Chiropractors Vs Traditional Medical Doctors

Many myths float around the general public concerning chiropractors and their value vs. traditional medical doctors. In other words this is traditional vs. alternative medicine.

One myth is that chiropractors aren't really doctors. In fact a chiropractor earns a D.C., Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from a chiropractic college. They are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries worldwide. Both chiropractic and medical school curricula are very demanding and essentially identical.

In actuality chiropractors have more classroom time than traditional medical doctors. They also have to complete residency requirements in clinical settings with real life patients. Once they graduate there are four national board exams they must pass, in the states where they want to practice.

Chiropractors, as traditional medical doctors do, must undergo the same type of testing and licensing and are monitored by state and national peer reviews. Medicare, Medicaid and Workers' Compensation Programs cover chiropractic treatment and federal agencies accept sick leave certificates from chiropractic doctors.

There are differences between chiropractors and traditional doctors in their method of treatment. Medical doctors deal with administering medicine (internal biochemistry chemicals) and perform surgery. For example diabetes, hypothyroidism and infections are effectively treated chemically.

Another difference from traditional medicine is that with chiropractors the patient does not need to have symptoms to receive treatment. Their approach is preventative, wellness care. Spinal adjustments to improve alignment and overall well-being can be administered before problems develop.

If there is soft tissue damage causing pain or the spine has become improperly aligned it can affect the health of the rest of the body and no chemicals can fix these. Physical problems such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches and poor posture need physical solutions using spinal adjustments, exercises, stretches and muscle therapy.

Even though there are differences in the methods of treatment of chiropractors vs. traditional medical doctors it does not mean either method should be valued less. Chiropractors and traditional medical doctors both have their places of value for dealing with health issues. As people's minds open up they may see that they can have a choice of treatment.between the two.