Frequently Asked Questions

I just have a "kink" in my neck. Can't I just have it cracked?

At Chiropaedic, your safety comes first.

Although you may describe your problem as a "kink", neck pain or stiffness can have a number of possible causes. Before providing chiropractic treatment, we need to understand your health history, assess your current condition and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate and safe for you.

We do not provide "crack-only" appointments.

A treatment technique is not selected simply because a patient requests it. It must be clinically appropriate based on the findings of your assessment.

A new patient appointment allows sufficient time for your practitioner to understand your individual circumstances.

Your initial consultation may include:

- a comprehensive health and medical history

- discussion of your current symptoms and their onset

- questions about previous injuries, surgery, illnesses and medications

- identification of relevant risk factors and clinical "red flags"

- physical and neurological examination where clinically appropriate

- assessment of your posture, movement and musculoskeletal function

- consideration of previous imaging, reports or other relevant investigations

- determination of whether further investigation or referral is appropriate

- explanation of the proposed management options

- discussion of the potential benefits, risks and alternatives to treatment

- obtaining your informed consent before treatment is provided.

This is not unnecessary paperwork or a delay to treatment. It is part of providing safe, professional healthcare.

Not necessarily.

Imaging is not automatically required for every patient with neck or back pain. However, if your history or examination identifies circumstances where imaging or another investigation may be clinically indicated, your practitioner may recommend this or refer you to an appropriate medical practitioner or other healthcare professional.

The decision to investigate is based on your individual clinical presentation — not simply on whether you would like to be adjusted.

Previous chiropractic treatment does not automatically mean that the same treatment is appropriate today.

Your current symptoms, health history and clinical presentation may be different. We therefore need to make our own clinical assessment before providing care.

If you have previous imaging, specialist reports, medical reports or relevant treatment information, you are welcome to provide these to your practitioner.

Because apparently straightforward musculoskeletal symptoms can sometimes occur alongside other health conditions or risk factors that may affect whether, when or how treatment should be provided.

A registered health practitioner has a professional responsibility to consider the patient's overall health and identify circumstances that may require further investigation, modification of treatment or referral.

Accurate clinical records should include relevant history, examination findings, investigations, clinical information and consent.

You are always welcome to discuss your preferences with your practitioner.

However, a patient's request for a particular treatment does not replace the practitioner's clinical responsibility to determine whether that treatment is appropriate.

Your practitioner will explain the treatment options that are considered clinically appropriate following your assessment.

Before treatment is provided, you should understand what is being proposed, why it is being recommended, the potential benefits and relevant risks, and what alternatives may be available.

Consent is an important part of the professional relationship between you and your practitioner.

The Chiropractic Board of Australia specifically identifies informed consent as an important component of good chiropractic practice, including appropriate discussion of risks and alternatives.

There is an important distinction between a care plan and an initial clinical assessment.

You are not required to commit to a long-term course of treatment simply because you attend for an initial consultation.

However, we do need to assess you properly before deciding whether treatment is appropriate.

Following your assessment, your practitioner will discuss their findings and recommendations with you. You remain free to decide whether you wish to proceed with the recommended care.

For new patients, our initial consultation time is designed to allow the practitioner to undertake an appropriate assessment before treatment.

We do not shorten the clinical assessment simply to accommodate a request for a particular treatment.

This approach protects both your safety as a patient and the professional obligations of your practitioner.

Chiropaedic is a healthcare practice, not a "cracking" service.

We understand that patients may use terms such as "crack", "adjustment" or "release" to describe what they are looking for. However, treatment is provided based on clinical assessment rather than on a predetermined technique.

If your expectation is simply to have your neck cracked without a health history, examination and clinical assessment, our practice may not be the right practice for you.