What is Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, with special emphasis on the spine. It emphasises manual therapy including spinal manipulation and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation, and includes exercises, and health and lifestyle counselling.

Chiropractic treatment does not involve the use of drugs but may use many techniques including manipulation, mobilization and soft tissue work.

Chiropractors may use the ‘doctor’ title but they are doctors of Chiropractic and not medical doctors.

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Chiropractors complete a four year full time degree course in chiropractic. The degree course includes training in a variety of subjects including orthopaedic medicine, radiology, neurology, biomechanics and differential diagnosis. Graduates who are members of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) also undertake a year of supervised training as a requirement of membership. 

It is illegal to practice as a chiropractor in the UK if you are not registered with the UK government appointed regulator, the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). In order to register with the GCC on graduation, you must be qualified from a recognised place of chiropractic education, abide by the GCC’s code of practice, hold professional indemnity insurance and pass the necessary competence and criminal records check. Registration is renewed annually and chiropractors are required to undertake a minimum of 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) per annum in order to complete their annual re-registration.


©  In Practice since 1993