Is Chiropractic Safe? 13 Questions Answered (Video)

Is chiropractic safe is a question that deserves a specific answer rather than a reassuring one. Risk depends almost entirely on two things: which technique is applied, and whether an examination preceded it. Forceful rotation of a neck nobody has assessed is a different proposition from low-force work on a level that has been identified.

In this video, Yama Zafer, D.C., works through thirteen of the questions asked most often: who may perform chiropractic care, what the click actually is, which methods suit a worn joint or a damaged disc, whether care should ever be uncomfortable, how soon changes may be noticed, whether imaging is needed first, and whether to see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist. The methods used at CSC favor approaches that do not twist the spine, and what will be done should always be explained before it is.

This video guide to whether chiropractic is safe, answering 13 common questions, is published by Chiropractic Specialty Center, Bukit Damansara (KL) main center: WhatsApp+60 17 269 1873 Call+603 2093 1000

Is Chiropractic Safe: Key Takeaways

PointWhat to know

What the video covers

Thirteen common questions about chiropractic: whether it is safe, who may perform it, what the cracking sound is, which methods suit a worn joint or a damaged disc, comfort, progress, imaging, and chiropractic with physiotherapy.

When it is safe

Yama Zafer, D.C., explains that chiropractic care is safe when a competent, registered chiropractor delivers it and the method is chosen for the person's condition; spine manipulation by someone without that training is not chiropractic care.

Method by condition

Gonstead and Diversified are described as suitable for young people without joint degeneration or disc damage; with a worn joint, a damaged disc or a compressed nerve, he describes methods that do not twist the spine, such as the Activator, SOT, Flexion-Distraction or Thompson technique.

The cracking sound

The sound is a cavitation, from gas in the joint fluid; it does not mean a bone popped in or out or that bones are rubbing together, and real-time MRI of finger joints links the crack to a gas-filled cavity forming in the joint [1].

Comfort and progress

Care should never be uncomfortable (his motto is “No pain, more gain”), and without improvement by the fifth session the chiropractor should reassess; by the tenth, whether to continue is decided together.

Imaging

Not every patient needs imaging [2]; X-rays are ordered after an assessment when they are indicated, sectional rather than full spine unless scoliosis is being assessed, and an MRI shows discs, nerves and soft tissue without radiation.

Chiropractic with physiotherapy

The video recommends chiropractic and physiotherapy together, because holistic, in his use of the word, means comprehensive care that can reach the tissue involved.

Is Chiropractic Safe: Page Guide & Key Sections

Key Moments in This Chiropractic Safety Video

These timestamps highlight the main sections of the video for easier navigation:

  • 00:00 Introduction: the questions this video answers
  • 00:33 Is chiropractic safe?
  • 01:35 Gonstead, Diversified and methods that do not twist the spine
  • 02:44 Why safety depends on the chiropractor and the technique
  • 03:02 Who can perform chiropractic care
  • 04:01 What the cracking sound is
  • 04:22 Methods that make the sound, and the Activator for worn joints
  • 05:28 Is chiropractic for the neck and back only?
  • 06:06 How a knee out of alignment stresses the meniscus
  • 07:27 Care should never be uncomfortable
  • 08:28 How soon changes may be noticed
  • 09:48 When progress should be reassessed
  • 11:16 Do you need imaging before a chiropractic visit?
  • 11:50 Full spine X-rays and sectional X-rays
  • 12:46 MRI and X-ray compared
  • 13:42 Nerve and disc symptoms: choosing imaging case by case
  • 14:56 Chiropractor or physiotherapist?
  • 15:35 What “holistic” means
  • 16:55 Closing words

Video Summary

This video explains commonly asked questions about chiropractic and physiotherapy, focusing on how different approaches are selected, how safety is considered, and what to expect from care.

It covers joint sounds during manual methods, imaging considerations such as MRI and X-rays, and how joint degeneration, disc damage and nerve compression change which method is suitable. It also explains how different approaches may be used together depending on individual needs.

Presented by Yama Zafer, D.C., this video focuses on what makes chiropractic care safe: who delivers it, how the method is chosen and when imaging helps.

