In the words of the New Zealand Government's Inquiry, chiropractic care is "remarkably safe". Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of chiropractors undergoing a minimum of five years of specialised University training as well as a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. In relation to the care of neck and back pain, studies have shown that a course of chiropractic care was between 250 and 3,300 times safer than a course of anti-inflammatory drugs.

However, while chiropractic has an enviable safety record it is important to note that no form of healthcare is entirely free of potential adverse effects. These will be discussed with you prior to beginning care and you are encouraged to ask any and all questions you have regarding any aspect of your care. Our Consent to Care form is HERE for your reference.

Chiropractic has been consistently demonstrated to be one of the most cost-effective forms of care in all of the health care market.

To make recieving the care you need even more affordable some or all of our fees are covered by:

1. all participating Health Funds and we have HICAPS ('on the spot' claiming) available. Additionally, we are Preferred/First Choice providers for Medibank Private, AHM, HBA, MBF and BUPA meaning higher rebates for you;
2. Medicare* - Woonona Chiropractic is also a provider for Enhanced Primary Care (EPC). This is a program where clients are referred by their General Practitioner for a program of chiropractic assessment and care. Our fee is bulk-billed via Medicare and there is no out-of-pocket expense or gap fee for EPC clients;
3. WorkCover;
4. Australian Veterans' Affairs (DVA)*;
5. Motor Vehicle Accident (3rd Party).

*Referral may be required. Call us for details.

Our fees are outlined below:

	Standard Fee	Pension	Child (16 and under)
First Visit	85	Enquire	50
All other Visits	60	Enquire	30

The following are some excerpts from the current health care literature regarding the cost effectiveness of chiropractic health care:

1. "By every test of cost and effectiveness, the general weight of evidence shows chiropractic to provide important benefits, at economical costs. Additionally, these benefits are achieved with apparently minimal, even negligible, impacts on the costs of health insurance." (Shifrin, L.G. Mandated Health Insurance Coverage for Chiropractic Treatment: An Economic Assessment, with Implications for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The College of William and Mary, and Medical College of Virginia, Jan. 1992.)
2. A study comparing medical and chiropractic care for identical back injuries found that the number of work days lost was ten times higher for medical patients than for chiropractic clients. In addition, compensation costs for work time lost averaged $68 for chiropractic versus $668 for medical patients. (Journal of Occupational Medicine, August 1991, Vol. 33, Number 8.
3. Analysis of a database of 2 million patient claims found that, for care of the most common neuromusculoskeletal conditions by all health disciplines, "chiropractic users tend to have substantially lower total health care costs." (Journal of American Health Policy, Nov/Dec 1992, Vol. 2, No. 6.)
4. "...chiropractic management of low-back pain is more cost-effective than medical management." (Manga, P. et. al., The Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, Kenilworth Publishing, Ontario, Canada, 1993.)
5. "There is, therefore, economic support for the use of chiropractic in low back pain, though the obvious clinical improvement in pain and disability attributable to chiropractic treatment is in itself an adequate reason..." (Meade, T.W., et al., "Low Back Pain of Mechanical Origin: Randomised Comparison of Chiropractic and Hospital Outpatient Treatment," British Medical Journal, Vol. 300, 1990, pp. 1431-1437)

A chiropractic adjustment is the skilled application of a specific force in a precise direction to a joint that is not moving properly or misaligned. This adds motion to the joint, helping the joint to gradually regain more normal motion, function and position. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to permit improved spinal function, improved nervous system function and improved health.

The New Zealand Government's "Commission of Inquiry into Chiropractic" concluded: "Spinal adjusting is a vital, very safe and clinically effective form of health care. Chiropractors have more thorough training in spinal mechanics and spinal care than any other health professional. Furthermore, chiropractic is scientifically based."

There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the Chiropractor's hands, or a specially designed instrument may be used to deliver a brief and highly accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure. After years of University training and clinical experience, each Chiropractor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.

