A Chiropractic Doctor hasn't been very well understood in terms of their healthcare practitioner role within the medical system. Over the last one hundred years the profession has faced a lot of scrutiny and challenges to become one of the most utilised services within the health care model.
Many of the misconceptions regarding the chiropractic profession have arisen from a lot of preconceived ideas the public has formed regarding medical treatment. The medical model has predominantly been focused on a symptom oriented care model or allopathic philosophy, which primarily is the prescribing of drugs and performing surgeries.
Health care has evolved more rapidly in the last twenty years than perhaps it has at any other time in the last century. Mostly in the understanding that health is not merely the absence of symptoms and disease and that drugs and surgery, although necessary for crisis intervention and emergency situations is not really the true essence of health and vitality.
Chiropractic patients have benefited from the many types of chiropractic care, from pain relief, to corrective spinal care and wellness care and performance based care for athletes and others. Many people are unaware or have never had the opportunity to find out firsthand what Chiropractic is, what the profession is about, how they are licensed, the education they receive and other important aspects. Chiropractic is the most accessed drug-free health profession in the world and the second largest profession within the health care model.
What is Chiropractic?
The word "chiropractic" is a blending of the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (action) and means "done by hand." The Chiropractic approach is medical philosophy based on proactively affecting the health of an individual through the correction of vertebral misalignments and fixations. There are over two hundred techniques in the chiropractic profession, and many will approach medical problems from a different perspective that the traditional allopathic physician in terms of their diagnosis and treatment of that individuals medical condition.
The primary focus of the chiropractor is the structural relationship of the person's body and their nervous system, how they are functioning and adapting to the daily stresses of life. Spinal adjustments, or manipulations which are done by hand or instruments, have the potential to affect the nervous system through joint, muscle and nerve receptors.
How Does Chiropractic Compare To A Medical Doctor?
Modern day training of chiropractors is essentially the same as a medical doctor. Within North America, most Chiropractic University programs require an undergraduate degree prior to being accepted into their programs. The basic sciences are almost identical in the hours of study in courses such as physiology, human anatomy, biochemistry and others.
The basic standard for Chiropractic Accreditation requires 4200 hours of classroom, clinical experience and laboratory study experience. The medical and chiropractic programs usually will deviate in the third year where the chiropractic model focuses more on the chiropractic clinical skills of treatment and developing the manual expertise. The medical students spend more study on pharmacology and diagnosis and minor surgical procedures. Depending on the University and the laws in the area where a Chiropractor practices they graduate with the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree.
The Benefits of Chiropractic
In most developed western societies, Chiropractic care is covered in part by private health and in some areas by government health. Most countries are now beginning to plan for the future by incorporating Chiropractic into their future health care plans. Cumulative studies have shown the inherent benefits of individuals under chiropractic care including less sick days from work, decreased prescription drug usage, decreased need for surgery, and aging healthier. Soaring medical costs for testing and prescription drugs, increased rates of non-emergency surgeries, increased rates of cancer, treatment costs etc have all begun to increase higher and higher. Hospitals are understaffed and over budget and are struggling to deliver care at the current demand.
Many people who have benefited from chiropractic treatments understand the inherent benefits of maintaining their adjustments, a good nutritional eating plan, exercise and stress reduction. They understand health is a way of life, not something that is a quick fix, or created by a procedure, or found in a pill bottle.
If eating good healthy raw organic foods, strength training and aerobic exercise, stress reduction, and chiropractic adjustments, to name just a few things, are ridiculous, then call me a quack! Chiropractors focus on whole person health, well being, not the parts and the symptoms. Your chiropractor offers you something that nobody else can and they are the best trained health care professionals to provide Chiropractic care.
This article is meant as a general overview and should not be substituted for a thorough history and examination with your medical professional. If you enjoyed reading this, please visit our website at www.westcoastfamilychiropractic.com.
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