Is Chiropractic Care Safe?
Yes. Chiropractic care, performed by a licensed chiropractor, is one of the safest forms of hands-on healthcare available. Serious complications are rare.
The risk of serious adverse events from spinal manipulation is extremely low. Published research consistently puts the rate of serious complications, including vertebral artery injury, at somewhere between one in a million and one in several million manipulations. For context, common over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and naproxen carry higher risks of serious side effects when taken regularly over months. Long-term NSAID use is associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular events, and kidney damage. Chiropractic is safer than the drugs people casually take to manage the same pain.
The most common side effect of a chiropractic adjustment is temporary soreness in the treated area, similar to what you feel after a workout. This typically resolves within 24 hours. Some patients feel mild fatigue or a slight headache after their first one or two adjustments, both of which pass quickly as the body adapts. These responses are normal and indicate the adjustment produced a real physiological effect.
Safety in chiropractic depends heavily on the quality of the assessment before treatment. A thorough examination rules out contraindications to high-velocity manipulation, conditions like advanced osteoporosis, spinal cord compression, certain vascular pathologies, or recent fractures, before any adjustment is performed. At Full Swing Healthcare, Dr. Muren takes a complete health history and runs orthopedic and neurological tests at your first visit. If something in your history or examination makes high-velocity adjustment inadvisable, he has other techniques available, including instrument-assisted methods (Activator), acupuncture, and gentle soft tissue work, that are effective without the force.
Dr. Muren is a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic in the state of Florida, license number CH12412. He completed his training at Palmer College of Chiropractic, the oldest chiropractic college in the world, established in 1897. The Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine maintains strict licensing requirements including continuing education, and Dr. Muren maintains his standing in good order.
One consideration specific to Florida: the heat and humidity of Jacksonville's climate affects how the musculoskeletal system responds to treatment. Patients who are dehydrated or who work outdoors in heat may experience more soreness after an adjustment than those who are well-hydrated. Drinking adequate water before and after your visit reduces post-treatment soreness and supports the tissue healing response.
If you have specific concerns about safety based on your health history, the right thing to do is discuss them directly with Dr. Muren before treatment begins. Call (904) 539-3352 or book online and bring your health history with you to the first visit.