Choosing a chiropractor

About chiropractic

Chiropractors are qualified health professionals who can assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, such as back and neck pain, minor sports injuries and sciatica.

Chiropractic treatment can be beneficial for a number of reasons. As well as relieving symptoms of pain and discomfort, chiropractors can also improve mobility and reduce disability associated with muscle and joint problems.

How can a chiropractor help me?

Chiropractors are trained to use a range of techniques when treating their patients. They are best known for using manual methods of care, including spinal and joint manipulation (also referred to as ‘adjustment’) but may also use other hands-on or instrument-assisted approaches.

Many chiropractors will also provide lifestyle advice and exercises to help you manage your condition. This may include dietary and nutritional advice as well as strategies to manage stress and discomfort.

Before embarking on treatment, a chiropractor will assess your symptoms to determine if chiropractic treatment is right for you and your condition and what techniques are most likely to help. Chiropractors are trained to recognise when chiropractic treatment will not help a medical condition and will make a referral to your GP or another healthcare professional, if necessary. 

Choosing a chiropractor

While some chiropractors offer services through the NHS, most work in the private sector. This does mean that you will be responsible for covering the costs of treatment, either privately or through your health insurer. 

Chiropractors are regulated healthcare professionals in the same way as doctors, dentists and pharmacists. To practise in the UK, a chiropractor must be qualified and registered with the GCC. It is illegal for anyone to describe themselves as a chiropractor without being registered with the GCC. If a chiropractor is registered with the GCC you can be confident they are committed to providing safe and high-quality care.

When choosing a chiropractor, it is important to check that they are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC).  You can check if a chiropractor is registered by searching the register here.