The Chiropractic Doctors' Association of Hong Kong

Are you suffering from lower back pain? Or, do your headaches never seem to go away?

Have you been injured at work or in a car accident and are having trouble dealing with the pain?

Are you active in sports, but after the game have stiff joints and shooting pains?

Are you pregnant with an aching back?

Are you in your Golden years and having trouble enjoying retirement because those aches and pains are getting in the way?

Are you concerned with the health of your whole body, and are looking for a different approach to health care?

Are you concerned with your newborn's or child's long term well being and growth?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should visit your local chiropractor. Every day in Canada, over 120,000 people receive treatment from Doctors of Chiropractic. Your chiropractor is a doctor with over 7 years of university education in the art of hands-on healing. Chiropractors use a combination of treatments for your condition. They are specialists in using exact, gentle manipulations of your spine to make you feel great. Chiropractic treatment also includes diet and exercise programs to get you back into tip-top shape.

On your first visit to the doctor's office, your Chiropractor will:

Review your health history

Learn important information about any surgeries, major illnesses or events in your past that could contribute to your current health problem

Conduct a thorough neurological, orthopaedic, and chiropractic examination

Perform essential diagnostic physical tests, such as reflexes and muscle strength

If necessary, take an appropriate x-ray

Just as there are different reasons for visiting a chiropractor, there are different types of care. Which approach you take depends on what you are trying to achieve. Some patients simply want relief from pain. Others are looking for a way to stay healthy. In either case, chiropractic care works.

I thought chiropractors were just for back pain!

Chiropractic care addresses spinal problems (called subluxations) anywhere in your spine, not just in your low back. A subluxation exists where spinal bones become misaligned or lose their normal range of movement. These problem sites irritate or put pressure on local nerves, which interferes with communication between your brain and body (and vice versa). Using highly skilled, gentle adjustments the unhealthy effect on your body is reduced and corrected. In time, the spine and its nervous system can function normally again. To help you accomplish this, there are different types of chiropractic care available.

What types of chiropractic care are there?

All chiropractic care begins with an initial examination, after which x-rays may be recommended to determine the seriousness of your condition. In addition to being adjusted, you may be given exercises to do, diet suggestions and ways to improve your posture.

Relief Care is provided for acute pain and discomfort. Depending on the diagnosis, your age and physical condition, frequent visits over a relatively short period of time may be required.

Corrective Care treats long term spinal problems. Because they have existed for some time they require a longer period of care, similar to crooked teeth slowly improving with braces.

Maintenance Care helps you retain the benefits you have achieved from the relief and corrective care. Continuing to work with your chiropractor and having periodic adjustments will keep you as healthy as you can be in your particular lifestyle.

Chiropractic visits, exercise and a sensible diet will help you enjoy the best of health well into the future. So now, if you do happen to become a grandparent, it really can be grand.

The word wellness has become a catch phrase that means different things to different people. To your chiropractor wellness is the state of health where your body is free of interruption or interference to any part of your nerve system, enabling you full expression and enjoyment of life. For example, how well you feel is not a dependable indicator of your actual health. Even if you feel you are coping well with recurrent long-term and familiar aches and pains you are still overtaxing your body, resulting in a low overall wellness score.

My chiropractor treats my spine for back and neck problems, what has that got to do with wellness?

Let's start at the beginning. First, it is your nervous system that determines how well you feel mentally, emotionally and physically. When your nervous system isn't up to par because of spinal problems it has to work overtime to compensate.

The effect of an overworked or stressed nervous system can be headache, fatigue, muscle ache and pain and a host of other unpleasant symptoms which can become more serious or lead to more complicated conditions as time passes. The solution can be a simple one: chiropractic care. Your chiropractor is a spinal specialist who can help you restore health to your spine. This will allow your nervous system to work at its best so you can get on with your life.

So you could say my chiropractor is a wellness specialist, right?

Right. Your chiropractor will discover any problems that are interfering with your nervous system and through hands-on healing will work with you to eliminate them. After chiropractic adjustment your body will be better able to heal itself. This, in turn, aids your body in maintaining optimum health and thus contributes to your overall wellness. So yes, in addition to relieving spinal back and neck pain your chiropractor is a wellness specialist.

First of all, if it makes life more difficult for you, that's serious in itself. Even it goes away in a few days you haven't really gotten rid of the problem. It will most likely return and if left untreated, could be more debilitating the next time. Which is why we recommend seeing a chiropractor at the first sign of back pain.

Lower back pain can also be accompanied by a variety of symptoms, some of which indicate very serious problems. Do you currently have or have you ever had:

Leg pain with numbness, tingling and/or weakness?

Back or leg pain with coughing or sneezing?

Difficulty standing up after sitting for any period of time?

Morning stiffness?

Pain after extended walking?

