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Despite the increasing demand for the services of a chiropractor, there are only 150 Chiropractors in Ireland.

With more and more people suffering from back pain — due to bad posture, sports injuries and work-related incidents — chiropractors are becoming highly sought after. Chiropractic is the 100-year-old practice of using non-evasive ways to treat neck and back pain and for many a visit to a chiropractor can be a godsend.

However, despite the increasing demand for the services of a chiropractor, there are just 150 registered with the Chiropractic Association of Ireland (CAI), and as yet none of the universities in this country offers a chiropractic course.

Those interested in becoming qualified chiropractors usually travel abroad to the US, UK or Australia. Two universities in the UK offer the course at present — the University of Glamorgan in Wales has a four-year degree course, while the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth offers both degree and master’s courses.

Jim Cosgrave, president of CAI, says the courses are very intense, with chiropractic students doing pre-clinical sciences to the same degree as medical students. He believes it is only a matter of time before a university in Ireland offers the course.

“Chiropractic treatment is inherently successful as a treatment. If we go back to 1986, there were fewer than 10 chiropractors in the country then, but 20 years later, there’s 15 times that amount. That’s because of that inherent success.”

With the majority of chiropractors being self-employed, Cosgrave says flexibility is a huge advantage of the job. However, he points out that due to a huge demand for their services, chiropractors lead busy lives.

“One advantage for the chiropractor as a self-employed health care practitioner is that you can dictate your own hours, but your hours need to be suitable for the people who need you,” notes Cosgrave.

With the majority of chiropractors being self-employed, the average salary for the profession varies. Cosgrave says a new graduate can expect a salary of €50,000 plus.

The traits needed for the job are a scientific mind, empathy and good listening skills, according to Cosgrave. He says the skill of joint manipulation comes later.

“The actual skill of joint manipulation takes a long time, many years in fact, to become very proficient in. Generally the techniques shouldn’t rely on strength. It’s more about position and finesse. There are some very, very small chiropractors treating some very big individuals.”

Ironically, some chiropractors can suffer bad backs from their work, but Cosgrave says the disadvantages of the job are very few. “It’s a tremendous job, it’s a tremendous career and one that I would strongly recommend any school leaver to do.”

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Athenry native Attracta Farrell has been a chiropractor for four years. The 29-year-old studied chiropractic at the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth, doing a four-year degree and then a masters.

“I had a car crash and was going for various therapies and found that chiropractic was the one for me,” she says. “It is a very intense medical course, but it’s enjoyable.”

Farrell now runs her own practice in Athenry, dividing her time between Dublin and Galway. She worked in both counties until she got pregnant last year. Since the birth, she has expanded her practice in Galway to a chiropractic and complementary health clinic and works there three days a week.

Being pregnant did not pose a problem for the chiropractor, who worked right up until three weeks from her due date. “From my perspective I think women would be better adjusted because we’re more flexible. You have to adapt yourself around a person’s size, and when you’re pregnant you have to adapt yourself around your own size.”

Farrell is very definite about the traits a chiropractor must possess: “You need to care and you need to be able to listen to your patients, as sometimes they won’t tell you directly what is wrong with them. You need to be patient and you do need to be hardworking,” she says.

Linda Daly