Fact or Fiction – Chiropractic Care

As with any profession, many types of doctors exist with specialties as varied as those who specialize in feet (podiatrists) to those who work with female reproductive health (OB-GYNs) to those who care for their patients’ spines (chiropractors). Some have questioned the authenticity of chiropractors because they don’t spend time in a surgical unit cutting into their patients, and they don’t prescribe aggressive medication for various ailments.

Patients are quick to associate modern medicine with invasive techniques and procedures and assume that a healthcare professional who doesn’t work in an operating theater isn’t in a “real” profession. Contrary to what you might believe, licensed chiropractors spend time in school like traditional medical doctors, and the accrediting agency responsible for licensing is recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Here are some common myths associated with the chiropractic care and the medical professionals who practice in the field.

Myth #1: Chiropractors are Not Real Doctors

One of the most commonly held beliefs about chiropractors is that they’re not “real” doctors. When a future chiropractor enters school, he or she will be working toward a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. The curriculum for this degree is rigorous, just like the degree sought by a traditional medical doctor.

Further, the program a chiropractor must complete before they are fully trained and licensed requires more hours of classroom education than students in traditional medical programs. Additionally, a chiropractor must complete residencies, just like medical doctors, where they are supervised by a licensed doctor of chiropractic.

Did You Know? All U.S. states license chiropractors and many countries around the world also license their chiropractors.

The training received by a chiropractor versus a medical doctor isn’t the largest difference between these two types of health care professionals. The largest difference is how chiropractors approach treatment for their patients versus a traditional doctor. A chiropractor will use tools like exercises, stretches, muscle therapy, and adjustments to aid healing and reduce physical pain. A medical doctor may use medication and surgery.

Myth #2: The Medical Establishment Doesn’t Like Chiropractors

At one time, around the World War II era, the American Medical Association (AMA) voiced strong opposition to the work done by chiropractors. Efforts continued for several decades to reduce the prevalence of the chiropractic profession, and a state-level Supreme Court case in the 1980s actually found the AMA was guilty of conspiracy to destroy the profession.

The AMA was told to pay restitution to the profession, and the thirty years that have elapsed since that landmark court case have seen a turnaround regarding the respect the overall medical profession has formed for chiropractors. In fact, many family practice centers and clinics, like Pro-Care Medical Center, have a chiropractor in Austin TX on staff, and physicians routinely send their patients to chiropractors for specialized care.

Myth #3: Chiropractic Care Hasn’t Been Shown Effective

One of the common misconceptions about chiropractic care is that it isn’t effective and is more akin to a “placebo effect” than the actual treatment. With the growing popularity of chiropractic care, researchers have undertaken a number of studies to determine the effectiveness of treatment from chiropractors.

According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA):

“A growing list of research studies and reviews demonstrate that the services provided by chiropractic physicians are both safe and effective.”

For example, a 2013 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed patients with back pain benefit from chiropractic therapy. An article published in “Spine” in 2013 found that chiropractic manipulative therapy was an impressive part of an overall plan for care that included standard medical treatment.

If you’re interested in receiving treatment from a chiropractor in Austin TX, get in touch with the health care professionals of Pro-Care Medical Center to learn more about how you can benefit from a visit with a chiropractor.

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