Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about chiropractic, adjustments, your first visit and much more.
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01. The Chiropractic Profession

What is Chiropractic?
It is the health profession that deals with the biomechanical-structural alterations of the spine and its impact on the nervous system and health. Doctors of Chiropractic call subluxations to biomechanical-structural defects, which cause adverse neurological changes. Chiropractic is based on the premise that good health depends on a properly functioning nervous system.

No. Chiropractic is an independent health profession, distinct from medicine, which is studied in university faculties of chiropractic. The number of hours of study to become a doctor of chiropractic is similar to that of the subjects taught in medical schools. In the chiropractic career is not studied neither pharmacology nor surgery, but it goes deeper into the study of physiology, anatomy, radiology and specific manual chiropractic techniques.

The osteopath works focusing on the blood system and the intention of the treatment is different from the chiropractor who works directly on the nervous system. The specific manual adjustment performed by the chiropractor is unique.

The chiropractor is qualified to practice as a primary care practitioner, due to his 7 years of university studies that give him the degree of Doctor of Chiropractic. Also, the chiropractor focuses his work on optimizing the self-regeneration and healing capacity of the body, acting on the cause and origin of the problems, and not only on its symptomatology.

Chiropractic has absolutely nothing to do with massage. The recent use of the word quiromasaje to refer to massages is exclusively in Spain, producing an unfortunate linguistic confusion. Massage therapists exist all over the world but never in the form of an organized profession, such as that of chiropractor, with a qualification resulting from a 7-year university education.

At present it is still not possible to study chiropractic in Spain. All doctors of chiropractic members of the AEQ have been trained in foreign universities. If you are interested, you can contact the Spanish Chiropractic Association in Madrid, where they will provide you with a list of recognized universities.

02. Your Chiropractor

In Spain, approximately 170 qualified chiropractors.

After completing the same requirements as medical school, they go to Chiropractic college during the following year. 4 years.

This is not possible. The short courses last for weekends spread over several months, while the AEQ members have completed a 7-year university education with scientific principles for diagnosis and highly complex fitting techniques.

Inquiring at the Spanish Chiropractic Association, an organization that only accepts chiropractors with degrees from a university recognized by the Council of Chiropractic Education as members.

No. The Doctor of Chiropractic degree is not yet approved by the Spanish authorities. The only institution in charge of verifying the authenticity of the degree is the Spanish Association of Chiropractic, founded in 1986 and legalized by the Ministry of the Interior with the approval of the Ministry of Health.

Of course. The 8 years of undergraduate training enables him to interpret radiographs and recognize manifestations of vertebral subluxations. He is a primary care health professional who specializes in vertebral subluxations and can refer the patient when necessary.

Always look for the most positive side of whatever happens to you and focus on all the beautiful things around you. It is an easy exercise to do, you too can always be happy.

Yes, of course. He is also a chiropractic patient.

3. The Chiropractic Adjustment

It is the application of a very small but very fast force, in a very scientific and very specific way so that the nervous system receives the correct information and can regain the ability to self-manage and self-regulate. The adjustments require a great deal of skill that can only be acquired over years of learning in a university setting.

The chiropractor performs specific manual adjustments on the brain stem in order to correct the pressure exerted by the vertebrae on the nervous system. This has nothing to do with massage.

No. Chiropractic care is not an aggressive therapy, it does not invade the body with any foreign chemical or biological agents. It acts on the nervous system so that the body's capacity for self-maintenance and self-recovery functions normally.

During the process of returning to normality, physiological changes may sometimes be accompanied by a variation in symptoms or a certain feeling of tiredness, which may be temporary.

Millions of patients of all ages visit chiropractors all over the world every day, finding solutions to their problems without any negative effects. This is due to the high degree of professionalism (university training + clinical internship) and the fact that chiropractic adjustments themselves have no side effects.

How long does it take you to turn on the light switch? A few seconds. The same thing happens with the adjustment. Each adjustment is very powerful and there is a lot of information given to the nervous system, so we must give you this information gradually. We don't want to waste your time.

No, chiropractic adjustments themselves do not hurt. If the patient has muscle spasms, relieving them can sometimes cause muscle discomfort.

This noise is irrelevant and purely incidental. The «crack» you hear is air, gas and fluid escaping from the joint capsule. It is the same as when you crack your knuckles. The bones do not crack.

Yes, it is totally normal to have any kind of reaction because the nervous system is set in motion, although you should not necessarily feel these reactions.

4. First Visit and Subsequent Appointments

The health class lasts approximately one hour. The chiropractic tests about 20 minutes and the following appointments about 10 to 15 minutes maximum.

Yes, the Doctor needs specific cervical x-rays that only a Doctor of Chiropractic requests. As we progress we will repeat them to assess the changes in your body.

The doctor makes a personalized recommendation after reviewing the tests from the first visit. To get the best results, it is important to follow the recommendation and not skip any appointments.

