What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of conditions that are due to mechanical dysfunction of the joints, particularly those of the spine, and their effects on the nervous system.
The profession has statutory regulation through the General Chiropractic Council (GCC); it is illegal to practise as a chiropractor without being registered with the GCC.
Chiropractors treat problems with your joints, bones and muscles, and the effects they have on your nervous system. Working on all the joints of your body, concentrating particularly on the spine, they use their hands to make often gentle, specific adjustments (the chiropractic word for manipulation) to improve the efficiency of your nervous system and release your body's natural healing ability. Chiropractic does not involve the use of any drugs or surgery.
Members of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) abide by a strict code of ethics and the association only accepts members who have graduated from a nationally or internationally-recognised college of chiropractic education after a minimum of four years full-time training. The BCA ensures its chiropractors maintain high standards of conduct, practice, education and training. Like medical practitioners and dentists, all chiropractors are registered by law.
Definitions courtesy of the BCA |
