“Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest nondrug, noninvasive forms of health care available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints,” says the ACA. 

After an adjustment, some patients may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. According to the ACA, current research demonstrates that any discomfort typically fades within 24 hours.

Neck pain and some types of headaches are treated through precise cervical manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment, works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion and reducing muscle spasm, which helps relieve pressure and tension. Neck manipulation, when performed by a skilled and well educated professional such as a doctor of chiropractic, is a remarkably safe procedure.

“A growing list of research studies and reviews demonstrate that the services provided by chiropractic physicians are both safe and effective,” according to the ACA. “The evidence strongly supports the natural, whole-body and cost-effective approach of chiropractic services for a variety of conditions.”

Doctors of chiropractic are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school

Programs through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools, according to the ACA. Chiropractors must also pass national board exams before obtaining their license to practice. In addition, they must earn annual continuing education credits though state-approved programs to maintain their license.