We had another fantastic workshop on Thursday, with around 12 people joining us to learn more about nerve and back related problems.
We had people attending with all sorts of different issues, including peripheral neuropathy, spinal stenosis and disc problems and it was great to spend some proper time talking through these conditions and some of the different approaches available to help people manage them and stay active.
If you missed this one, don’t worry, we’ll be running another neuropathy workshop soon, so keep an eye out for the next date.
We’ve also got another workshop coming up on 6th October at 5pm, focusing specifically on disc problems, spinal stenosis and back pain. We’ll be back at The Silvermere Golf golf club, which has been a fantastic venue for us. They really look after everyone, including providing some lovely refreshments so come down, have a drink on us and hopefully learn something useful at the same time!
Back at West Byfleet, we’ve been navigating a bit of a team shutdown this week with Tom and Bobbie both away, which has meant I’ve been back in the clinic more. It’s really lovely catching up with so many of you again.
And finally, as I write this, I’m just about to start getting everything ready for Ironman 70.3 Weymouth. The training is done, the bike is ready and I’m fully padded up and hoping everything stays in one piece for race day!
If you see me walking slightly strangely around the clinic next week, you’ll know exactly why.
Is chiropractic pseudoscience?
It is a fair question and if you have ever disappeared down an internet rabbit hole looking for the answer, you have probably discovered two very different camps.
One side says chiropractic is nonsense. The other sometimes makes it sound as though one spinal adjustment can fix everything from your back pain to your immune system, digestion and possibly your neighbour’s Wi-Fi.
Neither extreme is particularly helpful.
As a chiropractor, I think patients deserve something better: an honest look at what the research actually says, including where chiropractic has evidence behind it, where the evidence is uncertain and where claims simply go too far.
So, no defensiveness and no magic promises. Let’s get into it.
What Does “Pseudoscience” Actually Mean?
Pseudoscience generally describes ideas that are presented as scientific without being adequately supported by reliable scientific evidence.
That distinction matters because chiropractic is not one single treatment or one single claim.
Modern chiropractic care can include spinal manipulation, joint mobilisation, exercise rehabilitation, movement advice, soft tissue techniques and lifestyle guidance. Many of these approaches also overlap with techniques used by physiotherapists, osteopaths and other musculoskeletal professionals.
So asking “is chiropractic pseudoscience?” is a little like asking, “Is medicine scientific?”
The better question is: which treatment, for which problem, based on what evidence?
Is Chiropractic Pseudoscience for Back Pain?
This is where the conversation becomes much clearer.
The Bronfort Report highlights why spinal manipulation, one of the core treatments used in chiropractic care, can be an effective option for people with low back pain. Importantly, the evidence isn’t limited to a newly injured back: the report found strong scientific support for spinal manipulation in chronic low back pain, as well as acute and subacute cases.
Studies showed that manipulation performed better than sham treatment and achieved outcomes comparable with other commonly used medical and physical therapies.
The evidence also suggests that the best results may come from combining hands-on treatment with exercise, helping people recover function and potentially reducing recurrent episodes.
UK guidance reflects that nuance. NICE states that manual therapy, including spinal manipulation, may be considered for low back pain, but recommends using it as part of a package that includes exercise, rather than relying on hands on treatment alone.
That fits closely with how I prefer to approach care. Now I know that only 25% of patients in Chiro, Physio or Osteopathy practices follow through on their exercises. I know it is boring, repetitive and some patients don’t see the ppint, but doing the work does give you quicker and better results.
An adjustment may be one useful tool. It should not be the entire toolbox.
What About Neck Pain and Headaches?
There is also research supporting manual therapy for people with mechanical neck pain.
The Bronfort Report also found encouraging evidence for chiropractic-style treatment of neck pain. For both acute and chronic neck pain, spinal manipulation and mobilisation were shown to improve pain and function, with particularly good results when hands-on treatment was combined with exercise.
Rather than relying on one treatment alone, the evidence suggests that a multimodal approach using manipulation or mobilisation alongside specific exercises can provide greater and more lasting improvements. Overall, the report supports spinal manipulation and mobilisation as evidence-based options for many people with neck pain, while emphasising that treatment should be tailored to the individual.
For headaches originating from the neck known as cervicogenic headaches, spinal manipulation may help patients. Research into manipulation for migraine is less certain and should be interpreted more cautiously. This is the opposite of what I see anecdotally, I tend to se patients after 4-6 sessions saying my neck feels better, but my headaches, wow, they have disappeared. This is pretty cool, obviously this is only my experience and I can’t put research to this yet. Maybe we could do a trial in the clinic?
