How do I know if I need a chiropractor?

Short answer: You may want to see a chiropractor when back pain, neck pain, headaches or joint stiffness keep coming back, aren't settling with self-care, or are getting in the way of work, sleep or exercise. If a niggle is new, mild and improving as you stay active, self-care is often enough.

When to see a chiropractor: common signs

There's no single rule for when to see a chiropractor. But these are some of the common reasons people book:

• Back pain that keeps returning. It settles, then flares again every few weeks or months.
• Neck pain or stiffness, particularly with desk work, driving or looking down at screens.
• Headaches that seem to start in your neck or at the base of your skull.
• Pain travelling into your buttock or leg, such as sciatica, or into your shoulder and arm.
• Stiffness that limits you. Turning your head to reverse the car, bending to put your shoes on, or getting comfortable at night.
• Pain after a strain, such as lifting, gardening, a fall or a minor accident.
• Self-care isn't enough. You've stayed active, done some stretches and tried heat, and it's not moving.
• You want answers. You'd like someone to check your spine, joints and nerves and explain what's going on.

None of these on its own means you must see a chiropractor. They're simply the situations where many people find a thorough check and a clear explanation useful. Our conditions page covers the problems we see most often.

When you probably don't need a chiropractor yet

Not every niggle needs a visit straight away. You may be fine to keep an eye on it if:

• The pain is new, mild, and already improving day by day.
• It's clearly linked to something you did, like a big weekend in the garden, and it's easing.
• Staying active, gentle movement and heat or ice are working.
• You'd simply rather not have hands-on care. That's your call to make.

Our guide to alternatives to a chiropractor lists self-care options and other professions fairly. It's also worth reading the disadvantages of chiropractic before you decide, so you know the costs and limits as well as the potential benefits.

Pain isn't the only signal: your spine and your nervous system

Pain is the most obvious reason to book, but it's one output of your nervous system, not the whole story. Your spine is also a sensory organ. The small, deep muscles around each vertebra keep reporting to your brain how your spine is positioned and moving. When a segment isn't moving or being controlled well, that reporting gets patchy and the brain's control of the area changes. Chiropractors call this a vertebral subluxation; researchers describe it as a change in how the brain controls a spinal segment¹.

You can't reliably feel this yourself, which is why a thorough check beats self-diagnosis. Stiffness that keeps returning, or a problem that flares in the same spot, are common reasons to look more closely. Research shows the nervous system responds to adjustments, for example with changes in how the brain processes information from the body². A good check tells you whether there's anything worth caring for. More in chiropractic and your nervous system.

Should I go to a chiropractor? A quick guide

Reasons to see a chiropractor (and reasons not to)

Some reasons to see a chiropractor are solid. Others are based on claims the evidence doesn't support. To be clear about both:

Reasonable reasons

• Low back pain, including sciatica and disc-related pain.
• Neck pain and stiffness.
• Headaches that start in the neck.
• Upper back, shoulder, hip and pelvic joint pain.
• Back pain during pregnancy. We see pregnant practice members.
• Wanting a thorough spine and nerve check with a plain-English explanation.

Not reasons to see a chiropractor

• Boosting your immune system.
• Digestion, organ or general health problems.
• Regular "maintenance" adjustments when nothing is wrong and no one has explained why.

A good chiropractor checks you thoroughly, explains what they found and tells you what care involves before it starts.

What about "just checking" your spine?

Some people book because they're curious, or because a family member has had a good experience. That's a reasonable reason to come in, provided you go in with clear eyes. A good first visit should tell you honestly whether there's anything worth caring for. Sometimes the answer is "not really, keep doing what you're doing", and you should hear that from a chiropractor as readily as any other answer.

How we approach this at MPCC

You don't need to be sure you need a chiropractor before booking. Working that out is the point of the first visit, and it's fine to come in with questions rather than a diagnosis. No referral is needed.

1. New patient appointment (30–40 minutes). Your story, posture pictures, and a thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check of your spine, joints and nerves. X-rays only if your history and check point to them.
2. Report of findings appointment. What we found, in plain English, and whether we can help. If we can't, we'll tell you straight. If we can, you'll know what care involves and what it costs before it starts.

Whether you're adjusted on the first visit is up to the clinical judgement of your chiropractor; often more testing comes first. The new patient appointment is $195, or $125 when booked online through our website (new practice members only, one per person). Health fund claims are processed on the spot with HICAPS. Read more on our new patients page.