Yes, it is generally very safe to get X-rayed at a chiropractor — modern digital X-ray equipment uses a small fraction of the radiation older film systems required, the dose from a typical spinal X-ray is well below any level linked to measurable health risk, and imaging is only ordered when it will genuinely change your treatment plan. At Dohrmann Chiropractic in Kansas City, we understand why radiation exposure is a common worry, so here’s exactly what’s involved.
How Much Radiation Is in a Digital Chiropractic X-Ray?
A single digital X-ray image typically involves a radiation dose well under 1 millisievert (mSv), and even a fuller spinal series generally stays in a range that’s a small fraction of what the average person absorbs from natural background radiation in a single year. For comparison, the average person in the U.S. receives roughly 3 mSv per year just from cosmic rays, radon, and other naturally occurring sources — radiation you’re exposed to simply by living on Earth, with no X-ray involved at all.
How Does That Compare to Everyday Radiation Exposure?
The radiation from a chiropractic X-ray is comparable to a period of days to a few weeks of the natural background radiation everyone absorbs just going about daily life, and it’s dramatically lower than the dose from a CT scan, which typically delivers 10 to 50 times more radiation than a standard X-ray. A single long airline flight also exposes you to measurable radiation from increased cosmic ray exposure at altitude — often more than you’d think, and directly comparable to some individual X-ray images.
None of this means radiation exposure should be treated casually. It means the amount involved in a properly ordered chiropractic X-ray is small enough that the diagnostic benefit clearly outweighs the minimal risk in the vast majority of cases.
Why Is Digital X-Ray Technology Safer Than Older Film X-Rays?
Digital X-ray sensors are far more sensitive to radiation than older film-based systems, which means significantly less radiation is needed to produce a clear, usable image. This is one of the biggest advantages of the on-site digital equipment we use at Dohrmann Chiropractic — not just faster results, but meaningfully lower radiation exposure per image compared to the film X-ray technology many people picture when they think about getting X-rayed.
Is It Safe to Get X-Rayed If You’re Pregnant?
X-rays of the spine are generally avoided during pregnancy as a precaution, even though the doses involved in a properly shielded chiropractic X-ray are low, simply because there are alternative ways to evaluate and treat pregnant patients without any radiation exposure at all. We always ask about pregnancy before ordering any imaging, and we have safe, effective treatment approaches that don’t require X-rays for expectant mothers.
How Often Can You Safely Get X-Rayed?
There’s no universal limit on how often you can safely get X-rayed, but the guiding principle for every doctor is to order imaging only when it will meaningfully change your diagnosis or treatment plan — not on a routine schedule regardless of need. If your condition or symptoms change significantly, updated imaging might be warranted. If nothing has changed clinically, repeating an X-ray you already have on file usually isn’t necessary.
Can You See a Herniated Disc on an X-Ray, or Do You Need an MRI?
A standard X-ray shows bone alignment, joint spacing, and signs of degeneration, but it doesn’t directly show soft tissue like a herniated disc or a bulging disc — for that level of detail, an MRI is needed. X-rays are still extremely valuable as a first step, since they quickly rule out fractures, instability, and structural issues that would change how we proceed, and they often explain enough of the picture that an MRI isn’t needed at all.
When X-ray findings and your symptoms suggest something an X-ray can’t fully evaluate, we’ll refer you for an MRI as part of a complete workup rather than guessing based on incomplete information.
Is It Safe for Children to Get X-Rayed?
Pediatric X-rays are used far more selectively than adult imaging, and modern digital equipment combined with proper technique and shielding keeps radiation exposure to children extremely low when imaging is genuinely necessary. Most pediatric chiropractic visits don’t require any X-ray at all; when they’re recommended, it’s because the specific case — often related to trauma, a significant structural concern, or scoliosis screening — genuinely calls for it.
Why Kansas City Patients Trust Our Digital X-Ray Safety Standards
Dr. Ben Dohrmann, Dr. Kevin McFadden, and Dr. Frank Siraguso use on-site digital imaging exactly the way it’s meant to be used — as a targeted diagnostic tool, not a routine formality — for patients throughout Kansas City, Gladstone, Parkville, Liberty, Smithville, Clay County, and Platte County. If you have questions about whether X-ray imaging is right for your specific situation, we’ll walk you through the reasoning before we ever take an image.
Schedule online, call or text us at (816) 436-5520, or visit us at 9576 N McGee St, Kansas City, MO 64155.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to get X-rayed at a chiropractor?
Yes, generally. Digital X-ray equipment uses a small fraction of the radiation older systems required, and typical doses are well below levels linked to any measurable health risk.
How much radiation is in a chiropractic X-ray?
A single digital X-ray image typically involves a dose well under 1 millisievert, a small fraction of the roughly 3 millisieverts most people absorb annually from natural background radiation alone.
Is chiropractic X-ray radiation more or less than a CT scan?
Significantly less. A CT scan typically delivers 10 to 50 times more radiation than a standard X-ray image.
Can you get X-rayed while pregnant?
Spinal X-rays are generally avoided during pregnancy as a precaution, and safe, effective treatment approaches that don’t require any radiation exposure are used instead.
How often can you safely get X-rayed?
There’s no fixed limit, but imaging should only be ordered when it will meaningfully change your diagnosis or treatment plan, not on a routine schedule regardless of need.
Can an X-ray show a herniated or bulging disc?
Not directly. X-rays show bone alignment and joint spacing, while an MRI is needed to see soft tissue detail like a herniated or bulging disc.
Is it safe for children to get X-rayed?
Yes, when genuinely needed. Pediatric X-rays are used more selectively than adult imaging, and modern digital equipment with proper shielding keeps exposure very low.
Does Dohrmann Chiropractic treat patients outside Kansas City?
Yes. We regularly treat patients from Gladstone, Parkville, Liberty, Smithville, and throughout Clay County and Platte County, in addition to Kansas City itself.