Chiropractors: Are They Legit?

What It Covers

Science Versus examines chiropractic medicine's effectiveness for pain relief, exploring its mystical origins, current research on spinal manipulation for back and neck pain, pediatric chiropractic controversies, and potential risks including rare but serious complications.

Key Questions Answered

• •Back and neck pain treatment: Low-quality evidence shows spinal manipulation provides modest pain relief for adults with multiple sessions, sometimes outperforming anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and opioids after one year of treatment in comparative studies.
• •Pediatric chiropractic lacks evidence: International research reviews found no good evidence supporting spinal manipulation effectiveness for any pediatric condition including asthma, autism, breastfeeding difficulties, excessive crying, or bedwetting. Australia now bans chiropractic treatment for children under two years old.
• •Subluxation theory unproven: The core chiropractic concept that misaligned spines cause disease through blocked energy or nerve compression has no scientific basis. One in four chiropractors surveyed acknowledge lacking clinical trial evidence for most treatments they use.
• •Rare but serious risks exist: While most side effects like temporary headaches or dizziness resolve quickly, spinal manipulation can cause arterial tears, blood clots, bone fractures, and death. Estimates suggest one death per few million manipulations, though exact rates remain uncertain.