There are over 25,000,000 people who have experienced chiropractic care (including some of the world's most successful and famous people [more on that later]).  But, that means that there are millions and millions of others who have not experienced the positive benefits for themselves.  It's just a shame that so many are missing out on the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives too.

 On occasion, I 've been to social gatherings, where a person asked what I did for a living and once I'd tell them that, they said:

"Oh, I don't believe in chiropractic.  My doctor says they are quacks, and that I should avoid them."

                                   OR most recently.......,

"My wife thinks chiropractic is snake oil......."

First of all, chiropractic isn't a religion so, it isn't something that should be believed in or not.  Secondly,.... what is snake oil?..

Unfortunately, this kind of comment is not at all unusual for me to hear.  And it's very sad, because whether it's ignorance or misinformation or an organized attempt to "get rid of the competition," people who could be improving the quality of their lives are missing out on the opportunity because these kinds of ignorant comments.  In fact..... "Here's something some doctors DON'T want you to know...."

In 1990, a federal judge found the American Medical Association (AMA) in violation of the nation's anti-trust laws for conspiring to contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession.  Can you believe it?  The respected AMA found guilty of a conspiracy to do away with something that can do so much good for so many people!  Why do you suppose the medical field wanted to get rid of the chiropractic profession?  It's not so much the medical doctors but, more so the big pharmaceutical companies!  Think about it.  Could it be that because so many people get well under chiropractic care, and don't need to have drugs pumped into their body to get well, that pharmaceutical companines don't like the competition?   Could it be the fact that a chiropractor's tools are his/her hands...and that there's not prescription of drugs?  How do you think the HUGE pharmaceutical comapnies (who spend BILLIONS and BiLLIONS of dollars each year on advertising) who make hundreds of billions of dollars each year by selling drugs feel about a hugely successful "drugless" health care profession like chiropractic?

Hey, there are strong Chiropractic organizations out there too.  In fact, I belong to the Washington State Chiropractic Association.  I'm not a "lone ranger" here.  There are more than 60,000 chiropractors worldwide, and we enjoy a growing and enthusiastic acceptance all over the world.

MYTH #1: "You should visit a Chiropractor only when you have a sore back or neck."

      It is true that you should visit a Chiropractor when you have either back or neck pain.  In fact, I was trained to diagnose very specific spinal issues.  However, chiropractic is much more than simply dealing with pain.  There are more than 13 million people a year who visit Chiropractors as their primary health care provider.  What this means is that people go to Chiropractors to maintain good health.

The TRUTH is chiropractic has VERY LITTLE to do with PAIN but, everything to do with your NERVOUS SYSTEM.

Chiropractic works by restoring your body's inborn ability to be healthy.  When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health.  The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and remove interferences (subluxations, misaligned vertebrae) to your nervous system. With improved spinal function, there is improved nervous system function.  The goal of the chiropractor is to remove interference that may be impairing normal health through specific chiropractic adjustments, allowing your body to heal itself.  A healthy spine and a healthy lifestyle are your keys to optimal health!

MYTH #2: "Chiropractic adjustments hurt."

     Normally, chiropractic adjusments do not hurt.  In fact, most of my patients absolutely LOVE getting an adjustment.  They actually look forward to the time that they can get adjusted because it feels terrific for them.  But, apprehension about an adjustment causing some pain or discomfort sometimes keeps the person who can greatly benefit away. 

Much like how an orthodontist adjusts their patient's wire before placing it back in their mouth to make changes ina person's teeth/smile thereby creating a new neurological/brain pattern of alignment (re-educating to the muscles around the teeth to hold them in a better/straighter position).  Chiropractic adjustments are made to break old patterns of nervous system imbalance.  These adjustments are done on the spine as the spine (which holds your brain, spinal cord and essentially your entire control system) is the gateway to your nervous system.

       A large number of people a day recieve chiropractic adjustments all over the world by more than 60,000 chiropractors.  Many have no pain at all whey they first come to a chiropractor's office.  Some are in mild pain and soem are in more pain.  If pain is not present in normal movement, the sensation of a chiropractic adjustment is not painful.  Instead, there is usually an awareness that something extraordinarily good has just happened!

     If pain is already present in person during normal movement, the pain does not normally increase during the adjustment process and is followed almost always by a release of pain.

    A common immediate response to a chiropractic adjustment is something like....."AWWWWW!"..... an audible sigh of relief!

Again, most of my patients LOVE the feel of an adjustment. They look forward to it, knowing that they are going to feel much better, more energized, more physically optimized. 

MYTH #3: "Chiropractic adjustments are unsafe."