Pain in hip, buttock, thigh, knee or foot?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these symptoms, its time you got help from a doctor. A doctor of chiropractic.

Why a chiropractor?

Chiropractors are doctors with over seven years of university level education in the art of hands-on healing. They're the doctors that have been proven to get the best results in the relief of back pain. The Manga Report (a milestone study by the Ontario Ministry of Health) concluded that chiropractic care is safer, more effective and more scientific, than any other treatment available. Isn't it time you got relief for that aching back?

What will a chiropractor do?

Chiropractors use highly specialized hands-on healing techniques (called adjustments) to correct spinal problems and offer long term relief. Your first visit will include neurological, orthopaedic and chiropractic examinations, and if necessary, an x-ray may be recommended to assist in diagnosing your problem. Once your chiropractor fully understands your condition he'll give you a complete explanation of your test and x-ray results along with an effective plan of treatment. Next Step? Relief.

How does it work?

Through chiropractic adjustments your body is given the opportunity to heal itself. That's because once the spine is properly aligned your entire nervous system can work the way it was intended. Health is restored naturally to your lower back and your whole body.

But long-term relief from back pain is a team effort. There's plenty you can do as well. Consider a healthier lifestyle, moderate exercise, a well-balanced diet and improving your posture. Your chiropractor will do the rest by providing your body with the necessary adjustments to help your spine be healthier and stay healthier.

It will help to understand what causes most headaches. Your spine protects your nervous system which starts with the brain and becomes the spinal cord. When the vertebrae in your neck are unable to move properly, it irritates or puts pressure on the nerves in that area. That can cause headaches. To correct this problem (called a subluxation) a chiropractor gently adjusts the vertebrae. Since most headaches are caused by subluxations, they will soon disappear.

Why would I have spinal problems in my neck?

There are many reasons. They can originally occur during the birth process, and as your body grows and matures. Also, falls, sports activities, motor vehicle accidents, bad posture or simply the stresses of daily living can cause spinal problems. It is also very common for headache sufferers to experience neck pain and stiffness.

But my headaches are migraines?

Migraine headaches are usually severe and sharp, throbbing in nature, and generally affect one side of the head. Tension headaches tend to occur frequently, last a long time and are characterized by a dull, steady pain that feels like a band of pressure around the neck. But despite these differences they are closely related. Chiropractic care has been proven to be extremely effective in treating migraine and tension headaches as well as neck pain and stiffness.

What will the chiropractor do to treat my headaches?

Your first visit will include a consultation, examination and possibly an x-ray to help diagnose your problem. Once your condition is fully understood, your chiropractor will explain your test and x-ray results and outline a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. Your chiropractor will use highly skilled, gentle manipulations to adjust the spine.

Once my headache stops, does the chiropractic care end?

Your body continues to heal after the pain has gone. Continuing to have chiropractic adjustments helps to retrain your vertebrae to hold their healthy positions. Your nervous system will function more efficiently and your body will be better able to heal itself. In time, exercise, a healthy diet, and periodic visits to the chiropractor will help you stay healthy, pain free, and live life to the fullest.

The wear and tear of everyday life is hard on your spine. It can become misaligned and cause many health problems. This is because the nervous system runs through your spine and controls every function of your body. Chiropractic adjustments are highly skilled, gentle manipulations of your spine. Adjustments help your nervous system to function properly again, which allows your whole body to regain and maintain its good health.

What causes these spinal problems?

These problems are known as subluxations and can initially occur during the birth process. As your body grows and matures, falls, sports activities, accidents, bad posture or simply the stresses and strains of daily life can cause additional spinal problems to occur or can further irritate those that already exist. Left uncorrected, subluxations lead to conditions such as colic in infants, and headaches, back pain and generally poor health in adults.

What is it like to be adjusted?

Patients feel comfortable and relaxed while being adjusted. As the photos suggest, there are many adjustment techniques that your chiropractor may use to best treat your condition.

When should I be adjusted?

If you are experiencing back pain, headaches or any other pain or health problem, you should see your chiropractor immediately. Once your spinal problems have been corrected with adjustments and exercise, it is easy to maintain a healthy spine. Having periodic adjustments, even when you are feeling ok, is the best way to keep your spine in great shape. You might be surprised at how healthy you become, even if you thought you were fine before!

The wear and tear of everyday life is hard on your spine. It can become misaligned and cause many health problems. This is because the nervous system runs through your spine and controls every function of your body. Chiropractic adjustments are highly skilled, gentle manipulations of your spine. Adjustments help your nervous system to function properly again, which allows your whole body to regain and maintain its good health.

What causes these spinal problems?

These problems are known as subluxations and can initially occur during the birth process. As your body grows and matures, falls, sports activities, accidents, bad posture or simply the stresses and strains of daily life can cause additional spinal problems to occur or can further irritate those that already exist. Left uncorrected, subluxations lead to conditions such as colic in infants, and headaches, back pain and generally poor health in adults.

