What is Chiropractic?

How did Chiropractic originate?

Although joint manipulation was a recognised facet of medicine at the time of Hippocrates, it declined in popularity as the basis of medicine became increasingly pharmaceutical. 

D.D.Palmer was a magnetic healer in the United States.  In 1895 he found that one could influence the functioning of the nervous system by means of adjusting (manipulating) the spinal vertebrae.  He established the basic tenets of Chiropractic which have remained essentially unchanged.

Scientific research over the past century has demonstrated and explained the links between the skeletal system, the nervous system and the regulation of the health of the body. These links are the ones postulated by D.D. Palmer when he "rediscovered" vertebral manipulation and coined the term 'chiropractic'.

How much training do chiropractors receive?

All of our chiropractors are members of the British Chiropractic Association and are registered with the General Chiropractic Council. This guarantees to the public that they are fully educated having completed a minimum of a four year full time course at an accredited chiropractic college. One of the requirements for maintaining registration as a chiropractor is to fulfil 'continuing professional development' requirements which essentially means that all chiropractors must continue with post graduate training each year to maintain the highest standards of patient care.

How do you judge the level of competence of a chiropractor?

Until recently this was difficult to judge. In 1994, Parliament passed the Chiropractors Act which led to the establishment of the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). This is an independent body established to regulate the profession, to assess each chiropractor's standard of education and competence to practice. As of 14th June 2001 no one may use the title 'Chiropractor' unless they have been assessed by the GCC and are on the Register.

Due to the exacting standards set by the GCC, one may be confident that registered chiropractors are competent and safe.

Are there different styles of Chiropractic?

Although the basic tenets of Chiropractic are universal, there are many different approaches to treatment. Different treatment techniques suit different people and so we tend to use a mixture of techniques, tailoring treatment to the individual. In terms of analysis, we use principles developed in Sacro Occipital Technique, Applied Kinesiology and motion palpation. Overall there is an emphasis on gentle effective techniques used to facilitate the body's own healing processes. For more information see the section on our philosophy.

What is the difference between Chiropractic and Osteopathy?

Historically, these two schools of thought emerged separately within the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. In Britain, Chiropractic and Osteopathy have grown along convergent paths and now our similarities in terms of concepts and techniques outweigh our differences.

In general terms a few differences remain: Chiropractors are trained to take and interpret radiographs (Xrays) whereas osteopaths are trained only in their interpretation. For this reason, Xray analysis is more widespread in chiropractic practice.

Osteopaths do not practice Sacro Occipital Technique. In comparison to chiropractors, osteopaths tend to place more emphasis on soft tissue/muscle work and articulation/mobilisation of joints.

Having said this, it should be remembered that each osteopath and chiropractor is an individual and will have their own unique style of practice. The choice of practitioner comes down to personal preference and the most important criteria must be: are you comfortable with the practitioner and are you confident in their ability to diagnose and treat your condition?

A personal recommendation can be a good starting point.

Does treatment hurt?

Skilful spinal manipulation should not be painful. Sometimes, working on muscles which are in spasm can be uncomfortable and so these procedures are used only when absolutely necessary. Chiropractic treatment is often sought out because of its effectiveness in reducing pain of spinal origin.

Are there any side effects?

Some people experience minor transient effects following treatment. These effects typically may include localised muscle stiffness or discomfort, mild headache or a feeling of fatigue. These feelings tend to be mild in nature and they quickly subside.

Are there any risks involved?

Generally speaking chiropractic treatment is very safe. Part of chiropractic training involves learning to recognise circumstances where manipulation would not be appropriate - for example, where there is an infection of the intervertebral disc.

Although extremely rare (of the order of one in one million), injury to the vertebrobasilar artery can occur after rotational manipulation of the upper neck.

For this reason, we do not use this type of manipulation at Wokingham Chiropractic Centre.

Are there circumstances when chiropractic care is not appropriate?

Throughout their extensive training chiropractors are taught to recognise any conditions that do not fall within their scope of practice. In this situation the chiropractor will refer the individual to the appropriate healthcare professional.

The following list includes some (but not all) of the conditions where such referral might take place:

• Acute inflammatory arthritis
• Boney fracture or dislocation
• Infection of the bone, joint or disc
• Myelopathy (disease of the nervous system)
• Malignant change (cancer)

Will private health insurance cover chiropractic treatment?

Many insurance schemes will reimburse chiropractic fees. Some are 'open access' (no referral necessary) and others require either GP or consultant referral.

Both BUPA and PPP will reimburse chiropractic fees for Henry Butterfield and Andrea Wynnick but they stipulate that your GP must refer you before the course of treatment commences. HSA will reimburse a proportion of fees without the need for a referral. The rules for other insurance schemes vary according to the firm administering them.

Please contact your insurance provider for information regarding the reimbursement of fees.

In all instances Wokingham Chiropractic Centre does not run accounts on behalf of patients - fees are settled as they are incurred and receipts are provided to enable the patient to recoup the sum from the insurance provider directly.

What is Applied Kinesiology?

Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a system which uses muscle testing as a tool for evaluation of the functioning of the regulatory systems of the body.

AK uses the triad of health - structural, chemical and mental factors which interrelate with one another to determine the state of the individual's health. When a person experiences poor health one can look for the cause in an imbalance of one or more of these three factors.

For example a structural problem can affect the chemical balance of the body. In this case, that which initially appears to be a chemical imbalance may not properly resolve until the underlying structural fault is corrected.

What is Sacro Occipital Technique?

Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT) was researched and developed by Dr M.B. DeJarnette, a chiropractor who worked in the United States. SOT is a comprehensive technique which uses body indicators in a precise and structured process to determine skeletal, cranial, neurological and visceral malfunctions and compensations.

It provides specific methods to address clinical changes in the extremities, spinal and pelvic biomechanics, visceral systems, cranium and the temporomandibular joint. From the patient's perspective SOT is a particularly gentle but effective treatment system.