Frequently asked questions

What is Chiropractic?

The word chiropractic is of Greek origin meaning "treatment by hand". It arose as a distinct health care profession in 1895 and was founded by Daniel David Palmer in Davenport, Iowa. Chiropractic focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems and the effects of these disorders on general health. Today, more than 110 years after its birth, chiropractic has earned broad acceptance for its role in the health care system. There is currently a wealth of scientific research that supports the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment.



Is Chiropractic safe?

Yes! Chiropractors are trained for atleast 5 years in University to develop the necessary medical diagnostical skills and manual skills to safely treat patients. Through thorough examination and understanding your past medical history, an experienced chiropractor will have no problem catering their treatment style to avoid contraindicated areas and giving the safest most appropriate treatment possible.



Does Chiropractic help scoliosis?

As the goal of chiropractic is to improve the alignment and function of the spine, scoliosis is very commonly treated. Treatment of scoliosis is normally to resolve stiffness, aches and pains associated with the large degree of misalignment in the spine. At Reform, we also make use of ScoliRoll protocols to also help reduce the degree of scoliosis although complete resolution of a scoliosis is an unrealistic expectation even through surgical interventions.



Who is Chiropractic for?

Chiropractic is suitable for all ages, whether it be newborns, teenagers, adults, pregnant ladies to senior citizens. As chiropractors we specialise in restoring alignment and mobility to the spine, thus have been trained to deal with all ages through the thousands of techniques that exist. Spinal issues can develop at any time within a persons life, thus a consult chiropractor is the best way to ensure your spine is in good health, much like you would go to a dentist for your teeth.



What is a Chiropractic adjustment?

The most common procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is the "chiropractic adjustment" or "spinal manipulation". The adjustment is applied manually to joints, primarily the spine, that have become hypomobile or restricted. This restores joint mobility thereby alleviating pain and surrounding muscle spasm. Doctors of chiropractic have more training and experience in spinal adjusting than any other health care profession. Commonly the chiropractic adjustment is accompanied by a 'popping' or 'cracking' noise. Do not be alarmed as this is just the release of gas that builds up in the synovial fluid (joint fluid) between joints.



How old should my child be for its first adjustment?

Children are exposed to various degrees of trauma from birth, to learning to walk and ride a bike, to playing sports. These minor incidents add up and can cause problems to developing spines. Chiropractic is uniquely suited to help children develop correctly without drugs or surgery. Children are treated with low force adjusting techniques as their spines are often much more flexible and require much less force to move correctly.



Why is there a 'cracking' or 'popping' sound during a Chiropractic adjustment?

Very commonly a chiropractic adjustment is accompanied with this noise but do not be alarmed it is not your bones cracking or breaking. This noise is the release of gas from the joints as they move. More scientifically, between your joints there is a build up of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide within the synovial fluid (ie. the fluid in your joint capsules that lubricate them). Thus when the joint is moved there is a noise made as the gas is released, much like how champagne pops when you open up the bottle. The noise itself is actually not relevant to the quality of the adjustment, however many patients associate the noise with relief.



Do I need to take an X-Ray before coming for the first visit?

X-Rays are not essential for chiropractic treatment but they can be helpful diagnostic tools in depending on the presenting conditions and symptoms. Hence during the first visit our chiropractors will assess the situation via patient history and appropriate orthopaedic, neurological and physical tests. This will help to determine whether treatment can be done safely without an X-Ray or not. If X-Rays are required we are able to refer you to a X-Ray centre for the appropriate examination.



Does a chiropractic adjustment hurt?

In most cases no, if we were hurting people then no one would be seeing chiropractors! However if you are in an acute state where there is alot of irritation and sensitivity to pain due to muscle spasm or inflammation then naturally there may be some discomfort - if it is going to be painful our doctors will let you know. In some cases following the initial or early phases of treatment, there can be some discomfort similar to that of exercising for the first time in a while. This is due to the muscles and joints working differently then it did before and is often a positive sign of changes happening.



Can I do chiropractic if I have done surgery?

Yes. Chiropractors are educated and trained in a variety of techniques and can recognised what can and can't be solved. If you have already undergone surgery, treatment may not be suitable for the surgically repaired or fused sections but surrounding areas often compensate causing misalignments and muscle stiffness that can be managed by treatment. We have helped countless patients avoid unnecessary surgeries through pre-surgery interventions and will always recommend that they atleast try non-surgical approaches first if possible.



If I don't have/no longer have pain, why would I need to be adjusted?

Prevention is always better cure. The absence of pain is not always a true sign of health as issues often build up silently within the body and this is especially true with spine. Our goal is to maximise the quality of life that our patients can achieve through promoting better function and movement in the body. Most patients who have been through care to get out of pain want to keep it that way and maintaining spinal function through chiropractic is the best way to do so naturally because while your conditions will improve, often your stresses of daily living will still be the same, similar to maintaining your teeth through regular dental check ups, the spine can benefit from chiropractic check ups.



My doctor said chiropractic is not suitable for my condition, is this true?

This really depends on the condition that you are presenting with, if you have conditions such bone cancers, serious infections, cauda equina syndrome or fractures within the spine then chiropractic would be contraindicated on those regions. Over the years we have seen people that were told not to attend chiropractic due to degeneration, ligament laxity, ankylosing spondylitis and even compression fractures of the spine but have seen remarkeable improvements in pain and function. The key is that we know what we can address safely, what we should not be touching and what expectations of recovery there will be. There is also more to chiropractic the spinal manipulations, there are various low force techniques that can be applied without tension or torquing more sensitive areas and our clinic is unique in that we have a full rehab area in order to enable the teaching of exercises. Unfortunately often some medical professionals in Singapore are not aware of this. A second opinion on medical conditions is always recomended, this is why consultations exist before treatment so that we can be sure whether we can help you or not. We don't want to harm you and we don't want you to miss out on a chance to improve your health due to misinformation. If you are still unsure do contact us.