This is why a proper assessment matters.
A headache caused partly by irritated or sensitive structures in the neck is very different from a headache caused by infection, medication, migraine, vascular problems or another medical condition.
Good healthcare starts with figuring out what you may be dealing with not reaching for the same treatment every time someone walks through the door.
Where Chiropractic Claims Can Run Into Trouble
Here is the part the profession should not shy away from.
Claims idea have sometimes expanded into suggestions that spinal adjustments can treat asthma, hypertension, infant colic and various other non-musculoskeletal disorders.
Current research does not support those claims.
That does not mean your spine and nervous system are unrelated, they obviously interact constantly.
My stance is that if you can get the body in the best position, aligned and the nervous system working well and the organs communicating with the brain properly, this is only a good thing. This gets you in the best healthy state. Then a factor of other healthcare can target specific conditions.
For example I have asthma, it is mild. However in the spring I suffer with hay fever and my asthma flares up. I try a number of things, local honey, reducing my dairy intake, vaseline on my nose when I’m cycling, speaking to a an asthma nurse and of course I keep up my adjustments to help my thoracic spine move and my lungs to have space. But it is a combination of a number of factors to try and manage this.
And yes from time to time I will take an anti-histamine to help it. But I want to try and cover all the other bases first.
Chiropractic Is Regulated-but Regulation and Evidence Are Different Things
Chiropractic is a regulated healthcare profession in the UK. Anyone practising under the title “chiropractor” must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
That regulation matters for education, professional standards, patient safety and accountability.
Healthcare professionals should be willing to update what they do as better research becomes available.
Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?
Chiropractic adjustments for most people are very safe.
Complications are rare and this is why I believe assessment, informed consent and knowing when not to manipulate are every bit as important as knowing how to perform an adjustment.
What Does Evidence Based Chiropractic Look Like?
It should involve listening to your history, examining the problem, identifying anything that needs medical referral, explaining your options, agreeing on meaningful goals and reviewing whether treatment is genuinely helping.
Hands on care may form part of that plan. So can rehabilitation, strength work, better movement habits, ergonomics, sleep, stress management and helping you return confidently to the activities that matter to you.
The goal should not be to make you dependent on the treatment table.
The goal is to help you function better away from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chiropractic scientifically proven?
Some components of chiropractic care, particularly spinal manipulation for certain musculoskeletal conditions, have been studied in clinical trials and systematic reviews.
Does a chiropractic adjustment “put bones back into place”?
That is not a helpful way to describe what normally happens. Your spinal joints are not routinely popping in and out of position. Spinal adjustment applies a controlled force to a joint and may influence movement, sensitivity, muscle activity and pain processing.
And that cracking noise? Usually gas rapidly moving within the joint, not bones grinding back into position.
Can chiropractic cure diseases?
There is not good evidence that spinal manipulation cures diseases such as asthma, hypertension or other internal medical conditions. Those problems require appropriate medical assessment and management.
How do I choose an evidence based chiropractor?
Look for someone who takes a thorough history, explains risks and alternatives, sets measurable goals, encourages appropriate exercise and self management, refers when something falls outside their scope, and is comfortable telling you when chiropractic treatment is unlikely to help.
If back pain, neck pain, headaches or another musculoskeletal problem is getting in the way of your normal life, you are welcome to book a discovery visit with our clinic here. We can talk through what is happening, whether chiropractic care may be appropriate and what your options are, with no miracle claims required.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individual medical assessment or advice.
References
- Advertising Standards Authority & Committee of Advertising Practice. (2023). Health: Chiropractic. ASA/CAP.
- de Zoete, A., Innocenti, T., Petrozzi, M. J., van Middelkoop, M., Assendelft, W. J. J., de Boer, M. R., van Tulder, M. W., & Rubinstein, S. M. (2026). Spinal manipulative therapy for adults with chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2026(1), CD008112. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008112.pub3.
- General Chiropractic Council. (2026). The Code of Professional Practice. General Chiropractic Council.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022). Spinal manipulation: What you need to know. National Institutes of Health.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2016). Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: Assessment and management (NG59). NICE.
- Rubinstein, S. M., de Zoete, A., van Middelkoop, M., Assendelft, W. J. J., de Boer, M. R., & van Tulder, M. W. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689. doi:10.1136/bmj.l689.