What is it like to be adjusted?

Patients feel comfortable and relaxed while being adjusted. As the photos suggest, there are many adjustment techniques that your chiropractor may use to best treat your condition.

When should I be adjusted?

If you are experiencing back pain, headaches or any other pain or health problem, you should see your chiropractor immediately. Once your spinal problems have been corrected with adjustments and exercise, it is easy to maintain a healthy spine. Having periodic adjustments, even when you are feeling ok, is the best way to keep your spine in great shape. You might be surprised at how healthy you become, even if you thought you were fine before!

Just when you thought you'd be saying goodbye to your chiropractor, she is suggesting a maintenance care program. However, it is important for you to know that your chiropractor is committed to your long-term health and well being. Are you feeling confused? Read on, we will explain. Maintenance care is important and it will benefit you, your spine and especially your overall health.

Remember, how you feel does not always reflect how healthy you really are. As a spinal health expert your chiropractor realizes it is easier to prevent spinal problems than to correct them. That is why a maintenance care program consisting of regularly scheduled chiropractic spinal examinations is being recommended to you.

My problems aren't going to come back, are they?

With proper follow-up chiropractic care your spine will continue to get stronger, but without it, chances are your old problems (and the pain that comes with them) will resurface. Ongoing spinal check-ups and treatments by your chiropractic doctor can not only prevent the return of old problems, they may also stop new problems from developing.

So a healthy spine means a healthy body?

By following a chiropractic maintenance program you will be rewarded with a strong, healthy spine and a renewed sense of well-being.

Your chiropractor and you. It is a team that makes good sense.

Recommending chiropractic care is like passing on the torch of good health.

Doesn't everybody know about chiropractic these days?

Unfortunately not. Many people still turn to traditional medicine to relieve all their pains and illnesses and have no idea about the restorative and preventative benefits of chiropractic care. And even if they have heard of it, they tend to think it's only for back pain.

My sister told me about it, but only after my arthritis became very bad. I wish she had told me a lot sooner.

People often wait until a friend or relative has a serious health problem before they tell them about chiropractic care. This is unfortunate because a chiropractor could prevent many of those problems from developing in the first place by reducing their subluxations* and other spinal problems. If you think someone you know might be interested in chiropractic care, take some of the brochures on display here, and give them to her or him. And perhaps you could tell your friend about your own experience, and how it has helped you.

* Ask your chiropractor for a brochure explaining subluxations.

I feel uncomfortable trying to convince others to use chiropractic care.

There's no need to force the subject. People who are looking for answers to their health problems will welcome whatever information you give them, particularly if it's from your own experience. Good health is a priceless gift. Most people would appreciate knowing how to achieve it, whether or not they choose to pursue it.

Don't chiropractors advertise?

The Chiropractic Doctors' Association of Hong Kong advertises on behalf of chiropractors to help raise awareness of chiropractic and its benefits. However, individual chiropractors rely almost completely on 'word of mouth' references from their patients. If you feel enthusiastic about chiropractic care, please share it with those you care about. Not only would you be passing the torch of health to someone else, but you would be helping chiropractors do what they do best: helping others live healthier lives.

The Chiropractic Philosophy

Your chiropractor uses highly specialized hands-on healing techniques which assist your spine, central nervous system, and body to heal themselves naturally. Chiropractic care helps you return to optimum health by restoring and maintaining nerve and joint function. The end result? You are healthier and pain free, allowing you to live life to the fullest once again.

I thought a chiropractor would cure me with spinal adjustments. Is there more to it than that?

A chiropractor adjusts your spine to reduce the problem areas - called subluxations* - which cause so many health conditions. When your spine is correctly aligned, it allows your nervous system to function properly, and your body can heal itself. Spinal adjustments give your body the opportunity to heal.

* Ask your chiropractor for a brochure explaining subluxations.

What can I do?

Here's a list to keep on the fridge:

Healing takes place during sleep. You must get a good night's sleep, and rest when you're really tired.

Healing takes energy, the kind that comes from proper nutrition. You may need nutritional supplements, which your chiropractor may prescribe, but you definitely need good, wholesome food, eaten calmly and regularly. Avoid foods that are preserved, packaged, or unnatural. Read labels and avoid those that contain chemicals, as well as fatty, salty, or sugary junk foods and excessive amounts of tea, coffee, colas, or alcohol. Learn to appreciate the taste of foods and drinks that are as close to their natural state as possible such as spring water, juices, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Your body was designed to move. Healing requires strong and supple muscles, and a heart and lungs that can send vital nutrients and oxygen to every single cell. Exercise - which is just another word for moving - is essential. Your chiropractor will recommend stretches and exercises to complement your treatment, but good health requires a permanent commitment to making your body move.

