Diving after Chiropractic adjustments

Are there any issues with diving within a few hours of getting a chiropractic adjustment?
A: There are no studies investigating the relationship between chiropractic adjustments and scuba diving. The possible medical fitness-to-dive concerns would be the underlying need for an adjustment (e.g., lower-back and/or neck pain, headache, etc.) and whether the condition represents any physical or functional impairment that might interfere with dive safety or the ability to respond appropriately to an emergency.
Furthermore, some people might experience complications or side effects for a few days following a chiropractic adjustment. These symptoms can include headache, fatigue, pain and swelling that may appear as shooting radicular pain, or weakness in parts of the body that were treated — all of which could be mistaken for decompression sickness (DCS) and lead to an unnecessary recompression treatment.
Similarly, DCS symptoms could be incorrectly attributed to possible complications or side effects from the adjustment or the underlying condition being treated. While we do not believe there is any physiological association between dive safety and a chiropractic adjustment, we just don’t know. The bottom line is that based on the assumption that the underlying disorder is not a contraindication for diving and the adjustment goes well, it would be wise to allow several days before considering a dive to ensure you are in top condition.
Diving should be a positive experience, so dive with care. DAN is here to answer any questions you or your physician may have about diving and your health.
— Daniel A. Nord, EMT-P, CHT
A: There are no studies investigating the relationship between chiropractic adjustments and scuba diving. The possible medical fitness-to-dive concerns would be the underlying need for an adjustment (e.g., lower-back and/or neck pain, headache, etc.) and whether the condition represents any physical or functional impairment that might interfere with dive safety or the ability to respond appropriately to an emergency.
Furthermore, some people might experience complications or side effects for a few days following a chiropractic adjustment. These symptoms can include headache, fatigue, pain and swelling that may appear as shooting radicular pain, or weakness in parts of the body that were treated — all of which could be mistaken for decompression sickness (DCS) and lead to an unnecessary recompression treatment.
Similarly, DCS symptoms could be incorrectly attributed to possible complications or side effects from the adjustment or the underlying condition being treated. While we do not believe there is any physiological association between dive safety and a chiropractic adjustment, we just don’t know. The bottom line is that based on the assumption that the underlying disorder is not a contraindication for diving and the adjustment goes well, it would be wise to allow several days before considering a dive to ensure you are in top condition.
Diving should be a positive experience, so dive with care. DAN is here to answer any questions you or your physician may have about diving and your health.
— Daniel A. Nord, EMT-P, CHT
Posted in Alert Diver Fall Editions, Dive Fitness, Dive Safety FAQ
Tagged with Spinal pain, Back pain, Chiropractic, Back treatment, Back adjustment
Tagged with Spinal pain, Back pain, Chiropractic, Back treatment, Back adjustment
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