How To Find A Trusted Chiropractor In Singapore?
The World Health Organization defines health as being a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Being healthy is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. You need to move well, think well and eat well.
Regular Chiropractic care can help ensure you are living at your optimal level of health and function. Indeed, Chiropractic care is a growing trend globally and in Singapore. People are starting to realise the benefits of natural therapies to pain instead of surgery and pharmaceutical drugs.
What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is an allied health care profession concerned with the conservative management of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system (joints, muscles and nerves). Musculoskeletal conditions can include but are not limited to back pain, neck pain, chronic pain, headaches, sciatica, scoliosis and more.
Chiropractic is classified as primary health which means it is the first contact a person has with a health system when suffering from illness or injury. Like a General Practitioner, also classified as primary health, a Chiropractor will treat the illness or injury, or make a referral where necessary.
A Chiropractor’s focus is to keep the spine and nervous system healthy and functioning properly. This is achieved by using manual therapy such as spinal manipulation and mobilisation to correct any joint restrictions, which helps to promote the body’s natural ability to heal.
Read more: All You Need To Know About Chiropractic In Singapore
When to consider consulting a chiropractor?
If you prefer a hands-on approach to your healthcare that promotes natural healing without medications or surgery, Chiropractic treatments offer a non-invasive and non-surgical solution.
Given the benefits of Chiropractic care, we seek to discuss the considerations that will help you find a trusted Chiropractor in Singapore in this article.
Credentials
Accreditation is one of the most important factors to consider when you are looking for a Chiropractor. As Singapore does not offer any Chiropractic programmes currently, Chiropractors practising locally in Singapore would have obtained their qualifications from other jurisdictions such as Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, Europe, Malaysia, etc. Each country has different requirements and regulations, suffice to say that you should ensure your Chiropractor is qualified in an accredited institution.
In Australia, Chiropractors are required to undergo a five-year university degree and at completion, obtain a Doctor of Chiropractic. Currently this program is offered by RMIT, Macquarie University, Murdoch University and Central Queensland University. During their studies, Chiropractic students study a wide variety of subjects such as neuroscience, human physiology and anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology and toxicology. Additionally, students are required to undertake a number of supervised clinical hours to gain experience and competency in Chiropractic techniques prior to graduating.
Regulation, registration & licensing
Unlike most first world countries, Chiropractic is a self-regulated profession in Singapore currently. Legislation is still underway to regulate the industry.
This means that anyone can call themselves a Chiropractor without having the necessary qualification, skills and training, and get away with it! Pending mandatory regulation and licensing in Singapore, there are Chiropractors who have not passed or even completed their board examinations and therefore would not have the necessary licence to practice their skills in their home country, yet they are practising in Singapore.
As such, it would be prudent to ensure your Chiropractor has attained all board certifications / licensing requirements, and maintained their registration with their home country.
Registration certifies that a Chiropractor has the necessary qualifications, skills and training to provide Chiropractic care. Regulatory bodies also promote ethical guidelines for a Chiropractor’s conduct and continuing education. These organisations maintain listings of board certified Chiropractors. You will be able to perform a quality check on the official websites of licensing boards to confirm the Chiropractor’s qualifications and any history of malpractice claims or disciplinary action.
In Australia, Chiropractors are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA).
Different chiropractic techniques
Chiropractors have undergone extensive education and training to become qualified healthcare providers. In this profession, education is ongoing, with Chiropractors requiring to stay up to date with the latest research, attend seminars and complete professional development courses.
Chiropractors can be trained in a variety of techniques, with each varying in the approach to assessment and treatment modalities. You may have seen the following examples of some common techniques mentioned on various websites, such as diversified, gonstead, sacral occipital, activator methods, thompson terminal point technique, Chiropractic bioPhysics and applied kinesiology. Each method employs its own assessment approach and style of Chiropractic adjustment. It is up to the Chiropractor who is trained to incorporate the most suitable techniques in practice, adapting to the patient and the presenting condition to provide the best available care. A trusted Chiropractor would be able to tailor treatment recommendations to the specific needs of each patient.
Experience
Experience can matter for healthcare providers. The longer a Chiropractor has been around, the more patients he would have treated, the more success stories he would have, the better the recovery you expect for a similar condition or injury.
Clinical competency
Regardless of experience, all Chiropractors have undergone extensive education and training to become qualified healthcare providers. When you first consult a Chiropractor, you should expect a detailed history taking and examination, differential diagnosis and proper treatment protocols. The right Chiropractor will render only the best treatment for your health needs in order to achieve the quickest and optimal results. If your condition does not fall under the scope of Chiropractic care, the Chiropractor should have no problem referring you to the appropriate healthcare professional for co-management. You deserve a Chiropractor with the highest levels of standards and ethics.
Does the chiropractor require full spine x-rays for every patient and perform routine x-rays on a regular basis?
Not everyone requires X-rays before commencing Chiropractic care. The use of spinal X-rays should be guided by clinical guidelines and the Chiropractor’s judgement. However, some Chiropractors overutilise x-ray imaging for the evaluation of spinal conditions. Current guidelines are very clear on when radiographic imaging should be ordered. There are certain signs and symptoms, in addition to history of trauma or serious pathology, that indicate the need for imaging before commencing treatment. Imaging can show evidence of fracture, dislocations, bone density, etc which the Chiropractor may require to minimise the risk of the manual adjustment. If the Chiropractor insists on X-rays before any treatment on every single patient, you may want to consider looking for a more evidence-based Chiropractor.
Does the chiropractic clinic hard sell expensive and long-term treatment plans?
