What Chiropractic Care Can — and Can’t — Fix

You Should Know: Some people swear chiropractic adjustments are the best fix for back pain, neck pain, and other ailments. Others regard the practice as pseudoscience. There is solid science backing up spinal manipulation’s benefits for back pain, but critics say the problem is that some chiropractors offer treatments for health problems that aren’t evidence-based, such as ear infections and allergies.

Going Deeper: Chiropractic care focuses on the spine, joints, and muscles, primarily through hands-on adjustments meant to improve mobility, reduce tension, and relieve pain. The “cracking” sound often associated with adjustments is usually just gas releasing from joints. Chiropractors are licensed health care professionals and must pass national board exams, though their education and scope of practice differ from those of medical doctors and vary by state.

Takeaway: The strongest evidence in support of chiropractic manipulation is for back pain, and there’s also some research that backs up its effectiveness in treating neck pain and non-migraine headaches. The American College of Physicians suggests spinal manipulation as a first-line, low-risk treatment option for low back pain. And while injuries linked to chiropractic adjustments can happen, serious complications appear to be very rare.

Bottom Line: A chiropractor may make your sore back feel better, but if they claim to offer a miracle cure for conditions beyond musculoskeletal ones, be very skeptical.