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Are Chiropractors Quacks?
The popularity of chiropractic care is increasing, but misconceptions remain. Many people don’t know what chiropractors do, or they’ve heard only sensationalized “news” stories.
“Chiro” comes from the Greek for “hand”; chiropractors use their hands and other tools to move, or “adjust,” joints and muscles to ensure proper functioning. Under various names, manual manipulation has been used for thousands of years; in its present form, chiropractic has been practiced for more than 100 years.
Think of a chiropractor as a primary-care doctor who specializes in muscles and joints. Today’s doctors of chiropractic complete rigorous training that is similar to medical school but with more emphasis on anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. Chiropractors also have undergraduate degrees in human biology or another biologic science and thousands of hours of hands-on technique training.
Chiropractic has proven effective at treating many conditions. Studies indicate that for both acute and chronic (long-term) lower back pain, spinal manipulative treatment provides more relief than many other types of care, including prescription drugs. According to the World Health Organization, chiropractic can reduce by almost a third the need for costly, painful back surgeries.
Many chiropractors are also trained in physical therapy and incorporate stretching, muscle work, traction, etc., into their treatments. In Maryland, you can ask your doctor if he has “physical therapy privileges”; in this state, that indicates a separate specialty equivalent to a physical therapist and can be helpful for rehabilitating chronic problems.
Chiropractors also provide preventive or maintenance care. Although insurers don’t always cover services aimed at keeping people well in the first place, most of us intuitively know how much a pain-free daily life is worth it’s priceless! Preventive care may range from once-weekly visits for some people to monthly “tune-ups” for others. If, on the other hand, you already have symptoms, a more intensive course of therapy may be necessary to fix and stabilize the problem.
Of course, like more traditional (“allopathic”) doctors, not all chiropractors use the same treatments or approaches (and some are more competent than others). Some chiropractors limit their care to spinal adjustments; others specialize in sports injuries or pediatrics. I personally treat all types of patients but specialize in those having problems with their extremities or jaws.
