What are the disadvantages of going to a chiropractor?

Short answer: The main disadvantages of going to a chiropractor are cost if all you want is quick pain relief, sitting outside the mainstream Medicare system, the time real change takes, and the need to find a good chiropractor. If you want to find the cause of your problem and fix it, not just mask it, most people find chiropractic well worth it.

The disadvantages of chiropractic

Here's what's worth knowing before you book, and why for most people it doesn't stop them.

1. It costs more than a quick fix

If all you want is to take the edge off pain for a few days, a chiropractor isn't your cheapest option. Pain relief from the chemist costs a few dollars. But it only turns the volume down. It doesn't tell you why it hurts, and it doesn't change what's causing it.

Chiropractic is for people who want answers. We look for the problem, then work to correct it, so you're not back on painkillers every time it flares. Health fund extras usually cover part of each visit, claimed on the spot with HICAPS.

2. You have to seek us out yourself

Chiropractic sits outside the mainstream Medicare system. You won't usually be sent to a chiropractor; you find one yourself. The upside: you don't need a referral, and you can often be seen within days. If you have a chronic condition, a GP care plan can cover part of your care through Medicare, and DVA Gold and White card holders are billed direct with a GP referral. See Medicare care plans for how it works.

3. You need to find a good one

Not every clinic works the same way. Some adjust everyone the same; some barely check you before they start. A good chiropractor takes a thorough history, checks your spine, joints and nerves properly, explains what they found in plain English, and tells you what care involves and what it costs before it starts.

4. It takes time

Real change usually takes more than one visit, plus some work at home. Problems that built up over years rarely clear in a single session. How often and for how long depends on what we find, and nobody can promise a number of visits before they've checked you.

5. Adjustments aren't for everyone

Some people simply prefer something different, and that's fine; each to their own. For people who like a gentler feel, we also use our flexion-distraction table, a rhythmic, low-force technique for the low back. Your chiropractor checks first and talks you through your options.

What about soreness after an adjustment?

Most people tell us they walk out feeling lighter, looser and more relaxed, almost reset. Occasionally, especially in the first few visits, someone feels a little stiff for a day, a bit like the morning after a new workout. Our page on side effects of chiropractic treatment covers this in detail.

What about neck adjustments?

Many people have read that neck adjustments can damage an artery. The latest research says otherwise. A large study published in September 2026 in the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, led by researchers at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center with Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic and Duke University, compared more than 431,000 adults who had chiropractic neck manipulation with more than 431,000 matched adults who were prescribed ibuprofen instead. It found no evidence of an increased risk of cervical artery dissection, a rare tear in a neck artery, after chiropractic neck care. Within 30 days there were 31 cases in the chiropractic group and 58 in the ibuprofen group (read the study summary from University Hospitals).

The evidence is real

Clinical guidelines for low back pain include spinal manipulation among the recommended options, and research supports it for neck pain too.

The newer research goes further than pain. Your spine is wired to your brain: the deep muscles around each vertebra are packed with sensors that constantly report how your spine is moving. Studies over the past decade have measured changes in how the brain processes information from the body and controls muscles after an adjustment^1,2. A 2024 double-blind trial found the brain's response changed when the chiropractor adjusted the segment their assessment flagged, not a different one³. And in 76 people with chronic low back pain, four weeks of care changed resting brain activity, alongside lower pain scores⁴. When you adjust the spine, the nervous system responds. Read more in chiropractic and your nervous system.

Chiropractor pros and cons at a glance

The benefits of seeing a chiropractor

• Answers, not guesses. A thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check, so you know what's actually going on.
• Easy access. Book directly, no referral, often within days.
• Drug-free, hands-on care. Adjustments, table techniques and home exercises working together.
• Your spine and nervous system, together. We look at how your spine moves and how your nervous system is working, not only where it hurts.
• Back to what you love. The goal is helping you move well and keep doing the things that matter to you.

How to find a good chiropractor

1. Ask what they found and why. You should get a plain-English explanation before care starts.
2. Ask what it will cost. Total cost should be clear up front, not a surprise.
3. Look for a thorough first visit. History, posture, and a proper check of your spine, joints and nerves.
4. Check the reviews. What real people say tells you a lot about how a clinic works.

How we approach this at MPCC

Your first visit is a new patient appointment: 30–40 minutes for your story, posture pictures, and a thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check. X-rays only when your history and check point to them, and the imaging clinic we refer to bulk bills X-rays our chiropractors request.

At your report of findings appointment, we explain what we found in plain English and whether we can help. If we can, you'll know what care involves and what it costs before it begins. 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 booked online through our website (new practice members only, one per person). Standard appointments are $95. HICAPS is on the desk for health fund claims.