Spinal manipulation and chiropractic care is generally considered a safe, effective treatment for acute low back pain, the type of sudden injury that results from moving furniture or getting tackled. … Research has also shown chiropractic to be helpful in treating neck pain and headaches.

-(Oct. 28, 2017) Reference: www.webmd.com

"Manual-thrust manipulation provides greater short-term reductions in self-reported disability and pain compared with usual medical care. 94% of the manual-thrust manipulation group achieved greater than 30% reduction in pain compared with 69% of usual medical care."

- Schneider et al. Comparison of spinal manipulation methods and usual medical care for acute and subacute low back pain. Spine. 2015 Feb 15;40(4):209-17.

Doctors of chiropractic are educated as primary-contact healthcare providers. Their emphasis focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system consists of the muscles, ligaments, bones and joints of the spine and extremities and the nerves that supply them.

In most regions of the world where chiropractors are regulated, chiros are designated to use the title “doctor” similar to physicians, optometrists, and dentists. Those professions recognized to use the title “doctor” have extensive training in their fields that allows them to provide patient diagnosis.

The chiropractic curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical to medical student courses of study. In fact, the educational requirements for chiropractors are among the MOST stringent of any of the health care professions. 

DC students typically gain a solid foundation in pathology, biology, anatomy, physiology, neurology, rehabilitation, orthopedics and radiology. Many chiropractic programs also incorporate an entire year of PhD-level advanced nutrition! Because chiropractic care includes highly skilled manipulation/adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical technique training to master these important manipulative procedures.

In actuality, Chiropractic students typically receive MORE hours of graduate classroom instruction (~4,826) than medical students (~4,667). The average professional study of chiropractic curriculum lasts between 4 to 5 academic years. Chiropractic students must also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic.

According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA):

“Chiropractors are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school programs through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools.”

Furthermore, chiropractic students must pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they wish to practice. To maintain their license, they must complete continuing education to ensure they are current on the latest natural medicine research, innovations and practice. 

All chiropractic courses of study are approved by the Council on Chiropractic Education, an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Prospective chiropractors are required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree—a postgraduate professional degree that typically takes 4 years [a minimum of 4,200 course hours] to complete. .... Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 90 semesters hours [2 years] of undergraduate education and some D.C. programs require a bachelor’s degree for entry [4 years].

-Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov

Dr. Kroft studied 4 years of chemistry, biology and psychology at Indiana University of Bloomington, IN. He went on to study chiropractic medicine year-round at National University of Health Sciences in St. Petersburg, FL, completing 4 years of curriculum in 3 years.

Statistically proven, chiropractic care is hands-down one of the safest types of healthcare in the world.

In fact, chiropractic services are less invasive than many other forms of medicine, and numerous studies have proven their safety and effectiveness for patients of ALL ages. When compared to steroids, pain medication and surgery, chiropractic’s safety record stands shoulders above the rest!

According to NCMIC, a major malpractice insurance company for chiropractors, malpractice premiums paid by chiropractors are only a small fraction (approx. 1/20th) compared to those of medical doctors. Why? Because so very few people are injured by chiropractors!

Did you know that Medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States of America? That’s right. As few as 250,000 people will die this year as a result of bad medicine, bad surgery or bad prescription. Some studies even show numbers as high as 400,000+ deaths per year. However, of the millions of people receiving chiropractic adjustments each year, only a handful will ever make a complaint.

The result of injury following a chiropractic treatment is less than 0.01% according to medical studies. Some people fear they will have a stroke if their neck is adjusted; the truth is there is no scientific evidence to show an increase risk of any serious event following a chiropractic adjustment.  Studies suggest that the chance of having a stroke after a spinal manipulation is about 1 in 1,000,000.

Moreover, the number of prescriptions for powerful drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone have tripled in the past 12 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that abuse of these commonly prescribed painkillers are among the leading causes of accidental death in the United States. Overdoses of opioid painkillers are responsible for some 15,000 deaths per year; more than the number of deaths from cocaine and heroin combined.

Doctors of chiropractic are well trained professionals who provide patients with safe, effective care for a variety of common conditions. Their extensive education has prepared them to identify patients who have special risk factors and to get those patients the most appropriate care, even if that means referral to a medical specialist.

Chiropractic Doctors perform adjustments to the spine and extremities through specific movements – shifting the body to restore motion to frozen or fixated joints.

In general, regular adjustments and joint manipulations do not hurt. Quite on the contrary, most patients report immediate relief of their pain! Occasionally there may be a moment of slight sharpness, as if being pinched, but it almost instantly subsides. Some first time adjustments or joint that have been stuck for a long time may cause some soreness due to surrounding tissue buildup. In cases like this, soreness is actually a good sign!

If you still wonder if chiropractic adjustments hurt, think about this. How could there be a Chiropractic profession for over 100 years if all adjustments hurt? People pay for chiropractic because manipulation feels good, relieves stress and promotes physical function for patients like no other healthcare service available. Relax and get adjusted!

Chiropractic care plays an important role throughout life so, yes, we’d like to see you, as needed, for the rest of your life. However, we believe that every type of doctor would say the same thing; dentists, optometrists and MDs alike.

There are three different stages of chiropractic care – think of them as urgent, rehabilitative, and maintenance care. In the urgent phase, more frequent treatment may be needed, typically 2-4 times over 1-2 weeks. After that, rehabilitative care strengthens your body and isn’t nearly as frequent (think 2-4 times per month). Maintenance care is much less often, routinely once every month or so without any new injury.

Repeat visits are often necessary during the urgent and rehabilitative phases because chiropractic care normally requires a cumulative effect. When working in a physical way with a physical condition, repetition is necessary. Repeat treatments help train the body’s alignment just as repeat exercises train for strength. However, this is not the same for everyone. In fact, some patients can see a chiropractor only once or twice before experiencing full recovery!

Back pain is what Chiropractors are known for, but the root of Chiropractic is much deeper than that.

Chiropractic doctors specialize in improving joint function.  They focus on maintaining movement to the joints of the spine as well as the neck, knees, ankles, hands, and feet. They offer headache relief, neck pain treatment, provide care after an auto injury, and even provide sciatica pain relief.  Pregnant mothers seek chiropractic care for pain during pregnancy, and many athletes utilize chiropractic treatment for sports injuries. Chiropractors also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.

Doctors of Chiropractic care for patients of all ages with a variety of health conditions. No matter what the illness, chiropractors are taught to focus on the complete health and function of the patient — not merely treating specific issues or symptoms.