What Is Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a branch of the alternative medicine that deals with disorders of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. Its name originates from the Greek "chiros", which means "hand" and "praktikos", which stands for "action". Specialists who practice it are called chiropractors or chiropractic physicians. Most chiropractors use a method of manipulating the spinal bones which is known as "chiropractic adjustment". This is a general term, as there are multiple schools of chiropractic techniques. However, the basic principle is the same: chiropractic adepts believe that disorders in the spinal cord affect various other regions and organs in the body, via the nervous system. By applying pressure on the spinal cord bones, subluxations are corrected, the proper joint alignment is restored, thus enabling the healing process. This is similar to the holistic medicine approach.
Like other alternative medicine therapies, chiropractic treatment is often accompanied by advice regarding healthy lifestyle and nutrition. Although the American Medical Association considered it an "unscientific cult", chiropractic managed to gain more and more acceptance from the masses, therefore it is now an established medical discipline in many countries such as US and Canada. Detailed studies are yet to be conducted, as none of the ones done so far are relevant.
http://www.ballymenachiropracticclinic.co.uk/whatischiropractic.htm (vertebral subluxation image credit)
Conditions Treated by Doctors of Chiropractic
Here are a few of the conditions that may benefit from chiropractic therapy:
- Chronic neck pain
- Tennis elbow pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Low back pain conditions
- Leg pain caused by herniated discs
- Ankle pains
- Chronic knee pain
- Chronic arthritis
- Shoulder pains
- Chronic headache
- Indigestion
- Mood swings
- Allergies
- Sleep troubles
Generally speaking the success rate of this procedure is somewhere between 50% and 80%, the success being measured only by the patient’s level of satisfaction. It seems that the lowest levels have been recorded in case of conditions that generate low back pains.
Chiropractic Schools
The length of the studies and the other conditions for practicing this discipline depend on the country. For example, in USA, chiropractic doctors have to follow five years of full time specialty education before being allowed to practice. Usually, board examinations are required for getting a license. Moreover, in some states, chiropractors are required to follow continuing education courses and gain credits each year. Their services might or might not be covered by health insurance, so patients who seek this type of treatment should first discuss with their insurance company, to see if it’s covered by their health insurance policy.
There are no general requirements for chiropractic schools admission, therefore those who want to apply will need to contact each school individually to determine if they comply or not with specific requirements.
Chiropractic Business
Maybe more than 70% of all chiropractic doctors in the US are in individual business practice. Big hospitals or health institutions don’t usually employ such specialists, but they probably will in the future, as the demand increases for alternative therapies. Nonetheless, freshly graduated doctors of chiropractic are probably seeking to open a private office, to hire staff, to buy a special medical billing software for tracking their earnings and their patients evolution, so they’d better be good at business management. However, things are not that complicated, especially if we take into consideration that there are software applications developed specifically for chriopractic offices, therefore making the doctor's task of tracking the medical activity much easier.
