Q: What is Chiropractic?
A: Chiropractic is a non-invasive, hands-on health care discipline that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders related to the spine, muscles, joints and nerves of the body.
Q: Who are Chiropractors?
A: Chiropractors are primary health care practitioners who use the best available evidence, combined with their clinical expertise, to determine the root cause of your issue, and use the best treatment to relieve your pain, restore your mobility and prevent it from returning. Treatment plans are comprehensive and individualized and can include chiropractic manipulation, soft tissue therapy as well as therapeutic exercises. The ultimate goal is to improve a patient’s quality of life by alleviating pain and increasing overall mobility and function.
Chiropractic care may also be used to provide symptomatic relief for patients with chronic conditions. By treating the neuromusculoskeletal elements of these disorders, chiropractic treatment has been shown to improve the general well-being of the patient.
Q: What is an Adjustment?
A: An ‘adjustment’ or ‘manipulation’ is one of the most frequent treatments used by a chiropractor to relieve pain and increase mobility in a patient’s spine and other joints of the body (such as wrists, ankles or feet). Chiropractors are trained to recognize if a joint has decreased motion or is “restricted”. Adjustments are highly-skilled and precise movements that guide restricted joints through their range of motion restoring normal, healthy joint function while also reducing muscular tightness. With this procedure, the patient may hear a “cracking” or “popping” sound caused by a pressure change within the joint capsule.
Most patients experience immediate relief following treatment. Complications are rare and side-effects, such as temporary soreness, are usually minor. Dr. Stec is well-trained to determine if the problem will respond to chiropractic care, and is trained to modify the procedure and positioning based on the individual needs of each patient.
Q: Which adjustment techniques can I expect with Dr. Stec?
A: There are many different adjusting techniques in the world of Chiropractic. Dr. Stec uses Diversified Technique. This means she uses a variety of adjustive procedures to restore joint motion, including drop piece manipulation and instrument assisted adjustments (‘Activator’).
Drop piece adjustments are performed on a table in which the supporting cushions drop an inch or two when a thrust is applied to the spine. This is an effective way in ensuring a very gentle adjustment for the patient.
Instrument assisted adjustments utilizes an instrument to perform the adjustment, while the doctor locates the problem area or joints. This is a very gentle, yet effective way to treat everyone.
Q: Are Chiropractic adjustments safe?
A: A: Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest, drug-free, non-invasive therapies for the treatment of headache, neck and back pain. It has an excellent safety record, and is recommended as a first-line treatment for many conditions including low back pain and headaches. However, no treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. Even common over-the-counter medicines carry a risk.
Most patients experience immediate relief following a chiropractic adjustment, however, some may experience temporary pain, stiffness or slight swelling in the area being treated. Rarely, patients may also experience temporary dizziness, local numbness or radiating pain, though these symptoms are typically minor and short-lived.
Q: Are Chiropractic Neck adjustments safe?
A: Yes. Neck adjustments are a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of headache and neck pain. However, all health treatments have potential adverse effects. Most patients experience immediate relief following a chiropractic neck adjustment; however, some may experience temporary pain or stiffness in the treated area.
Neck adjustments, particularly of the top two vertebrae of the spine, have on rare occasions been associated with stroke and stroke-like symptoms. This risk is considerably lower than those serious adverse events commonly associated with long-term use of non-prescription pain relievers or birth control pills. While estimates vary, a range of one to two events per million neck adjustments is the ratio generally accepted by the research community.
An extensive review on chiropractic care, published in the American College of Physician’s February 2002 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, reviewed more than 160 reports and studies on chiropractic. It stated, "The apparent rarity of these accidental events has made it difficult to assess the magnitude of the complication risk. No serious complication has been noted in more than 73 controlled clinical trials or in any prospectively evaluated case series to date.” with regard to the safety of neck adjustments. A Canadian study, published in 2001 in the medical journal, Stroke, also concluded that stroke associated with neck adjustment is so rare that it is difficult to calculate an accurate risk ratio. The study, conducted by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), found "The evidence to date indicates that the risk associated with chiropractic manipulation of the neck is both small and inaccurately estimated. The estimated level of risk is smaller than that associated with many commonly used diagnostic tests or prescription drugs.” The most recent research into the association between neck adjustment and stroke are biomechanical studies that assess what strain, if any, neck adjustments place on the vertebral arteries. Though research is ongoing, preliminary findings indicate that the neck adjustments are done well within the normal range of motion and that they are "very unlikely to mechanically disrupt the VA [vertebral artery]."
