X-Ray Safety

But What About Radiation?

We get it—some people worry about x-ray exposure. But here’s the truth: the radiation used in our digital imaging is extremely low and completely safe.

  • The entire Chiropractic X-ray Series we use exposes you to just 20 milliroentgens (mR).
  • By comparison, you get 300 mR per year from natural background radiation—just from living on Earth.
  • Flying at high altitude naturally increases your exposure to radiation—often more than what’s used in a full set of chiropractic x-rays.
  • A single chest x-ray? 25 mR—more than our entire series.
  • CT scans can expose you to 100–400x more radiation than a set of chiropractic x-rays.
  • Mammograms and chest x-rays still use more radiation than the full chiropractic series.
  • Our x-rays offer a safe, low-dose option while giving the structural detail we need to guide your care.

In fact, national safety guidelines allow up to 10,000 mR during pregnancy—meaning it would take over 3,000 of our x-ray sessions to even approach that threshold.

Thanks to modern technology and precise imaging protocols, you get peace of mind and a complete picture of what’s going on beneath the surface.

Sources for Radiation Exposure Comparisons

  • Mayo Clinic — Guidelines on safe radiation exposure during pregnancy
  • National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) — Recommended limits for occupational and public radiation exposure
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — Radiation exposure from medical imaging
  • RadiologyInfo.org — Patient-friendly details on imaging risks and radiation doses
  • Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research — Data on chiropractic x-ray dosage and repeatability (Pettibon studies)

Why X-rays and Sitting Matter

Your care starts with a detailed spinal exam—including digital X-rays taken while seated. Why seated? Because sitting increases pressure on the discs and soft tissues of your spine by up to 50% more than lying down. This makes it easier to see where the spine is buckling or misaligned.

And we don’t guess. We take repeatable, precise X-rays at key stages of care to track your progress and make sure your spine is actually changing—not just feeling better temporarily. Every set is taken, marked, and measured exactly the same way, every time.

Designed to Heal

When we can see what’s happening inside your spine, we can better understand what your body needs to heal the way God designed it to. Our goal is to restore what’s been lost, build resilience, and help your body function at its best—safely, naturally, and confidently.

Because at Revive, we don’t just want you to feel better.
We want you to heal better.