It is important to follow the appointment schedule, but if you need to come earlier, please call us for available times. If you want to reschedule an appointment, please do so 24 hours in advance.

5. Pain

Because an adjustment is not just a mechanical act. In every adjustment there is an emotion, a connection. If just before the adjustment the Doctor receives a negative comment, what is that adjustment going to be like? As a Hindu proverb says, «When you open your mouth, let it be for something better than keeping silent.».

No, and it also deconcentrates you. The goal of chiropractic is not to take away your pain, but to improve the functioning of your nervous system to improve your ability to adapt to stress. The pain is just a warning, it does not indicate where the dysfunction is. Be patient and let your body work at its own pace.

Because one of the effects of a better functioning of the nervous system and a better adaptation to stress is that pains and diseases tend to improve.

Because no one is the same and the body works first on what is most important for your survival. Your body's priorities were different. Be patient and let your body work at its own pace.

Because where it hurts rarely corresponds to the origin of the problem. The brain stem is the most important part of your body and your nervous system, and it is to the origin that we want to go.

6. Chiropractic Care

It has been scientifically proven that an attitude of gratitude and positivity raises the vibratory frequency of the brain and heart, accelerating recovery.

Each adjustment builds on the previous one. The body has a memory and works on repetition. If we have repeated habits to it for many years, we need to repeat the new habits to it so that it memorizes them.

Different patients have different healing processes. Some conditions improve in 1-2 weeks, others take longer. It depends on time with subluxations, severity of the problem, environmental stress and attitude.

The profession is regulated in neighboring European countries, recognized by the European Parliament and the WHO. It is practiced by 80,000 doctors in the most advanced countries. Despite the efforts of the AEQ, the Spanish authorities have only responded with passivity and disinterest.

You should check what is going on in your environment. Our environment affects our physical health and in times of increased stress we may feel worse. You are responsible for your life and also for your health.

Adjusting your spine does not mean that you will never get sick, but that your body will be stronger to fight external aggressions. You will get sick less and recover faster. Take care of these factors:

  1. Rest between 6 and 8 hours
  2. Healthy diet and 2 liters of water per day
  3. Exercise and breathe fresh air
  4. Keep a positive attitude
  5. Maintain proper functioning of the nervous system

No, in any case. They are done with the intention of releasing the pressure of the nerves in the brain stem and recovering the flow of the nervous system between the brain and all the organs of the body.

When there is interference in brain-organ communication, the information does not reach the 100%. It is like assembling a piece of furniture with incomplete instructions: it can be done, but it is not perfect. Each adjustment returns the complete instructions to your body.

It depends on the cause. If it is arthritis and degeneration, it is difficult but it can be slowed down. If the cause is muscular, there are many more possibilities. Many patients have noticed improvements in their posture under chiropractic care.

Yes, many people feel more energy, are more relaxed, in a better mood, perform better at work or school, sleep better. You feel different and your relationships change as well.

Chiropractic is not incompatible with other therapies. Medications are an additional chemical stress, but it is your decision. Consult with the specialist who prescribed the medication before stopping them.

Some insurers cover alternative or natural therapies. Check directly with your insurer to see if it is covered and under what conditions.

An adjustment is much more than physical strength. It is the release of the body's innate potential, the connection of your spiritual part with your physical part, the recovery of the innate ability to self-regulate and self-heal. Ask yourself another question: how much would you not pay to be able to avoid developing any disease?

7. Who Benefits From Chiropractic Care

No. Ideally, problems should be detected before symptoms occur. The chiropractor is educated in the prevention, detection and correction of vertebral subluxation. Remember that the symptom is the last thing to appear and it has probably been 10 to 15 years since the problem has been in your body.

Chiropractic can help anyone with any condition. If the nervous system is functioning optimally, we will have a better quality of life. It is not necessary to think about specific diseases but about the function of the body in general.

Chiropractic corrects spinal misalignments and interferences in the nervous system. It does not cure diseases directly, but many patients are cured due to the recovery of the body's innate ability to heal itself.

These are the most frequent symptoms of patients, who after years without results with other professionals, find in chiropractic the solution. For the chiropractor, only the body can heal itself, promoting its self-healing capacity.

Of course, they can and should. Chiropractic is good for everyone. Different techniques are used for children and older people because of the delicacy of their spines. Children need chiropractic care so they do not develop the problems we see in adults. It is especially important to check a child after a fall.

The chiropractor is trained as a primary care practitioner and has the professional judgment to decide whether the patient should receive chiropractic care or refer the patient to the appropriate health care professional.

8. Art, Science and Philosophy

That 100% of the information is in our brain and travels down the medulla, moving through the nerves to the rest of all the organs of our body.

It is neither religious nor metaphysical. It is a condition that exists in every living being. No one teaches plants how to grow, nor our heart how to pump blood, nor our lungs how to take in air.

Because when we think of intelligence, we think of the educated mind, the things we have learned, and we stop listening to innate intelligence, which would be something similar to instinct.