Chiropractic adjustment in the management of visceral conditions: a critical appraisal.

OBJECTIVE

To establish whether Australian chiropractors regard spinal adjustment as an intervention option for patients presenting with visceral conditions and to ascertain the preferred level of adjustment for patients presenting with migraine, asthma, hypertension or dysmenorrhea.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A survey of all chiropractors registered in Australia.

OUTCOME MEASURE

Practitioners' opinions regarding the usefulness of spinal adjustment in the management of patients with visceral conditions were canvassed. Based upon their personal clinical experience, practitioners were requested to comment on the appropriate level of adjustment in the management of various visceral conditions.

MAIN RESULTS

Twenty-two percent of the 1311 chiropractors registered in Australia responded to the survey. More than half of the respondents favored a role for spinal adjustment in the management of patients with visceral conditions. The perceived usefulness of spinal adjustment varied according to the condition being managed, as did the preferred level of adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

Chiropractors continue to use spinal adjustment in the management of visceral conditions despite this intervention being regarded as an obstacle to the recommendation of public finding for chiropractic services in Australia. Further investigation into the validity of the chiropractic management of visceral conditions is recommended.