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Did
You Know?
Chiropractic
is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession.
There are approximately 60,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active
practice in the United States spread from rural areas to inner cities.
More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic educational
programs accredited by a federally-recognized body (CCE).
Doctors of Chiropractic
are primary health care providers.
According to the Center for Studies in Health Policy, “The DC can
provide all three levels of primary care interventions and therefore
is a primary care provider, as are MDs and DOs. The doctor of chiropractic
is a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner
who provides primary care services. The DC’s office is a direct
access portal of entry to the full scope of service.”
Chiropractic
is recognized by governmental health care programs.
Chiropractic is included in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health
Care Benefits Programs, Federal Workers' Compensation and all state
workers' compensation programs. Chiropractic students are qualified
to receive federal student loan assistance and DCs are authorized to
be commissioned as health care officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The practice
of chiropractic is based on sound scientific principles.
The existence
of the nervous system as the primary control mechanism of the body is
an undisputed scientific fact. Its relationship with the spine is the
focus of the practice of chiropractic. The spine develops in utero to
provide two primary functions: (1) allow for freedom of movement and
(2) house and protect the spinal cord. When the vertebrae of the spine
become misaligned through trauma or repetitive injury, two major consequences
will result: (1) the range of motion becomes limited and (2) spinal
nerves emerging from the spinal cord are compromised. DCs use the term
"subluxation" to describe such disruptions. Interruption of
nerve flow can eventually lead to pain, disability, and an overall decrease
in the quality of life. Conversely, the removal of that interference
has been shown to have significant, lasting health benefits. Through
the adjustment of the subluxation, the doctor of chiropractic endeavors
to restore normal nerve expression. The body is then able to respond
appropriately to any imbalance in the system, thus relieving symptoms
and restoring health.
Doctors of chiropractic
provide effective, low-cost health care for a wide range of conditions.
Studies conducted according to the highest scientific standards and
published by organizations not affiliated in any way with chiropractic
institutions or associations continue to show the clinical appropriateness
and effectiveness of chiropractic care. One of the most recent, funded
by the Ontario Ministry of Health, stated emphatically that:
"On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical
studies, spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be
more effective than alternative treatments for low back pain...There
would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low back
pain was transferred from physician to chiropractors."
The doctor of chiropractic is an effective source of preventative and
wellness care.
The anatomical focus of the DC on the human spine has created the perception
of the DC as just a "back doctor." Although this perception
is not entirely incorrect, it is very much incomplete. Doctors of chiropractic
are a highly appropriate resource in matters of work-place safety, stress
management, injury prevention, postural correction and nutritional counseling."
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