Laugh. Research has shown that a key to living long is to live happy. Attitude is hugely important, and the best attitude comes from living with joy in your heart. Surround yourself with family, friends, books and music. Treasure and enjoy the gift that is your life. Learn from your mistakes and make every day count.

Lighten your load. A body in pain, a sick body, may well be a body overcome by tension. Give yourself time to think, time to reflect, time to heal. Remember, in your struggle to achieve a better tomorrow, today is all you really have.

Write about it. Keeping a daily journal makes you stop and think. It can help you to understand yourself better and to grow, and that encourages healing.

Listen to your body. Illness is a normal response a healthy body makes to an unhealthy situation. It's a signal that something in your life needs to be changed.

Be patient. Keep your chiropractic appointments. Each adjustment builds on the previous one, so it is essential to maintain the schedule your chiropractor prescribes for you.

If my symptoms are gone, why would I continue seeing the chiropractor?

Symptoms usually appear in the last phase of a health problem and are the first to disappear when you begin chiropractic care. However, the spinal problem, called a subluxation*, that caused the symptoms does not go away as quickly. Your chiropractor is trained to treat the cause of your problem, not just the symptoms. Before you received chiropractic care, your body had to compensate for poor spinal alignment. Your nervous system, which runs through your spine, could not function properly and this eventually contributed to your health problems. It's easy for the spine to fall into old patterns of misalignment and malfunction. That's why, at regular intervals, your chiropractor will re-evaluate your progress and will suggest options for continuing care, even if your symptoms are gone.

* Ask your chiropractor for a brochure explaining subluxations.

Won't my spine ever stay healthy without help from a chiropractor?

In time, with chiropractic adjustment, damaged connective tissues heal, and eventually these damaged areas will learn to hold the spine in a healthy position.

So when my spine is completely healthy does chiropractic care end?

That's up to you. Stress and tension from busy lifestyles, desk and computer work, too much driving, slips and falls, poor sleep patterns, and lack of exercise can recreate subluxations. Regular chiropractic check-ups can help deal with subluxations before they become serious, keeping your spine strong and healthy.

Is it necessary to go on seeing a chiropractor for life?

That all depends on your health goals. For many people, regular chiropractic adjustments are just part of a healthy lifestyle which includes adequate exercise, good nutrition, and a positive mental attitude. It's a combination you can't beat. Ask your chiropractor for more information about how to achieve optimal health. And start living your life to the fullest.

Chiropractic care can help prevent joints from wearing out!

Bones don't "rub" on each other. Instead, each joint is enclosed in a "Capsule" of fluid that should offer a lifetime of friction-free movement. When there is a loss of proper motion or position of spinal bones, this movement can be restricted. Spinal joints above or below attempt to make up the difference by moving too much. Obviously, areas of too much movement are left to stabilize during the healing process. Instead, chiropractic spinal adjustments are directed only to those areas that are "stuck" and not moving enough.

Critics mislead by suggesting that adjustments to the neck can subject patients to unnatural stress or compromise blood supply to the brain. But if the spine were that fragile, people would fear bending over to tie their shoe laces or looking up to enjoy an evening sunset!

Thousands will die this year from anesthesia or needless back surgeries.

Thousands more will perish from common aspirin or destroy their kidneys from so-called "safe" pain medicines. Adverse reactions to prescription medication are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

Meanwhile, the rare complications from chiropractic care can be counted on one hand!

Since many spinal problems get started from traumatic births, accidents, or other long-standing problems, permanent correction can be difficult. Years of muscle damage, scar tissue, and ligamental instability can set the stage for a relapse. Some patients find a program of supportive care (like regularly brushing your teeth) to be helpful.

After enjoying initial relief many patients choose to continue with periodic checkups. Decide for yourself whether you want Initial Intensive Care for temporary relief, Rehabilitative Care to stabilize and strengthen the spine, or Wellness Care for non-symptomatic elective care.

It varies from case to case. Some patients will feel better after 3 to 4 treatments whereas others will need more treatments. The number of treatments required largely depends on the severity and chronicity of the problem, patient compliance and lifestyle factors.

The cousultation fee ranges from $300 to $500 generally.

Chiropractors are not physiotherapists. Chiropractic doctors are primary health care practitioners who are able to diagnose, treat and refer out if necessary

This again depends on many factors. Your chiropractor will advise you on the frequency of treatment appropriate to your presenting complaint.

No, it generally does not hurt to get treated though you may sometimes feel mild discomfort after the initial treatment. This is just a reaction from the treatment and it will disappear in 1 or 2 days.

Chiropractic treatment is absolutely safe for pregnant females / older ladies. Chiropractic doctors will only employ gentle manourves on these patients.

It varies from one case to another. Your chiropractor will decide whether you need x-rays taken of your spine for diagnosis before giving you treatment.