You may have read a few horror stories and complaints about Chiropractic clinics using fear mongering to pressure patients into signing up for packages that are often expensive and unnecessary. Some clinics are known to offer over a hundred session packages that cost thousands of dollars. Your alarm bells should start to ring if you are offered such excessive packages. Seeing a Chiropractor multiple times per week for months on end should not be the norm.
What is a reasonable chiropractic treatment plan?
Multiple studies have concluded that approximately 12 Chiropractic treatment sessions, that span over a six week period, is usually appropriate to complete a course of treatment that achieves significant symptom relief for acute neck or back pain, especially when combined with other therapies.¹ For simple musculoskeletal conditions, an initial treatment program commonly starts with two to three visits per week for two to four weeks, followed by a progress review to evaluate any changes. These treatments emphasize the passive approach of manual therapy to relieve pain and improve function during the initial phase of care.
In the presence of progressive improvement, the treatment frequency should be tapered appropriately while introducing self-help techniques and home rehabilitation. By implementing education, exercise and lifestyle improvements, Chiropractors can help to build the individual’s self-efficacy to ultimately be responsible for their own health. Such active care might consist of stretches, exercises, advice on ergonomics and diet in order to help you return to your activities of daily living as soon as possible. In patient-centred care, your treatment plan and recommendations should be individualised to your condition, medical history, and recovery progression. Not attending to all parts of the process might increase the amount of time needed for care, or reduce its effectiveness.
Regular maintenance care is also recommended by most practicing Chiropractors. The belief is that periodic identifications and corrections of joint dysfunctions via spinal manipulation can help to prevent diseases of neuromusculoskeletal origin. Since these misalignments can be detected before they become symptomatic, maintenance Chiropractic care allows for reduced injuries, in addition to improved posture, joint function and performance. Ultimately, this can lead to a better quality of life and a symptom-free lifestyle. The interval between maintenance Chiropractic visits tend to vary between one week and up to three months, depending on the patient’s conditions and level of activity.
Ensure your chiropractor works with you on your goals
If your goal is to be able to participate in a marathon but your Chiropractor wants you to stop running, this healthcare partnership is bound to fail from the beginning. Likewise, if you are proactive and want to be prescribed home rehabilitation exercises and learn self-management techniques for your condition, but your chiropractor gives you no additional advice besides to visit his or her office every week or two, the goals of both the patient and practitioner do not align. Therefore, whether you start care with a new Chiropractor or any other healthcare provider, make sure they understand your goals and are willing to help you achieve them.
Patient reviews
It is easy for a professionally done advertisement to make a Chiropractor look good, but you might be better off listening to people who have first hand experience with a Chiropractor. You can start by finding those with positive reviews. Reading testimonials can provide some insight into how the Chiropractor operates. You might be able to find out if people were satisfied with the quality of care, and whether the treatments were effective.
Word of mouth
However, fake or paid online reviews are not uncommon. Hence, one of the most credible ways to find a qualified chiropractor is to get a direct referral. You can start by asking your family doctor to refer you to a trusted chiropractor. You can also ask family and friends for any recommendations. The advice from someone with a positive first hand experience is valuable and should help ease any worry or doubts when looking for a Chiropractor. If you are considering chiropractic for the first time or considering choosing a different Chiropractor, it might be wise to listen to the people within your network rather than advertisements or anonymous reviews.
Here is why you should choose Kissun Chiropractic as your trusted chiropractor in Singapore:
- Accountability: Our Chiropractors are certified and registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and insured. This means they are accountable to a higher, more vigorous standard than other Chiropractors in Singapore who may not be certified, registered with their home countries or insured. Registration with AHPRA also requires continued professional development which entails ongoing education by government certified bodies. Our Chiropractors pride themselves on being updated on the latest developments and treatment methods so they can give the most effective treatment to our patients.
- Expertise: Our Chiropractors are highly sought after for their knowledge and expertise in treating routine and complex neuromusculoskeletal conditions having been in practice for over a decade.
- Exclusivity: It is common in other Chiropractic clinics in Singapore to offer open treatment rooms. We offer closed private treatment rooms for patients’ privacy and comfort.
- Availability: We are open 7 days a week. Yes, on Sundays and most public holidays too for patients’ convenience.
- Accessibility: Patients are free to have treatments across both clinic locations in the City and the East, and are not confined to one clinic location. Our Chiropractors practice at both clinic locations.
- Customer Service: We are equipped with trained, professional and caring staff to ensure patients’ exceptional experience.
- Patients’ Review. See what our patients have to say. We are also honoured to receive the Bronze Award for the Best Chiropractor category in the Expat Living Readers’ Choice Awards 2021 and 2022.
At Kissun Chiropractic, we strive to deliver exceptional yet affordable service within a comfortable and caring environment.
Looking for a trusted Chiropractor to treat your pain, look no further than Kissun Chiropractic.
Find out more about Dr Richard Kissun.
Kissun Chiropractic is a trusted and leading chiropractic clinic in Singapore offering affordable and effective treatments for all ages in the community. We are experienced in treating routine and complex neuromusculoskeletal conditions such as headaches, neck, shoulder and backaches, osteoarthritis, scoliosis, sciatica, pregnancy aches and pains, sports injuries, performing ergonomic assessments and postural checks. Patients’ conditions are managed through natural, safe, non-invasive, drug and surgery free treatments, relying on the bodies’ inherent recuperative functions. Treatment plans are customised to patients’ specific needs and preferences.
Contact us today.
Source:
Haas, M., Vavrek, D., Peterson, D., Polissar, N., & Neradilek, M. B. (2014). Dose-response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for care of chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 14(7), 1106–1116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2013.07.468