Yes, chiropractic care has an excellent safety record for the conditions it is designed to treat. Serious adverse events are rare, and the most common side effect is temporary soreness in the adjusted area, similar to the muscle ache you feel after working a muscle that has not moved properly in a while. For most patients that soreness resolves within 24 to 48 hours.
The Technique Determines the Risk Profile
Not all chiropractic technique carries the same risk. High-velocity cervical manipulation (the rapid neck adjustment that gets the most attention in safety discussions) does carry a small risk of vascular events when applied incorrectly. That risk is very low in absolute terms, but it is not zero, and it deserves an honest answer.
At Full Swing Healthcare, Dr. Cody Muren and Dr. Eric Hall perform a thorough assessment before any cervical manipulation. When high-velocity cervical manipulation is not the right choice for a patient, they use instrument adjusting or Thompson drop-table technique instead. The technique is matched to your presentation and individual risk factors. There is no single approach applied to everyone who walks through the door.
Conditions Where We Modify or Refer
Certain situations call for a modified approach or a referral rather than standard chiropractic adjustment:
- Osteoporosis or recent fracture
- Active infection near the spine
- Certain vascular conditions
- Spinal cord compression with progressive neurological findings (these cases warrant imaging and evaluation by an orthopedic or neurological specialist before chiropractic care begins)
We screen for contraindications during the intake and examination at your first visit. If chiropractic is not appropriate for your situation, we tell you directly and point you toward the right provider. We have no interest in treating someone who needs a different kind of care.
An Honest Risk Comparison
For most musculoskeletal conditions, the risks of chiropractic care compare very favorably to the risks of long-term NSAID use (which includes gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiovascular effects) and significantly favorably to the risks of opioid prescriptions for pain management. These comparisons rarely come up in conversations about chiropractic safety, but they should. A drug-free, hands-on approach to pain relief carries a very different risk profile than pharmaceutical pain management, and that context matters when you are weighing your options.