This is the first in a three-part series on chiropractic. To read the final two parts, click the links below.
Part 2: Chiropractic Education: Do You Have What it Takes?
Part 3: 7 Reasons Chiropractic is a Smart Choice
While many people are familiar with chiropractic, there are others who are unaware of what this healthcare option has to offer. Pronounced Ky-rho-prak-tic, the name means “done by hand,” and involves using the hands to relieve spinal joint dysfunction and ensure proper spinal alignment. It is primarily focused on restoring, preserving, and optimizing health throughout a lifetime.
Discovered in 1895, this all-natural approach to care has been quietly helping people live better and more productive lives for more than 120 years. Chiropractic differs from traditional medical care in that it achieves results without the use of needles, pills, or surgery.
As more people have begun to discover its benefits, chiropractic has become known as a treatment that offers a new way to aid many old health problems.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) defines chiropractic as a profession that deals primarily with disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Doctors of chiropractic (also called chiropractors) most commonly provide treatment for
More than 30 million Americans are treated each year by chiropractors, with treatment being generally hands-on and relying heavily on the spinal manual procedures, more commonly known as the chiropractic adjustment.
The profession traces its roots back to D.D. Palmer, who administered the first chiropractic adjustment in 1895. Since that time, the profession has enjoyed steady growth as a natural alternative to what is deemed more mainstream treatment options.
Those who seek chiropractic care do so for a variety of reasons, from work-related conditions to those who suffer a back injury completing a home improvement project. A frequent problem for Americans, says the ACA, are back injuries. They are the second-most common reason for doctor’s visits.
The human body is a complex mechanism comprised of a multitude of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles all working together in concert. When there is a breakdown in any of those areas, pain and discomfort can result. While doctors of chiropractic receive extensive training to alleviate that pain, they also counsel their patients on wellness, sharing preventive measures that can help to reduce the occurrence of injuries.
Patients are encouraged to lift heavy loads with the knees and avoid twisting while lifting. Stretching before strenuous activities can also be beneficial. Beyond that, those seeking to avoid injury are also reminded of the benefits of a healthy diet and weight, good posture, staying active, and eliminating smoking. These are just a few suggestions that can stop back pain and other ailments before they start.
Chiropractors receive training in various all-natural techniques. Again, there are no prescription medications, no needles, and no surgery used by those in the profession.
If this more natural treatment solution sounds appealing, perhaps chiropractic care is right for you. Who knows, maybe a career as a chiropractor is in your future?
Students at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) pursue an intensive course of study to earn the Doctor of Chiropractic degree. In the second part of this series, we’ll explore in greater detail the education and training needed to become a chiropractor, which can be completed in 3.3 years.
This is the first in a three-part series about chiropractic. Click the link below to read Part 2. Chiropractic education: Do you have what it takes?
For a comprehensive look at becoming a chiropractor, click on the button below to request the FREE ebook, Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.