Subluxation is a term used in chiropractic to refer to an area of the spine that has lost its normal motion or alignment. This may compromise the nervous system, muscle balance and cause inflammation leading to spinal pain and an overall reduction in health and well-being. Repeated or uncorrected subluxation can also contribute to degeneration of the bony structures of the spine (often called arthritis).

The primary focus of chiropractic care is to detect, correct and then prevent spinal subluxation.

Chiropractors are the only doctors trained to detect and correct vertebral subluxations through safe, gentle and specific adjustments. World-wide, over 2 million chiropractic adjustments are delivered to clients every day (in Australia there are close to 200,000 client visits to Chiropractors each week).

It's never too late (or too early) to achieve better health through chiropractic care. Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite. Many clients report improvements in arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the ageing process.

Recent studies authored by medical physicians supporting chiropractic care in the elderly population have studied the effects of chiropractic management in elderly client groups, and after gathering and analyzing seven years of data they found that chiropractic users experienced:

1. 85% lower pharmaceutical costs (the number one cost in the system);
2. 60% fewer hospitalisations;
3. 62% fewer surgical cases;
4. fewer out-patient diagnostic tests (MRI, CT, blood work, etc.);
5. improved satisfaction as reported by clients.

One concern elderly clients may have is that chiropractic adjustments will be too forceful. The fact is that from new-born to senior, every client is unique and care is tailored to the particular requirements of each. This is especially true of the elderly client where health history, previous injuries as well as underlying conditions (such as arthritis, osteoporosis etc.) are considered. Only then is a safe, gentle plan for your care recommended.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe for mother and baby. In fact it can help you achieve a healthier pregnancy and delivery. Spinal adjustments are especially gentle during pregnancy as far less force is required to correct subluxations. This is due to the increase in hormones causing significant muscle and ligamentous relaxation. Special "adjustive" positions are also used to provide comfort and safety for both mum and baby.

In studies conducted by Irvin Hendryson, M.D., a member of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees, it was shown that women who received chiropractic adjustments in their third trimester of pregnancy were able to carry and deliver children with more comfort. Also, well-known orthopaedist Per Freitag, M.D., conducted a hospital study that incorporated chiropractic adjustments during the client's pregnancy. He found that the need for pain killers during delivery was reduced by 50% and delivery time was reduced by 25% compared to average.

During pregnancy many physiological and endocrinological changes take place, all for the purpose of creating an optimal environment for the developing baby. This complex process involves every system of the pregnant woman's body. The musculoskeletal system including the spine and pelvis are affected by changes to body shape, altered walking mechanics, ligament softening and increased lower back curve. This means that not only is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy, it is highly recommended as part of your plan to be in great shape for the birth.

You may have heard the notion that once you go to a chiropractor you have to keep going back. Simply put the answer is, no. It is important to remember that whether you use chiropractic care frequently, occassionally or not at all is always up to you and we will support you 100% in your choice.

Depending on their personal beliefs regarding their health and well being, some people are looking strictly for symptom relief while others are interested in long-term strategies to maintain good health and optimum potential. To assist our clients in reaching their personal objectives Chiropractors offer three types of care:

1. Initial Intensive Care (Crisis Management): The primary goal is symptom or pain relief in the shortest possible time. Depending on a number of factors including the severity of the problem, you may require care for one to four weeks at a frequency of three visits per week. As soon as you have received the relief you desire this phase of care is complete.
2. Corrective Care: The focus here is on correcting or eliminating the source of the problem. This minimizes your likelihood of a relapse. The frequency of care decreases to once per week for a period of six to 12 weeks. During this phase you will be advised on home/office self-care to help support the process. You will notice further improvement in your range of movement, flexibility, strength, energy level and/or general health.
3. Wellness Care: You have now returned to your healthiest state. Acknowledging that daily stresses and strains wear us all down, you may choose to maintain an optimal level of function with periodic checkups. Depending on the factors listed above, you may receive maintenance care at one to three month intervals and this becomes an ongoing part of your heath and well being routine just like eating good food, getting good exercise, thinking positively, resting regularly and having fun!

