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WHAT
IS CHIROPRACTIC?
Chiropractic is a branch of the healing
arts which is concerned with human health and disease processes.
Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated
being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical
aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological,
vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.
The practice and procedures which may be employed by Doctors of
Chiropractic are based on the academic and clinical training received
in and through accredited chiropractic colleges and include, but
are not limited to, the use of current diagnostic and therapeutic
procedures. Such procedures specifically include the adjustment
and manipulation of the articulations and adjacent tissues of the
human body, particularly of the spinal column. Included is the treatment
of intersegmental aberrations for alleviation of related functional
disorders.
Chiropractic is a drug-free, non-surgical science and, as such,
does not utilize pharmaceuticals or incisive surgery. Due regard
shall be given to the fact that state laws, as well as the nation's
antitrust laws, may allow Doctors of Chiropractic to utilize ancillary
health care procedures commonly referred to as being in the common
domain.
History of Chiropractic
Care
The roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the
beginning of recorded time. Writings from China and Greece written
in 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering
of the lower extremities to ease low back pain. Hippocrates, the Greek
physician, who lived from 460 to 357 B.C., also published texts detailing
the importance of chiropractic care. In one of his writings he declares,
"Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many
diseases". In the United States,
the practice of spinal manipulation began gaining momentum in the
late nineteenth century. In 1895, Daniel David Palmer founded the
Chiropractic profession in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer was well read
in medical journals of his time and had great knowledge of the developments
that were occurring throughout the world regarding anatomy and physiology.
Throughout the twentieth century, doctors of
chiropractic gained legal recognition in all fifty states. A continuing
recognition and respect for the chiropractic profession in the United
States has led to growing support for chiropractic care all over
the world. The research that has emerged from around the world has
yielded incredibly influential results, which have changed, shaped
and molded perceptions of chiropractic care. The report, Chiropractic
in New Zealand published in 1979 strongly supported the efficacy
of chiropractic care and elicited medical cooperation in conjunction
with chiropractic care. The 1993 Manga study published in Canada
investigated the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care. The results
of this study concluded that chiropractic care would save hundreds
of millions of dollars annually with regard to work disability payments
and direct health care costs.
Doctors of chiropractic have become pioneers
in the field of non-invasive care promoting science-based approaches
to a variety of ailments. A continuing dedication to chiropractic
research could lead to even more discoveries in preventing and combating
maladies in future years.
Education of Doctors of Chiropractic
Doctors of Chiropractic must complete
four to five years at an accredited chiropractic college. The complete
curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory
and clinical experience. Approximately 555 hours are devoted to
learning about adjustive techniques and spinal analysis in colleges
of chiropractic. In medical schools, training to become proficient
in manipulation is generally not required of, or offered to, students.
The Council on Chiropractic Education requires that students have
90 hours of undergraduate courses with science as the focus.
Those intending to become doctors of chiropractic
must also pass the national board exam and all exams required by
the state in which the individual wishes to practice. The individual
must also meet all individual state licensing requirements in order
to become a doctor of chiropractic.
An individual studying to become a doctor
of chiropractic receives an education in both the basic and clinical
sciences and in related health subjects. The intention of the basic
chiropractic curriculum is to provide an in-depth understanding
of the structure and function of the human body in health and disease.
The educational program includes training in the basic medical sciences,
including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and biochemistry.
Thorough training is also obtained in differential diagnosis, radiology
and therapeutic techniques. This means, a doctor of chiropractic
can both diagnose and treat patients, which separates them from
non-physician status providers, like physical therapists. According
to the Council on Chiropractic Education, DCs are trained as Primary
care Providers.
What is a Doctor of Chiropractic?
The proper title for a doctor of chiropractic
is "doctor" as they are considered physicians under Medicare
and in the overwhelming majority of states. The professional credentials
abbreviation " D.C." means doctor of chiropractic. ACA
also advocates in its Policies on Public Health that DCs may be
referred to as (chiropractic) physicians as well.
Chiropractic Philosophy
As a profession, the primary belief is
in natural and conservative methods of health care. Doctors of chiropractic
have a deep respect for the human body's ability to heal itself
without the use of surgery or medication. These doctors devote careful
attention to the biomechanics, structure and function of the spine,
its effects on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems, and
the role played by the proper function of these systems in the preservation
and restoration of health. A Doctor of Chiropractic is one who is
involved in the treatment and prevention of disease, as well as
the promotion of public health, and a wellness approach to patient
healthcare.
Scope of Practice
Doctors of Chiropractic frequently treat
individuals with neuromusculoskeletal complaints, such as headaches,
joint pain, neck pain, low back pain and sciatica. Chiropractors
also treat patients with osteoarthritis, spinal disk conditions,
carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, sprains, and strains. However,
the scope of conditions that Doctors of Chiropractic manage or provide
care for is not limited to neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractors
have the training to treat a variety of non-neuromusculoskeletal
conditions such as: allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, otitis
media (non-suppurative) and other disorders as new research is developed.
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Works Cited
Chapman-Smith, David: The Chiropractic Profession. West Des Moines,
Iowa, NCMIC Group Inc., 2000: 11-17, 70-71.
Chiropractic: State of Art. Arlington, Virginia, American Chiropractic
Association, 1998: 2-3, 12-14.
Spinal Manipulation Policy Statement. Arlington, Virginia: American
Chiropractic Association, 1999: 6.
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