Frequently Asked Questions

Chiropractic is a health profession. The word comes from ancient Greek. “chiro” means hand, and “practic” refers to what is done, meaning done by hand. Its origins can be traced back up six thousand years but the form of chiropractic that we know is just over one hundred years old. It is based on the fact that our nervous system plays an extremely important role in controlling our inborn ability to preserve health and balance (homeostasis) within the body.

Interference in normal nerve function is therefore bad for our health and general being. Chiropractic is an art, science and philosophy that has one goal. The goal is to find, analize and correct something called “vertebral subluxations.” Vertebral subluxations happen when joints in our spine have lost their position, are swollen, and put pressure on our nervous system, negatively affecting our health.

Individuals who make their health a priority in their life visit a chiropractor regularly. It becomes a part of a health preserving routine of excercising, eating a healthy diet, getting proper rest and so on.

They find, analyse and correct vertebral subluxations. They use their hands to generate a quick, gentle and a specific thrust into the joint, to regain its normal position and motion, reducing the swelling and nerve pressure. This is called a chiropractic adjustment.

Chiropractic patients are all kinds of people at any given age, from babies to people in their later stages of life. The reason is simple, vertebral subluxations can happen to anyone, regardless of age.

Most often people see chiropractors because of pain or numbness in their: back – neck – shoulders – elbows – wrists – fingers – hips – groin area – knees – ankles – toes.

Disturbances in the nervous system can effect peoples health in many different ways. Here are some more complaints of chiropractic patients:

Headaches – Premenstrual pain – Radiating pain in extremities, arms, legs – Pelvic pain, pregnant women – Indigestion – Scoliosis – Dizziness – Allergy – Asthma – Chronic fatigue – Insomnia – Lack of ability to move – Different symptoms resulting from accidents of all kinds – Premenstrual syndrome – Stress – Inability to focus – Attention deficit disorder – Pain in ears – Ear infection – Problem with urine control – A badly functioning immune system – Different kinds of mental dysfunction.

It should be noted that chiropractic is not specifically a therapy for the complaints mentioned here. However, since nerve pressure seriously affects our health, in ways that can not always be predicted, people often experience better function in different areas of their health when their nervous system is allowed to function without interference.

An adjustment is gentle, safe and specific. In most cases it is completely painless. If the amount of swelling is great, discomfort can be experienced.

Chiropractic education is at least a four year university program, and is very comprehensive. It is composed of anatomy, neurology, X-ray studies, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, pathology, chiropractic studies and more. Upon graduation in the U.S.A. the graduating student is awarded the “Doctor of Chiropractic” degree. To see a chiropractor a referral from á medical doctor is not needed. In Iceland the Surgeon General issues a practicing licence for chiropractors that have received their education from accredited chiropractic colleges. Persons that have graduated from accredited chiropractic educational institutions, that have a licence to practice chiropractic issued by the Surgeon General have the right to call themselves chiropractors.

The practice of chiropractic is generally considered to be safe. In the U.S.A. where chiropractic has its origins, chiropractic practitioners pay very low premiums to insurance companies, compared to other practitioners. The insurance companies know that the risk factor is very low, it has been estimated to be about one in a million.

Yes. The practice of chiropractic is generally safe, also for children. It is important to correct subluxations as soon as possible. A small problem can then be prevented from becoming a big one.

First of all the nerve disturbances continue with all of their negative effects on a persons health and quality of life. Since the joint has lost its normal position, its weight bearing is abnormal. As a result the joint is more likely to degenerate with time, much faster than it normally would. The disc gets damaged, the joint space becomes smaller and function becomes limited. This development cannot be reversed, the damage is here to stay.

Our health can be compromised, even when no symptoms are present. Attending to our health is important, wether they are present or not. That includes visiting our chiropractor, having our spine checked for subluxations.  A vertebral subluxation, affecting our function in a negative way can be totally without pain. It can be necessary to be adjusted even if there are no symptoms present. Remember, many serious disease processes can be silent. Symptoms, or lack of symptoms are a poor measure of health at best.

When the word health is mentioned many things come to mind. For example not being sick, eating healthy and exercising regularly. These may all be important things for our health but the formal definition of the word has to do with having excellent function, physically, mentally and socially.

To really change the position and function of a joint to the better you need specificity in the analysis and adjusting of the joint. People without the proper education should not attempt adjusting spinal joints. Chiropractors can not correct their own subluxations and see other chiropractors to get adjusted.

It takes trauma of some kind: mechanical, chemical or emotional. A trauma mechanical in nature can be from a fall, an accident for an example. A chemical trauma can be toxins, and things of that kind. An emotional trauma can be losing a relative, a divorce, negative thoughts, stress and so on.

Yes, During pregnancy women experience changes in their body function. Hormonal changes, increased weight and altered weight bearing can cause problems in their spines. Chiropractic can then be quite helpful.

When it comes to giving birth the autonomic nervous system controls the labour. Being free of nerve interference that can otherwise disrupt the birth process is extremely important.

If joints in the low back, lumbar or sacro-iliac joints are abnormally positioned it can cause the birth canal to be more narrow affecting the birth process negatively.

Your behavior can be imperative in getting the results desired. It is of immense importance that you follow the treatment plan set up by your chiropractor. Also, to eat healthy, exercise and get plenty of rest. Most likely you will get detailed information on how to go about doing certain things without hurting yourself, like exercise, your work, sitting, sleeping and so on. Possibly you will get an advice on using cold packs. It is important to follow the advice you get as accurately as you can. Then we are more likely to get the desired outcome.

No, it is always your decision how long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care.

However, it is our wish that you will regain your health and that you also keep it as long as you possibly can. In that respect we hope you appreciate the benefits of coming in for regular checkups. And yes, also when you have no symptoms.

When the two surfaces of the joint are moved apart rapidly, as happens in a chiropractic adjustment, there is a change of pressure within the joint space. You hear the sound but it is insignificant. It is of the same nature as the sound heard when a bottle of champagne is opened.

Yes, in chiropractic as in other professions there are different ways of doing things. It is the moral duty of those who study chiropractic to practice in a way that is most likely to get the best results for the patients seeking help. We at Kírópraktík are convinced that the Gonstead system of analysis and adjusting serves the interests of our patients in the best way possible.

Chiropractors have the education, knowledge and experience to own and operate X-ray machines and to analyse the resulting images. The X-rays give specific information on the position of joints, the general state of the skeletal system and possible degeneration. They also help in ruling out many serious disease processes, broken bones and fractures. Each person is unique, has a unique problem and needs to be examined as specifically as possible. During the first visit the patients need for an X-ray is evaluated and a decision is made accordingly. X-rays give information that enable the chiropractor to give the patient the best care possible.

Absolutely. When the skeletal system is properly aligned and our nervous system functions properly without interference we have optimal conditions to excel in whatever sport we choose to participate in. We minimize the danger of injuries and we are likely to heal faster from existing injuries.

Many of the best athletes in history have used chiropractic care to increase their performance, Tiger Woods, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Michael Jordan, Kaka, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name a few. In any sport the performance is dependant on a normally functioning nervous system and that the joints in the athletes skeletal system are properly aligned and freely movable.