Arranging a Chiropractic Assessment in Kuala Lumpur

To arrange a chiropractic assessment, see the Bukit Damansara contact page and the Bandar Sri Damansara contact page, or call either center directly:

The first visit begins with a history and an examination of the spine and joints, how they move and the nerves and muscles around them, including whether imaging is needed, before any method is chosen or care is discussed.

Find both centers on Google Maps: Bukit Damansara (KL, main center) and Bandar Sri Damansara.

Is Chiropractic Safe Video: Chapter Summaries and Edited Transcript

Each chapter below opens to a short summary and the edited transcript of that part of the video, with its start time. The video is also on YouTube, alongside the rest of the Chiropractic Specialty Center channel.

Introduction and the Questions Answered (00:00)

Summary: Yama Zafer, D.C., introduces the questions the video answers: whether chiropractic is safe, what chiropractors do, what the cracking sound is, who can perform chiropractic, whether it covers more than the neck and back, and whether a full spine X-ray is needed first.

Edited transcript: Is chiropractic safe? What do chiropractors do? What is that cracking sound you hear during a chiropractic adjustment? Can anyone do chiropractic? Do chiropractors only take care of neck and back? Do you need a full spine X-ray before you see a chiropractor? I'm Yama Zafer, I'm a chiropractor. I'm here to give you answers to these questions and more. Let's get to it.

Summary: Chiropractic care is safe when a competent, registered chiropractor delivers it and the care is based on the person's condition, because there are hundreds of techniques and every problem differs in severity.

Edited transcript: Is chiropractic safe? This is the first question we'll tackle. Yes, chiropractic care is safe. It is safe when it's performed by a competent chiropractor who is also registered. Chiropractic care must only be done by a chiropractor, and for it to be safe, it must be condition based. In other words, there are hundreds of various techniques in chiropractic. And of course the patients we treat have various forms of severity and conditions, not just in their spine but also in their joints. So the care that we, as chiropractors, give to them must be specific to their underlying conditions.

Summary: Gonstead and Diversified are established methods for mobilizing joints. With moderate or severe joint degeneration, a disc problem or a compressed nerve, he describes care that does not twist the spine, such as the Activator, SOT, Flexion-Distraction or Thompson technique.

Edited transcript: What are the standard chiropractic manipulative techniques? Well, Gonstead technique is one, Diversified is another one. These are both well-established techniques. They are great for mobilizing joints. However, when you have a joint that is moderately or severely degenerated and you have some disc issues or nerve compressions, the kind of chiropractic care that you need to receive is the one that is without twisting your spine. In other words, if you have a severely bulged disc that's compressing the nerve, that's pinching this nerve badly, and as a result you're having symptoms down your legs, you do not want anyone to go in there and aggressively rotate and manipulate your spine, cracking it and popping it. A non-rotatory method of chiropractic. A good example of one would be the Activator method, the SOT method, Flexion-Distraction method, or the Thompson technique. Anything more than that is going to create inflammatory processes or perhaps even worsen the disc damage you already have.

Summary: Forceful methods on a damaged disc may provoke inflammation or worsen the damage, so safety depends on the chiropractor, their experience and the technique, and chiropractic care is done only by chiropractors.

Edited transcript: So safety of chiropractic depends on the chiropractor and their experience and the technique that they use. But overall, generally speaking, a chiropractor doing a chiropractic manipulation will consider all of these factors before they deliver the adjustment for you.

Summary: Registration follows a university degree, and spine manipulation by untrained people is not chiropractic care. The cracking sound is a cavitation, a release of gas from the joint, and for people with degenerative changes he prefers the Activator to methods that produce the sound.

Edited transcript: And as such, I am here to tell you that chiropractic care can only be done by chiropractors. Yes, there's a lot of people out there in the world cracking bones, pretending to be chiros, and yet have no formal education. Chiropractors, for them to be registered, let's say like in Malaysia, they have to attend a vigorous university-based education and training program. It's a degree program. And when they graduate, they have to be registered in order for them to practice. Unlike these individuals that you see who are not chiropractors and they're manipulating the spine. That's not chiropractic care. That's just bare manipulation. The chiropractic adjustment is a precise method of spine manipulation and as such is safe. Now for the next question: what is that cracking sound you hear during a chiropractic adjustment? That cracking sound are cavitations. They are a release of gases from the joint complex. It doesn't mean that the bone pops in or pops out. It just means the joint was sufficiently challenged. As a result, there was an audible, a cavitation. Two techniques that often yield an audible: one, Gonstead; the other, Diversified. Both wonderful methods in young individuals without degenerative changes in their joints, without disc damage. These cavitation-producing methods, Gonstead and Diversified, it's perfectly fine. However, for individuals in their 40s, my age or older, who may have some degenerative changes, a bit of bone spur, some nerve impingements, I would not recommend a method that results in an audible or a cavitation, as these may be a bit too aggressive. Instead, the Activator is better. Nonetheless, cavitations, audibles that you hear during a chiropractic adjustment, do not mean that bones are rubbing on each other. They're just a release of gases.

