Chiropractic Controversy

Chiropractic not to long ago had been viewed as controversial, fringe medicine. Traditional medical practitioners thought of chiropractors as hacks and never revered chiropractic as medicine at all. Chiropractors struggled for years to prove their science to the patients and moreover to their medical peers. However, over the past couple of decades chiropractic has slowly but surely pushed its way into modern day medicine. The difference between traditional medicine and chiropractic medicine is the philosophy behind the medicine. Traditional medicine is based on understanding how the human body’s components work and how pathologies originate. Based on this understanding conventional doctors localize the cause of the disease and treat it at its smallest region. This is in opposition to the chiropractic philosophy. Chiropractors treat the body in a holistic nature. With this understanding the body functions as a whole, every component and part are connected and work in conjunction with the rest of the body, therefore when pathologies arise the treatment is rendered to the whole body. Chiropractors understand that it is important to not just treat the symptoms, but to resolve the underlying problems as well. This holistic nature has proven to be very effective in treating patient’s problems. Thus explaining the influx of chiropractic care in modern day medicine. Additionally conventional doctors have started to show an interest in a holistic approach to patient care. Rather than compete with chiropractors, conventional healthcare can use chiropractic as complementary treatment to traditional medicine. In addition chiropractors have also taken a step to include some of the conventional diagnostic tools that traditional western medicine employs. Advanced diagnostic and radiographic exams allow chiropractors to better diagnose and determine treatment plans. Moreover chiropractors can detect and diagnose serious conditions that require a referral to a specialist. More and more patients are deciding to try alternative treatment to conventional medicine. Part of their reasoning is due to the fact that traditional medicine has become impersonal and doctors prescribe too much medication. Alternatively patients like the holistic approach to their conditions and feel their treatment is based specifically on their problems. Because of the shift from conventional medicine to complementary and alternative care, insurance companies have had to change with the times as well. Now most insurance companies provide coverage for alternative treatments such as chiropractic care. In addition the US army requires access to a chiropractor for all of their active service men and women. Many athletes both professional and amateur endorse chiropractic care as well, at both high school and college level. Furthermore the US Olympic team has several chiropractors on staff for athletes to use during their training. With more availability of chiropractic practitioners and the increased acceptance as an alternative medicine, chiropractic research has been done to show the effectiveness of its treatment. Even if patient testimonials aren’t enough, studies have shown that chiropractic care can treat certain kinds of disorders, including some disorders that cannot be easily treated using standard medical techniques. This has helped to boost the reputation of a once fragile and undermined section of our healthcare field. This gives patients the ability to take a more active role in determining his/her own healthcare.