What is Chiropractic?
Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) assess
and manage patients with neuromusculoskeletal disorders and related clinical conditions
including, but not limited to, back pain, neck pain and headaches. When addressing
patients' needs, DCs utilize appropriate interventions, with a primary focus on spinal
manipulation.
- American Chiropractic Association (ACA)
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Doctors of Chiropractic undergo rigorous clinical and practical training, including at
least 4,200 hours of professional studies, 2,000 hours in biological and clinical studies,
more than 1,000 hours in specific chiropractic techniques, and at least 900 hours of
clinical practice before graduation. DCs must pass a national board exam and
be licensed prior to practicing.
Chiropractic is a learned profession which teaches that
the relationship between structure and function in the human body is significant health
factor and that such relationships between the spinal column and the nervous system are
most significant, since the normal transmission and expression of nerve energy are
essential to the restoration and maintenance of health.
Chiropractic Effectiveness
There have been numerous formal inquiries into the effectiveness of chiropractic
throughout the world. All of these inquiries found contemporary chiropractic health care
safe and effective, and recommended licensure and government funding.
The following is a list of studies and information illustrating the effectiveness of
chiropractic care.
A study comparing medical and chiropractic
care for treatment of identical back injuries found that the number of work days lost was
ten times higher for medical patients than for chiropractic patients. In addition,
compensation costs for work time lost averaged $68 for chiropractic versus $668 for
medical patients.
- Journal of Occupational Medicine August 1991, Vol. 33, # 8. |
Spinal manipulation by chiropractors more
effective than other treatments for low-back pain - The results of this intensive study of
the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic (initiated and funded by the Ontario
Ministry of Health) showed that in addition to being cost-effective, chiropractic is more
clinically effective than other accepted treatments of low-back pain.
- The Ontario Ministry of Health, Ottawa, Canada August 1993 |
Research in Great Britain, conducted by
T.W. Meade, a medical doctor, compared chiropractic treatment and hospital outpatient
treatment consisting of corset wearing and standard physical therapy, for low-back pain.
The study concluded for patients with low-back pain in whom manipulation is not
contraindicated, chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile, long-term
benefits in comparison to standard hospital outpatient management.
- British Medical Journal, Volume 300, June 2, 1990 |
Chiropractic Patients in North Carolina
Highly Satisfied. In this study, 4,438 adult residents of North Carolina were
contacted by telephone. Of those interviewed who had suffered at least one episode
of severe acute low back pain in the previous year, 13 percent sought care from a
chiropractic, 24 percent sought care from a medical doctor, and 61 percent sought no care
at all. The results of the study were that compared to those who sought care from medical
doctors, those who sought care from a chiropractor were more likely to feel that treatment
was helpful (99% vs. 80%), more likely to be satisfied with their care (96% vs 84%), and
less likely to seek care from another provider for that same episode of pain (14% vs. 27%)
-Spine, Volume 21, Number 3, 1996 |
| Florida Worker's Compensation Study,
A 1988 study of 10,652 Florida workers' compensation cases was conducted by
Steve Wolk, Ph.D., and reported by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research.
It was concluded that "a claimant with back-related injury, when initially
treated by a chiropractor versus a medical doctor, is less likely to become temporarily
disabled, or if disabled, remains disabled for a shorter period of time; and
claimants treated by medical doctors were hospitalized at a much higher rate than
claimants treated by chiropractors." |
Numerous other studies have been performed - and continue to be performed - to further
prove the tremendous effectiveness of chiropractic health care.
Culbreth Chiropractic Clinic
315 Commercial Drive
Regency Executive Plaza C-5
Savannah, Georgia 31406
912-354-1522 |