We will present information on your options at your initial consultation and as your care progresses, but you will never be pressured to continue care after your personal goals have been reached.

Continuing care is not something you will have to do, but it is something you might want to do.

Actually, adjustments do not always produce a sound. Often, however, adjustments do create the sound of a spinal "release," or "popping" sound. The sound is caused by gas moving in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated. This sound is painless and totally harmless.

Most clients find chiropractic care makes them feel great. Occasionally, there may be soreness similar to how one feels after working out. Soreness from using muscle for the first time in a while is actually a good thing and resolves quickly. The soreness is caused by the stretching of scar tissue and adhesions and the improved motion of the previously locked and misaligned joint.

Many people report greater flexibility following an adjustment and often report a wide variety of beneficial effects such as having more energy or better rest following their care.

Yes you can, every client is unique and care is tailored to the particular requirement of each. This is especially true where a complicating condition may be involved. Your Chiropractor will take a thorough health history including previous injuries as well as underlying conditions (such as arthritis, osteoporosis etc.)

If further tests are required to confirm the safety and effectiveness of care this will be discussed with you in detail. Only then is a safe, gentle plan for your care recommended.

It is interesting to note that some of the conditions that many people believe would prevent them from seeing a Chiropractor can actually be greatly helped by chiropractic care either in the drug free relief of symptoms or in correcting the underlying cause.

If in doubt, come in and discuss your situation and goals, there is never any pressure to begin care and only a Chiropractor can tell you whether chiropractic care is an option for you. Well-meaning friends or experts in other fields are not appropriately trained to make that decision. Regardless of the nature of your problem your Chiropractor will always outline the best approach for care and if this is not chiropractic you will be referred to the most appropriate professional.

If chiropractic care sounds right for you, you can become a client in one of the following ways, no referral is required:

1. Call Us: Pick up the phone and give us a call on (02) 4285 4404. Our team is more than happy to answer your questions and clear up any questions you might have. There is no obligation and we are happy to do so;
2. Email: You can email the clinic and organise an appointment. Use the form below in the "Drop us a line" section of the email below;
3. Passing by: If you are passing by, drop in and have a chat with one of our team. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have about chiropractic care.

Yes there are literally thousands, but rather than bombarding you, I've selected a list that I think are "the 14 most interesting studies of 2014". With references below.

1. Chiropractic Adjustments Boost Antioxidant Levels

This fascinating study found that people with back or neck pain had a significant increase in blood serum antioxidant levels after receiving chiropractic care.

2. Chiropractic Care Keeps Seniors Mobile and Active

This is a really great study that looked at Medicare recipients who received chiropractic care, and compared them to non-chiropractic patients. The study found that chiropractic had a "protective effect," safeguarding them from physical deterioration.

3. Chiropractic is Safe and Effective for Back Pain During Pregnancy

This study states that 85% of pregnant women reported relief from back pain after receiving chiropractic adjustments.

4. Chiropractic Reduces Herniated Disc Pain

This study provided chiropractic adjustments to 148 patients who had been diagnosed with a herniated disc. Eighty-eight percent of patients reported pain relief even up to six-months after treatment.

5. Chiropractic Boosts Recovery from Ankle Sprains

This study from South Africa compared chiropractic therapy plus rehabilitation to rehabilitation alone. It found that the chiropractic patients had a quicker recovery and less pain than the exercise-only group.

6. Chiropractic Eases Back-Related Leg Pain

Leg pain is a common symptom that some back pain patients experience. This 2014 study, in the well respected Annals of Internal Medicine, finds that chiropractic adjustments with home exercises have a "clinically important advantage" over exercises alone for this type of pain.

7. Benefits of On-Site Chiropractic Care for Workers

Published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, this study examined on-site [in the workplace] versus off-site chiropractic care provided to workers. It determined that the on-site chiropractic care resulted in lower healthcare utilization rates.

