To truly provide informed consent, you need to be made aware of the potential benefits, risks and alternatives that may exist regarding the care we are suggesting for you.

By discussing this document with your Chiropractor, signing and submitting the form, a copy will be saved for our records, and a copy will also be sent directly to you via email!

Clear brain-body connection requires that your nervous system, spinal cord and the joints of your spine (and body)  are functioning at their best to ensure correct input-output loops and ideal coordination and control.

As such our recommendations usually begin with a period of intensive care, with frequency of visits reducing over time, as we see your body begin to respond, change and ‘learn’ new habits.

We regularly reassess your progress and re-confirm your goals and desires because we’re all about providing you with cutting-edge healthcare - you achieving desired outcomes is the cornerstone of that aim!

Chiropractic has only one goal.  It is important that each patient understand both the objective and the method that will be used to attain it. This will prevent any confusion or disappointment.

Our intent with the chiropractic element of your program of care is to find and then normalise subluxations through adjustment techniques (an approach specific to the chiropractic profession).

Definitions:

Adjustment: An adjustment is the specific application of forces to facilitate the body’s correction of vertebral subluxation.  Our chiropractic method of correction is by specific adjustments of the spine. 

Health:  A state of optimal physical, mental and social well being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Vertebral Subluxation:  A misalignment of one or more of the 24 vertebra in the spinal column which causes alteration of nerve function and interference to the transmission of mental impulses, resulting in a lessening of the body’s innate ability to express its maximum health potential.

We'll celebrate with you if symptoms or illnesses improve, but we never claim to 'treat' ‘fix’, or ‘cure’ symptoms or disease processes.

We do not offer to diagnose or treat any disease or condition other than vertebral subluxation.  However, if during the course of a chiropractic spinal examination, we encounter non-chiropractic or unusual findings, we will advise you.  If you desire advice, diagnosis or treatment for those findings, we will recommend that you seek the services of a health care provider who specialises in that area.

Regardless of what the disease is called, we do not offer to treat it.  Nor do we offer advice regarding treatment prescribed by others.  OUR ONLY PRACTICE OBJECTIVE is to eliminate a major interference to the expression of the body’s innate wisdom.  Our only method is specific adjusting to correct vertebral subluxations.  Any nutritional support, home-care, neuro-emotional work or lifestyle change recommendations is done to support the correction of your subluxations.

Increased energy and concentration

Better sleep

Better productivity

Better balance and body coordination

Reduced discomfort and inflammation

Better flexibility

Weight-release (-loss)

Choosing to implement healthy life strategies (exercise, yoga, life-planning, and more!)

Better ‘quality of life’ as measured by valid outcome measures

Improved moods, emotions and in some cases, mental health outcomes

Better interpersonal relationships Increased levels of happiness, fun and vitality.

The relatively benign but somewhat common risks that may occur include: muscle and joint soreness, sometimes bruising, nausea and dizziness or referral of symptoms to other areas of the body – usually due to the releasing of micro-scars in body tissues, and improved movement and function of your body.

If these occur, they tend to pass very quickly.

With your first several visits you may:

1) notice no immediate change,
2) you may feel some degree of improvement (through to feeling remarkably better!), or
3) it may seem as though any health challenges have been exacerbated (made worse).

All three of these outcomes are possible and normal, but your chiropractor will provide their phone number in case you feel particularly different and need to clarify what you are feeling.

Rare (and potentially serious) Risks:

There are rare risks of fracture (including of the ribs) and exacerbation of injuries such as disc protrusions/encroachments/ruptures (in the order of 1/139,000 (neck) & 1/62,000 (low back)) which may cause nerve irritation.

These usually only occur as a result of pre-existing conditions, poor assessment and examination practices, or a lack of appropriate professionalism with your care – all things we strive to eliminate in our professional care to you.

Chiropractors are the only health professionals trained in analysing for subluxation and adjusting subluxations to improve brain-body communication.

Most pain syndromes and conditions have what is called a 'natural history' meaning the symptoms will likely resolve over time on their own (if you do nothing to aggravate them further). However as described earlier, our intent is not to treat your symptoms, it is to address your subluxations to enhance your brain-body. 

For the suppression of symptoms, ‘fixing’, ‘curing’ and ‘treating’ of conditions (if that is what you want right now) there are definitely alternatives. A range of bodywork modalities such as massage, myotherapy, physiotherapy, alternative practitioners, and the traditional medical system including medications or surgery are all at your disposal. In fact, if the reduction of pain is your primary aim, often the chemist is the faster, cheaper alternative! 

One clear alternative is having no chiropractic care at all!
Many people in our society make that choice every day, usually because they just don't know about the potential benefits of chiropractic care.

Beyond the possible benefits already outlined, normalising messages to the brain and reducing the unconscious ‘stress’ response in the body can have potentially vast outcomes – improvements to many body-wide (systemic) functional disturbances and improvements in learning, behaviour and memory are just some of the possible benefits of regular chiropractic care.

Based on the research and theory underpinning this healthcare approach, if you choose no chiropractic care, you are potentially living a shorter, worse life than you otherwise could!

1. I acknowledge that I have discussed with Dr Ben Phillips the rare risks associated with proposed care. Such risks may lead to referral, further tests, surgery, incapacity and the like.

2. In the event that there are any potential risks or modifying factors specific to my case,  Dr Ben Phillips has outlined these below, and I also acknowledge that they have been explained to me.

3. I have had the opportunity to discuss the proposed care with Dr Ben Phillips and Iacknowledgethat I have had the opportunity to ask questions about the nature, extent and purpose of the proposed chiropractic care and that I have been given sufficient time to make a decision giving consent for the care to proceed.

4. I acknowledge that I am aware of and understand the potential risks. I appreciate that results are not guaranteed.

5. I do not expect the practitioner to be able to anticipate all potential risks and complicationsassociated with the proposed care.

6. I hereby acknowledge my consent to the performance of the proposed chiropractic care by Dr Ben Phillips and/or any other chiropractor working in this health centre. I understand that I can withdraw consent at any time.

7. I acknowledge that an email copy of this document will be sent to me upon submission.