The best chiropractors in Invercargill cover everything from an acute back that has just gone to long term postural work, and the city’s two practices take noticeably different approaches. Southland Chiropractic is a Southland wide group with six chiropractors between its clinics, digital X-ray on site and Saturday morning hours. Invercargill Chiropractic Clinic is a long established practice on Deveron Street that will see you without an appointment. Both treat under ACC and neither needs a referral from your doctor.
1Southland Chiropractic
Southland Chiropractic runs four clinics across Southland, with the Invercargill site on Arena Avenue described on their own page as the flagship. It is the larger of the two practices here, with five chiropractors and five chiropractic assistants, and all of its chiropractors are members of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association. The Invercargill clinic is the only one of the four with digital X-ray on site, and all films are formally reported by a radiologist rather than read in house.
Services
- Chiropractic adjustment using diversified and drop table techniques
- On site digital X-ray, with films reported by a radiologist
- Three dimensional movement analysis at initial consultation and at progress reviews
- Postural, range of motion and movement pattern assessment
- ACC funded treatment
Highlights
- Digital X-ray at the Invercargill clinic specifically, which the group’s other three sites do not have
- Uses Gonstead, sacro-occipital and Activator techniques alongside its main manual approach, so low force options exist
- All chiropractors are members of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association
- Infrared movement analysis used to track objective progress between visits rather than by feel
- Saturday mornings and a Wednesday evening session, useful if you cannot get away in work hours
Location & Contact
Name: Southland Chiropractic
Address: 80 Arena Avenue, Invercargill
Phone: 03 217 9995
Website: southlandchiropractic.co.nz
2Invercargill Chiropractic Clinic
Invercargill Chiropractic Clinic works from Deveron Street, with a second clinic in Gore, and is led by chiropractor Richard Tucker, who holds a Doctor of Chiropractic. The site states more than forty years serving the Invercargill and Gore communities. It is the more informal of the two, accepting people straight off the street without a booking, which matters when your back goes on a Monday morning.
Services
- Spinal adjustment, hands on as the primary method
- Gentle low force techniques for those who prefer or need them
- Referral for imaging and laboratory tests where symptoms warrant it
- ACC treatment with no doctor’s referral required
Highlights
- Accepts walk-ins without an appointment
- More than forty years of practice behind the lead chiropractor
- Two Southland locations from one practice, in Invercargill and Gore
- Publishes condition specific guidance covering sciatica, headaches, postural correction and workplace strain
Location & Contact
Name: Invercargill Chiropractic Clinic
Address: 109 Deveron Street, Invercargill
Phone: 03 218 6231
Website: invercargillchiropractic.co.nz
How to Choose the Right Chiropractor in Invercargill
- Check the practitioner is registered. Chiropractor is a protected title in New Zealand, so anyone using it must be registered with the Chiropractic Board and hold a current annual practising certificate.
- Ask about technique before you book if you are nervous about being adjusted. Both Invercargill practices offer low force alternatives to the traditional manual adjustment, but you have to say so.
- If you have had an accident, mention ACC at the first call. Both practices treat under ACC and neither requires a referral from your doctor.
- Decide whether you want imaging. One clinic has digital X-ray on site with films read by a radiologist, the other refers out, and neither approach is wrong.
- Consider how you want to book. One practice takes walk-ins, which suits an acute problem, while the other runs appointments including Saturday mornings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Invercargill Chiropractors
How soon can I be seen?
One Invercargill practice accepts people without a booking, which is the one to try if your back has gone today. The other runs appointments, including Saturday mornings and a Wednesday evening. If the problem is acute, say so when you ring rather than taking the next available slot.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. You can book a chiropractor directly in New Zealand, and both Invercargill practices state that no GP referral is required, including for ACC treatment. If you are already under a doctor for the same problem it is still worth telling both.
Will ACC cover it?
If your problem is the result of an accident, usually yes, and both practices are ACC providers. Chiropractors can lodge an ACC claim directly. You will normally still pay a part charge, so ask what the surcharge is when you book.
Is chiropractic care regulated in New Zealand?
Yes. Chiropractor is a protected title, and practitioners must be registered with the New Zealand Chiropractic Board and hold a current annual practising certificate. You can check any practitioner’s registration on the Board’s public register.
What actually happens at a first appointment?
Expect a history, a physical assessment covering posture, range of motion and movement, and often some form of objective measurement before anything is adjusted. One Invercargill clinic uses infrared movement analysis at the initial visit and repeats it at review so progress is measured rather than guessed. Treatment may or may not begin at that first visit.
Do I need an X-ray?
Not always, and it depends on your history and what the assessment shows. One Invercargill clinic has digital X-ray on site and has every film formally reported by a radiologist, and the other refers out for imaging where symptoms warrant it. Ask why an X-ray is being recommended if you are unsure.
Is the adjustment painful?
Generally not, though it can feel unfamiliar, and some people are sore for a day afterwards in the way you are after unaccustomed exercise. If the traditional manual adjustment worries you, say so, because both practices offer gentler low force techniques including instrument assisted methods.
Can chiropractors treat children or during pregnancy?
Many do, with modified low force techniques, but approaches vary between practitioners. Ask directly what experience the chiropractor has with your situation rather than assuming. If you are pregnant, tell them at booking rather than on arrival, since it changes how the appointment is set up.