Summary: Chiropractors also care for other joints, muscles and ligaments. Using the knee as the example, he explains how a knee joint out of alignment tilts the thigh bone and stresses the meniscus between the thigh bone and the shin bone.

Edited transcript: Is chiropractic for neck and back only? Chiropractors... chiropractors like me treat every joint, every muscle, every ligament, not just the neck and back. Whether it is a knee or a shoulder, there are plenty of soft tissue manipulative techniques or adjustments, and chiropractic for muscles and ligaments. And many chiropractors, including me, do them. A knee joint can misalign, much like the joints in your neck and back. And when they do, they cause issues. For example, you have the thigh bone here and the shin bone here, the femur and the tibia. In between them is this meniscus, a shock absorber, a cartilage. Now, when the knee joint is out of alignment, it forces the thigh bone, the femur, to be out of tilt, out of alignment, as a result irritating the meniscus, causing it to wear and tear. Now, with the chiropractic adjustment, we can gently realign and make sure that the thigh and the shin bones are aligned well. And that's just for the knee. Similar thing can happen to any joint. While some chiropractors concentrate mainly on neck and back issues, many, like me, concentrate on the total body, regardless of where the joint issue is and the ligamentous issues that you may have.

Summary: Care should never be uncomfortable; his motto is “No pain, more gain.” Any discomfort should be reported so the chiropractor can change the care.

Edited transcript: But the one thing that you have to remember: chiropractic care, be it the neck, the back, the shoulder, or the knee, should never be uncomfortable. Yes, if you experience discomfort, it is being done too aggressively. My motto has always been, “No pain, more gain.” This is not the 60s or the 80s, when people said, “No pain, no gain.” So, no pain, more gain, and that's what it should be. If you experience discomfort during your chiropractic adjustment, you must let the chiropractor know. If they don't know, they cannot customize the care they give for you. And if they customize and it still causes discomfort, find another chiropractor!

Summary: The pace of change depends on the severity of the problem, any other conditions and how consistently advice is followed. Without improvement by the fifth session the chiropractor should reassess, and by the tenth, continuing or stopping is discussed together. Honesty about daily activities matters.

Edited transcript: Another question that I often get is: how soon will I notice results? This is a good question. The speed at which you recover depends on a multitude of factors, including the severity of your symptoms and the underlying conditions. Is the discomfort you're feeling only coming from one disorder, a degenerative change, or is it complicated? All of these collectively and combined determine the rate of your recovery. And, on top of all of this, how well do you follow the instructions that a chiropractor gives you? Are you consistent with your care? However, you need to be patient. If you have a multitude of disorders complicating, even if it is one joint issue, take care, be patient, follow the chiropractor's advice. However, if improvements are not present by the fifth session, your chiropractor should assess you. They will have to reassess to see why it is delayed. It may be normal, but you don't want to wait. I never do. Your chiro may have a different plan, and if they do, fine. If by chance you have not noticed improvements, let them know by the fifth session. And if it continues that there are no improvements by the 10th session, you may want to stop or continue: a decision and a discussion that you will have to have with your chiropractor. I hope that covers that point. And finally, be honest with your chiropractor. Let them know what you did the day before. You may have increased activities. You may have gone for that run because you felt better, and after that run, the pain came back. Do not go and tell the chiropractor, “I'm not getting better.” Let them know you felt better, you went for a run, and now you're back to where you were. So honesty is key. You have to be honest with chiropractors, and chiropractors, if you're listening, you have to be honest with your patients, as a two-way road.

