Expert: Dr. Man Tran, Ph.D., D.C., L.Ac. - 2/1/2007

Question
I have been seeing a chiropractor for the past week regarding a trapped nerve in my neck, I also have been seeing a physio theripist and what he had to say about chiropractors has got me worried.

He said the that manipulation of the neck is very bad for you and can cause brain tumors and brain damage over time.

He also said most chiropractors come from cananada and arent allowed practice there anymore, and that there have been quite a few horror stories relating to brain damage over there.

My chiropractor is registered under the chiropractic association of ireland, can you put my fear at ease?  

Answer
Dear Mark,

Where (what country) are you in?  The reason I asked because in America, the practice of chiropractic is very safe.  Chiropractic adjustment to the neck causing brain tumors and brain damage is unheard of.  You can get a brain tumor from chiropractic therapy if the chiropractor's hands are radioactive ( a good sign with be his hands are glowing) while brain damage can occur during the treatment, the chiropractor uses a sledgehammer to adjust your neck.  All kidding aside, there is no relevant to what the physio therapist claimed.  

Chiropractic education is very rigorous and has greater hours than medical doctor in the study of anatomy.  They are trained and practiced for 2 years in manipulation techniques alone while the other 2 years focus intensely on anatomy and diseases.  Chiropractic profession has been around for a little over 100 years.  It requires 3-4 years of study in accredited chiropractic colleges and universities.  

There are many chiropractic schools in the USA.  They are recognized as primary physicians and government studies have shown the effectiveness of chiropractic for pain management.  I have not been abreast with other country's law and regulation, however, each country has its own law regulating certain practices and in the case of chiropractic, has nothing to do with the health risk involved.  Just politics.

I find it disturbing and immature as well as very unprofessional let alone ignorant for the physio therapist to use scare tactic in dissuading you from chiropractic care.  

My suggestion is to ask the physio therapist to produce data, studies, or any evidences in his claim toward chiropractic (like personal life, if we defend every gossips and/or negative judgements toward chiropractic, we may as well practice law and not the health of the individual).  It is also a good idea to get the point of view from your chiropractor regarding to your concern.  This way, only YOU can decide for yourself the course of your health once equipped with enough information.  

In my practice experience, chiropractic is very safe and effective.  Just make sure you receive chiropractic care from a licensed chiropractors and not from any one else.  Without proper understanding of the human anatomy and the proper technique of adjustment, more harm than good can result.  

This is like a plumber telling the customer how bad the electrician ran the wire and inform nothing to the customer about plumbing.

I hope I put you at ease Mark.  If you have any concern, don't hesitate to ask me or any chiropractors out there.