Healing Hands Family Wellness
Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Have Questions? If So We Have Answers!

If chiropractic care seems promising, but you have doubts, join the club. Chiropractic is different. And it is this difference that has brought results to millions since 1895 and caused them to rethink the nature of health and the importance chiropractic care, has in health!!

If the myths were true, chiropractic would have disappeared long ago, just like bloodletting and countless other ineffective procedures. Not only has chiropractic survived, but it’s also thriving as more and more people want a safe and natural approach to better health that avoids drugs or surgery.


Q) What are the differences between Medical Doctors & Chiropractors?

A) Many people have come to think of a doctor as someone who prescribes advice and drugs or performs surgery. A medical doctor (MD) and a chiropractor (DC) while different, have both received a degree from a government accredited medical school or chiropractic college and are licensed to practice.

But that’s where the similarity ends because each discipline looks at health and healing in very different ways:

Medical Doctors

  • Sees the disease
  • Studies the blood
  • Relies on drugs
  • Treats symptoms

Chiropractors

  • Sees the person with the disease
  • Improves nervous system integrity
  • Reduces causes of nerve interference
  • Promotes proper bodily function

Clearly, these are two very different philosophies. Yet, each has its place. If you have broken bones or you’re bleeding by the side of the road, you want the heroic lifesaving measures of emergency medical treatment. But if you have aches and pains or an interest in wellness, you want the health restoration that is characteristic of chiropractic care.

Q) Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?

A) Yes; Chiropractic Adjustments are safe. The argument about safety concerns is an example of “junk science” and a perennial favorite by those who have an interest in discouraging people from seeking chiropractic care. Because of the popularity of this tactic, year after year it has been the subject of countless research projects. The result of these studies show complications from neck adjustments, the supposedly “riskiest” chiropractic procedure, are exceedingly rare:

  1. 1972 – One death in several tens of million adjustments
  2. 1978 – One in 10,000,000 neck adjustments
  3. 1981 – One in a 1,000,000 neck adjustments
  4. 1983 – Two to three per 1,000,000 adjustments
  5. 1993 – One in 3,846,153 neck adjustments
  6. 1995 – One in 2,000,000 neck adjustments
  7. 1996 – One in 900,000 neck adjustments

The most recent in-depth review of the relationship between stroke and chiropractic care was published in the February 15, 2008 issue of Spine Journal. It looked at 10 years of hospital records, involving 100 million person-years.

The verdict? There was no evidence of an increase in vertebral artery dissection risk with chiropractic, compared with medical management. Based on this review, stroke, particularly vertebrobasilar dissection, should be considered a random and unpredictable complication of any neck movement, including cervical manipulation.

In other words, cases of serious injury are practically nonexistent. By comparison, annual deaths in the United States attributable to NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, ketoprofen, and tiaprofenic acid) range from 3,200 to higher than 16,500 deaths and 76,000 hospitalizations.

Even risk-averse insurance companies recognize the safety of today’s chiropractic care. The premiums for malpractice insurance paid by chiropractors are a mere fraction of what medical practitioners must pay. Chiropractic care is safe.

Q) Do I Need a Referral from My Doctor to See a Chiropractor?

A) At Healing Hands Family Wellness, no referral is ever required to see any one of our Wellness Providers.

Q) Do You Offer Chiropractic Services for Children?

A) Yes! Healing Hands Family Wellness is pleased to offer Chiropractic Services for Children of all ages and Prenatal Chiropractic Care.

Children are susceptible to the spine and nervous system problem for a number of reasons. They include:

  • Traumatic Births
  • Learning to Walk
  • Slips & Falls
  • Colic
  • Trouble Sleeping

Many patients report that chiropractic care has been very helpful for ear infections, headaches & tummy aches, bed wetting, scoliosis, “Growing Pains” and many other common childhood health complaints.

Pregnant mothers are also candidates for chiropractic care during various stages of pregnancy. Carrying an unborn child is very hard on the spine due to weight shifts caused by the ever-increasing protruding abdomen.   With chiropractic treatment, we can help pregnant mothers find some much-needed relief during their pregnancy.

Q) How Do I Learn More about Your Services?

A) To Learn more about our Chiropractic & Wellness Services, we invite you to contact our office. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have that are not listed in our FAQs section.

Learn More about Healing Hands Family Wellness

To learn why you should consider Healing Hands Family Wellness as your Okotoks health care provider, we invite you to contact our office to learn more about our unique services. No referral is ever required to schedule an appointment at Healing Hands Family Wellness.


Our Health & Wellness Clinic always welcomes new patients, no referral is required!