Summary: Not every patient needs imaging, and X-rays should be ordered only after a thorough assessment when they are indicated. In his view, full spine X-rays expose much of the body and suit scoliosis assessment, while a neck or back problem calls for sectional X-rays.

Edited transcript: Another question I always get is: do I need X-rays, MRIs or other diagnostic procedures before I see you? No, not every patient needs diagnostic imaging. And if a chiropractor asks you to go and do an X-ray before they assess or before they even see you, they're not competent. No other words that's better than that that I can use in this format to describe them. For me personally, full spine X-rays are not good. They expose everything, using George here, from the eyes all the way beneath the reproductive organs. And yes, there are some who send patients that complain of neck issues for full spine X-rays. Those are among the chiros I would suggest not to see. Full spine X-rays are good if you're only assessing for scoliosis, but if your major complaint is a neck or back issue, you need sectional X-rays. If X-rays are ever needed, they should only be ordered after a thorough assessment and only when it is indicated.

Summary: An MRI uses no radiation and shows bone, joints, muscles, ligaments and the space around the nerves, while an X-ray costs less but shows only bone. Whether imaging is needed, and which kind, is decided case by case.

Edited transcript: Now, aside from X-rays, what are other common diagnostic imaging methods that a chiropractor like me sends for? To me, an MRI is a gold standard in diagnostic imaging of neck and back or joint issues. The beautiful thing about an MRI, as I always say to patients, is that it does not hurt your body. Unlike X-rays, MRIs have zero radiation. However, they're expensive. They're more expensive than an X-ray, but they see the bone, the joint, the muscle, the ligament, and even show the space the nerves occupy. X-ray, on the other hand... it's light on your pocket because it's cheaper, but it only sees bones. So if you have a symptom similar to a nerve impingement, a spinal disc issue, for example, you have sciatic nerve issues resulting in pain, numbness or tingling down your legs, X-ray may be needed. But a better option might be, and I'm saying this with great care, might be an MRI. It has to be assessed case by case. Imaging is good because it identifies the root causes. Not only allows us to see, as chiropractors, what is the issue that you're presenting with; we can also use tools to measure the depth of that issue. As such, the diagnostic imaging plays a critical role in identifying not just the type of issues you have, but the depth the issue is presenting.

Summary: He recommends chiropractic and physiotherapy combined, describing holistic care as comprehensive care that can reach the tissue involved, rather than a single approach.

Edited transcript: And another question that I have gotten many times: should I see a chiropractor, or should I see a physiotherapist? An excellent question. In the decades I've spent taking care of patients with spine and joint issues, I have always recommended chiropractic plus physiotherapy combined. Because there are certain things a chiropractor, and only a chiropractor, is good for. And there are equally as many awesome and amazing things that a physiotherapist is good for. Combined integrative care is holistic. Holistic not meaning natural. Holistic meaning comprehensive. In order for a non-invasive approach to be holistic, it must have the capacity to reach the damaged tissue. The chiropractic adjustment is not sufficient to impact every tissue at that depth. That is where physiotherapy comes in. So when you combine chiropractic with physiotherapy, you're integrating two of the most established non-invasive spine and joint practitioners under one sitting. And that is what I would recommend. Don't choose between one or the other. Choose both. Why not? Remember, my definition of holistic is not just natural. My definition of holistic is one that is comprehensive. That is the main part of holistic care, one that is comprehensive. And it cannot be comprehensive if it is a singular approach. So get your chiropractic care and get physiotherapy simultaneously. And until our next session, stay blessed. I'm Yama Zafer. I'm a chiropractor. And I hope the contents I have produced here for you is helping you stay active and healthy. Have a good day.

Summary: A short answer recorded at the end: a full spine X-ray is not needed before seeing a chiropractor.

Edited transcript: Do I need to have a full spine X-ray before I see a chiropractor? No, you don't. I knocked out the camera.

Learn More About Chiropractic Methods and Care

For a more detailed explanation of different chiropractic techniques and how they are selected, refer to our chiropractic techniques guide.

Safety questions about children have their own evidence, and the guide to neck manipulation in children sets out the age guidance, the trials and the safety reviews.

The fees for the first examination and for care at both centers are listed on the chiropractic fees in Kuala Lumpur and physiotherapy price in Kuala Lumpur pages.