8. Spinal Manipulation Alters Pain and Stress Hormones

Researchers from Spain looked at blood serum levels of thirty test subjects before and after adjustments of the spine, and compared them to people who did not receive adjustments. They found that adjustments altered neuropeptides associated with pain and stress.

9. Chiropractic Less Expensive than Medical Care

This review of the scientific literature concluded that chiropractic care had an "economic advantage" over medical care for musculoskeletal pain.

10. Chiropractic Safer than Medical Care for Elderly

This study, published in the prestigious medical journal Spine, found that Medicare patients who saw a chiropractor for musculoskeletal pain had a 76% lower rate of injury compared to medical patients.

11. Chiropractic Effective for Patients with Spinal Degeneration

This study, published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, found that men with spinal disc degenerative disease benefited from chiropractic adjustments.

12. Chiropractic Best Option for Acute Back Pain

Another study in the journal, Spine, found that people with acute back pain were provided better pain relief with chiropractic adjustments than with medical care.

13. Chiropractic Relieves Neck Pain in Senior Citizens

This study, from The Spine Journal, found that chiropractic worked better than home exercises for older patients who were suffering from neck pain.

14. Chiropractic Helps Athletes Jump Higher After Ankle Injury

This small, pilot study from Sweden found that athletes who were recovering from an ankle injury had better jump performance after receiving chiropractic adjustments.

References:

1. Kolberg C, Horst A, Moraes MS, et al. Peripheral oxidative stress blood markers in patients with chronic back or neck pain treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;Dec doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.11.003

2. Weigel PAM, Hockenberry JM, Wolinsky FD. Chiropractic use in the Medicare Population: prevalence, patterns, and associations with 1-year changes in health and satisfaction with care. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37:542-551.

3. Peterson CK, Mühlemann D, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies 2014;22(1):15.

4. Leemann S, Peterson CK, Schmid C, et al. Outcomes of acute and chronic patients with magnetic resonance imaging – confirmed symptomatic lumbar disc herniations receiving high-velocity, low-amplitude, spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective observational cohort study with one-year follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37(3);155-163.

5. Lubbe D, Lakhani E, Brantingham JW, et al. Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2014 Nov 6 pii: S0161-4754(14)00204-8.

6. Bronfort G, Hondras MA, Schulz CA, et al. Spinal manipulation and home exercise with advice for subacute and chronic back-related leg pain. Annals of Internal Medicine 2014;161:381-391.

7. Kindermann SL, Hou Q, Miller RM. Impact of chiropractic services at an on-site health center. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2014;56(9):990-992.

8. Plaza-Manzano G, Molina F, Lomas-Vega R, et al. Changes in biochemical markers of pain perception and stress response after spinal manipulation. Journal Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(4):231-9.

9. Tsertsvadze A, Clar C, Court R, et al. Cost-effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of evidence from randomized controlled trials. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37:343-362.

10. Whedon JM, Mackenzie TA, Phillips RB, Lurie JD. Risk of traumatic injury associated with chiropractic spinal manipulation. Spine 2014;Dec 9.

11. Vieira-Pellenz F, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, Rodriquez-Blanco C, et al. Short-term effect of spinal manipulation on pain perception, spinal mobility, and full height recovery in male subjects with degenerative disk disease: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2014;95:1613-19.

12. Schneider M, Haas M, Glick R, Stevans J, Landsittel D. A comparison of spinal manipulation methods and usual medical care for acute and sub-acute low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. Spine 2014;Nov 21.

13. Maiers M, Bronfort G, Evans R, et al. Spinal manipulative therapy and exercise for seniors with chronic neck pain. Spine Journal 2014;14(9):1879-1889.

14. Hedlund S, Nilsson H, Lenz M, Sundberg T. Effect of chiropractic manipulation on vertical jump height in young female athletes with talocrural joint dysfunction: a single-blinded randomized clinical pilot trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37(2):116-23.