There are many risk factors for stroke including blood clotting problems, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, birth control pills, heart problems and trauma such as blows to the head from car accidents, sports injuries or falls. Some strokes happen spontaneously with no obvious cause during activities of daily living such as backing up a car. A patient’s health history and activities have to be examined very carefully in order to determine the most probable cause of a stroke.
Present medical and scientific evidence does not establish that chiropractic treatment causes either damage to an artery or stroke. Chiropractors have extensive training in the warning signs and symptoms of strokes. These signs and symptoms are screened for in the initial history and physical examination, and before each treatment.
Q: What education do Chiropractors have?
A: After completing his/her undergraduate studies (minimum 3 years), a Doctor of Chiropractic must complete a rigorous four-year program. In addition to their Chiropractic studies, they must pass comprehensive Canadian licensing examinations regulated by their governing body and remain in good standing in order to practice.
Q: What conditions do Chiropractors treat?
A: Chiropractors treat a wide array of conditions and injuries affecting the muscles, joints and nerves of the body, including but not limited to:
Back pain
Neck pain
Whiplash
Headaches
Sprains/strains
Work and sport injuries
Arthritis
Tendinitis/tendinosis
Limited range of motion in the back, shoulder, neck or limbs
TMJ disorders
Nerve entrapment syndromes
Plantar fasciitis
Q: What are some of the benefits of chiropractic care?
A: Chiropractic care can:
Improve movement in your neck, shoulders, back and torso
Improve your posture
Provide relief from headaches, neck and back pain
Help prevent work-related muscle and joint injuries
Improve your flexibility and range of motion
Relieve pregnancy-related back ache
Correct gait and foot problems
Q: What can I expect when I visit a Chiropractor?
A: Your first visit to a Chiropractor will be approximately 45 minutes long. It is helpful to fill out intake forms before your appointment, or to arrive about 10-15 minutes before your first visit to do so. Your initial appointment will include a comprehensive history and thorough examination to confirm the cause of your problem, and to ensure any and all contributing factors are addressed. Following your examination, Dr. Stec will discuss the assessment findings with you and will provide a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and preferences. Treatment plans are individualized to each patient and may include chiropractic manipulation/mobilizations, soft tissue therapy and therapeutic exercise. On most occasions, patients receive treatment on their first visit.
On your first visit to a chiropractor, the following questions may be asked:
Your present condition and steps you have taken to manage
Personal and family medical history
Medication use and dosage
Past surgeries, operations or injuries
Previous imaging studies (X-ray, MRI, CT, etc.)
Diet and exercise habits
Sleeping habits, daily activities, work routine, stress level and home life
Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes for the physical exam portion of your visit. The physical exam may include:
Postural observation and gait analysis
Range of motion testing
Analysis of specific movements (Orthopaedic testing)
Examination of joints and muscles
Reflex, strength and sensation testing
Blood pressure
Follow-up visits can be anywhere from 15-30 minutes in length.
At the end of a treatment plan, your Chiropractor will perform a re-assessment to determine your progress. At this time, your treatment plan may be modified in order to address your current needs.
Q: Do I require a doctor’s note in order to visit a Chiropractor?
A: Chiropractors are legislated as primary health care professionals and are regulated by provincial statute in Canada. This means that patients can consult them directly without requiring a referral from your medical doctor.
Q: Is Chiropractic a regulated profession?
A: Chiropractic is regulated by provincial statute which means that each province has a College which acts to regulate the profession. The College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO) is that governing body in Ontario. The CCO is established by legislation in the same manner and with the same structure as the regulatory bodies for other health care professions, such as medical doctors and dentists
Regulatory colleges are responsible for protecting the public, setting standards of practice, assuring quality of care, evaluating and promoting competency and handling disciplinary issues.
Q: How do I book an appointment?
A: To book an appointment with Dr. Stec, click here.