Related Spine & Joint Pages in Kuala Lumpur

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More Videos to Understand Spine, Joint, and Movement Care

These videos give additional context for viewers who want to understand posture, spinal discs, sciatica, desk habits, and joint function after learning about chiropractic safety, and the spine and joint video library lists every video guide.

FAQs About Chiropractic Safety (Video)

These questions highlight key points explained in the video.

Is chiropractic safe?

In the video, Yama Zafer, D.C., answers that chiropractic care is safe when a competent, registered chiropractor delivers it and the method suits the person's condition. Because there are hundreds of techniques and every problem differs in severity, the care has to be chosen after an assessment rather than applied the same way to everyone.

Who can perform chiropractic care?

The video explains that chiropractic care is done only by chiropractors, who train through a university degree program and are registered to practice. Spine manipulation by people without that education is, in the words of Yama Zafer, D.C., not chiropractic care but bare manipulation, which is why the training of the person matters for safety.

Why does the method matter when a disc or nerve is involved?

With moderate or severe joint degeneration, a bulged disc or a compressed nerve, the video explains that the spine should not be twisted or aggressively rotated. Methods that do not twist the spine, such as the Activator, SOT, Flexion-Distraction or Thompson technique, are the examples given, because forceful methods may provoke inflammation or worsen existing disc damage.

What is the cracking sound during a chiropractic adjustment?

The sound is called a cavitation. It comes from gas in the joint fluid, not from a bone popping in or out or from bones rubbing together. A 2015 study by Kawchuk and colleagues, which filmed finger joints with real-time MRI, found that the crack occurred as a gas-filled cavity formed inside the joint.

Is chiropractic only for the neck and back?

No. The video explains that chiropractors also care for other joints, muscles and ligaments, such as the knee and the shoulder. Using the knee as the example, it shows how a knee joint out of alignment tilts the thigh bone and places stress on the meniscus, the cartilage cushion between the thigh bone and the shin bone.

Should a chiropractic adjustment be uncomfortable?

No. In the video, chiropractic care for the neck, back, shoulder or knee should never be uncomfortable, and discomfort means it is being done too aggressively. The motto of Yama Zafer, D.C., is “No pain, more gain.” Any discomfort should be reported at once, so the chiropractor can change the care to suit the person.

How soon are changes noticed with chiropractic care?

It depends on how severe the problem is, whether other conditions complicate it, and how consistently the advice is followed. In the video, if no improvement shows by the fifth session the chiropractor should reassess, and by the tenth session whether to continue is a decision made together. Being honest about daily activities helps that review.

Do I need an X-ray before seeing a chiropractor?

Not every patient does. The video explains that imaging should be ordered only after a thorough assessment and only when it is indicated, with sectional X-rays for a neck or back problem and full spine X-rays kept for scoliosis assessment. A 2009 review in The Lancet found that routine imaging for low back pain without signs of a serious condition did not improve outcomes.

What is the difference between an MRI and an X-ray?

An MRI uses no radiation and shows bone, joints, muscles, ligaments and the space around the nerves, but it costs more. An X-ray costs less and shows bone only. For nerve or disc symptoms such as pain, numbness or tingling down the leg, the video suggests an MRI may be the better choice, decided case by case.

Should I see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist?

The video recommends both together rather than one or the other. Yama Zafer, D.C., uses holistic to mean comprehensive, not just natural: a chiropractic adjustment alone does not reach every tissue at depth, which is where physiotherapy comes in, so combining the two forms a more comprehensive non-invasive approach to spine and joint care.

References

The sources below are the studies cited on this page.

  1. Kawchuk GN, Fryer J, Jaremko JL, Zeng H, Rowe L, Thompson R. Real-time visualization of joint cavitation. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0119470.
  2. Chou R, Fu R, Carrino JA, Deyo RA. Imaging strategies for low-back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2009;373(9662):463-472.

These studies describe joint cavitation and imaging for low back pain in general. Neither of them evaluates care at Chiropractic Specialty Center.

The Author of Is Chiropractic Safe? 13 Questions Answered (Video)

Is Chiropractic Safe? 13 Questions Answered (Video) was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Last Updated: Is Chiropractic Safe? 13 Questions Answered (Video)

Is Chiropractic Safe? 13 Questions Answered (Video) was last reviewed and updated on October 4, 2026.