    Chiropractic care is safe.  It is estimated that more than 1,000,000 adjustments are received by patients everyday.  Adverse reaction to treatment is rare.

  The safety of chiropractic is confirmed by the low malpractice insurance premiums that chiropractors pay compared to the enormous premiums paid by some medical doctors and other health care providers.

   This high degree of safety in chiropractic care is primarily due to the thorough examinations that are customarily made preceding treatment.  These examinations are designed to screen for conditions which chiropractic care is not indicated.  Chiropractors are trained to make a referral to the appropriate medical or alternative health professional for further diagnosis if care is not warranted or another opinion is needed. 

   Chiropractic adjustments are healthy; they are energy producing; they are stress relieving; they improve physical performance; they make you feel better and they fine tune your body..........ultimately chiropractic adjustments IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE!

Here's what some VERY SMART people say about chiropractic....

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."                                                Thomas A. Edison

Isn't that something?  It's very clear that the genius Thomas Edison, is speaking about forward thinking, prevention-first health care professionals like....... Doctors of Chiropractic!

The following statement was made by Dr. Shekelle of the independant research group the RAND Corporation regarding chiropractic care on ABC's 20/20.

"There are considerably more randomized controlled trials which show benefit of this (chiropractic) than there are for many, many other things which physicians and neurosurgeons do all the time."  Paul G. Shekelle, MD, MPH RAND Corp.

MYTH #4: "Once you go to a Chiropractor you have to go for the rest of your life."

 This particular myth is very common and has always puzzled me and here's why:

    (1) You don't "HAVE TO" do anything you don't want to do.  Millions of people have enjoyed an improve quality of life through chiropractic care and they have done so through their own free will because they see phenomenal results.  Some choose to take a wellness approach and PREVENT health challenges from ever becoming an issue through regular maintenance. (Much like a car!)

    (2) Many people come to Chiropractors after years of not taking care of their spine and nervous system and EXPECT overnight results becasue they live in a different paradigm.  Pain relief is one thing but, Corrective care (establishing a new pattern in your body) takes time.  It's like never changing the oil in your vehicle and expecting your engine to run smoothly foever.  IT'S NOT REALISTIC.

   (3) I have not heard of anyone posing the same issue to a Dentist.  Almost everone has some dental care in their lives and quite ofte a few times per year.  WHY?  For PREVENTION purposes and to MAINTAIN good oral health!  Chiropractic operates on the same principle but, with your nervous system and not your teeth.

   (4) If you were to take the time to really research and understand Chiropractic and how it can significantly improve your quality of life through effective, NATURAL DRUG-FREE methods that have been practiced for 100s of years, you would be at least open minded to speak to a Chiropractor instead of just following someone else's opinion.

   (5) It's interesting how in our modern day culture, no one says anything about once you start EXERCISING you should probably continue to do so and once start EATING well you should continue doing so because they're PREVENTATIVE in nature for your health....... as IS CHIROPRACTIC!  What I've said quite often is "What brushing and flossing are to Dentistry, good nutrition and exercise are to Chiropractic."

MYTH #5:  Chiropractors are not as well educated as "Medical Doctors."

        Actually, Doctors of Chiropractic are very well educated.  Both chiropractic and medical degrees require a minimum of six academic years to obtain.  After a minimum of at least two year of undergraduate work, the chiropractic curriculum consists of four academic year of rigourous study and training in a chiropractic college.  This makes a total of six academic years for the degree of Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.).  In fact, the vast majority of students entering chiropractic college already have an undergraduate degree that took a minimum of 4 years to obtain, which means many Chiropractors have 8 years of post-secondary education!

     Chiropractic education and medical education are similar in many respects and different in others because chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery, and medical doctors do not correct vertebral subluxations.  After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, each candidate passes the demanding for part National Board Examinations.  Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice.  A chiropractor's education, however, never ends.  Most doctors complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renwal and to stay current on the latest research and treatment techniques.

Here's something really interesting:

A study done in 1990-1992 comparing the curriculum of Western States Chiropractic College (my alma mater) and it's Medical School affiliate at Oregon Health Science University showed that the chiropractic curriculum not only equalled that of the medical curriculum but that in chiropractic college more class hours were spent in basic, clinical and diagnostic sciences.  Overall the two curriculums looked almost identical, with the chiropractic curriculum more focused on orthopedic/neurological diagnosis, nutrition and adjusting techniques and the medical curriculum more focused on pharamceuticals and surgery.

So..... if your have a question about Chiropractic.....doesn't it makes sense that you would ask a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) and not a Medical Doctor (M.D.)!