These stresses on a child’s body can lead to symptoms like back pain, neck pain, and stiffness, although these issues may go undetected for years. Many parents choose chiropractic as a proactive lifestyle choice to help their children lead healthier lives.

Unfortunately, OHIP does not cover chiropractic care. However, chiropractic care is included in most insurance and extended benefits plans. It is best to contact your insurance provider for information relevant to your specific coverage.

Chiropractors spend four to five years in an accredited chiropractic college, with many completing undergraduate pre-medical degrees before entering their programs. They are educated as primary-contact health care providers, focusing on managing conditions of the neuromusculoskeletal system (muscles, ligaments, joints, and nerves).

Chiropractors study orthopedics, neurology, physiology, human anatomy, clinical diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, and more. Chiropractic adjustments require skill and extensive training to master these techniques.

An adjustment is a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust into the joint to correct its position and/or motion. This procedure is remarkably safe when performed by a chiropractor. Adjustments often produce an audible “click” or “cracking” sound due to gas release from a joint, unrelated to bones touching each other. In some instances, there may be no audible sound, yet an adjustment has still occurred.

The popping sound after an adjustment is caused by gas quickly releasing from a joint capsule, not bones grinding together. There are many reasons joints can pop in your back or neck. The most common reason is that tiny gas bubbles have formed in the fluid inside your joints, and the pressure change during an adjustment causes these gas bubbles to “pop.”

At family Chiropractic we provide our patients with the freedom to choose their level of chiropractic care, from short term relief to preventative maintenance. However we aspire to empower our patients to make positive lifestyle changes, of which regular chiropractic care is one such choice.

We excel at improving our patients health when it is lost but educate them to deal with problems before they become an issue as it is far easier to maintain good health then chase it when lost.

Chiropractic is one of the largest primary-contact health care professions in Ontario, with more than 3,100 practicing chiropractors. Almost 2 million Ontarians use the services of a chiropractor each year to help them get back to work, and back to doing the things they love.

X-rays can play a very important role as a diagnostic tool and are taken when your chiropractor has determined there is a need. Governments in every province in Canada have recognized the training and competence of chiropractors to take and interpret X-rays and have granted them this right.

If X-rays are required, your chiropractor will explain the reason why he/she feels they are necessary and if you have any concerns, feel free to discuss them with your chiropractor.

Most times when people “crack” their own back or neck they have misalignments in their spine that are leading to stiffness/soreness which results in the desire to “crack” the involved area. When you have a misalignment in the spine, resulting in a loss of motion, the segments above and below the locked up area move more in order to compensate. These hyper-mobile areas are the ones most people “crack” instead of the area that is causing the problem.

“Cracking” your own back or neck releases endorphins that make you feel better. The reality however is that you are likely not moving the area of the spine that requires it. The reason you feel better is because the endorphins released trick the brain. This can be explained simply with the following analogy:

If you cut your finger your brain registers the pain from the cut and you are made aware of the soreness. If someone were to stomp hard on your foot your brain would then prioritize this new insult over the pain in the hand and suddenly you no longer feel the cut. The cut is still present but you have tricked the brain into ignoring it. Cracking your own back or neck can have some long term effects. Continuing to crack areas of the spine that are moving too much already can result in instability developing in that region. Areas of the spine that are unstable are prone to early degeneration (arthritis) which can in turn result in long term irreversible stiffness. Therefore we recommend that you leave the “cracking” to your chiropractor.

Chiropractors are skilled at identifying the misalignment in your spine and are adept at correcting them with highly specific adjustments.