Chiropractic is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession. An estimated 33.6 million U.S adults (14 percent) used chiropractic care within the last 12 months.
- Nearly 70 percent of adult Americans believe chiropractors are effective at treating neck and back pain.
- The majority (57 percent) of adults are likely to see a chiropractor for neck or back pain.
- More than 1/2 of all U.S. adults have visited a chiropractor, and more than 1/4 of them would choose chiropractic care first for back or neck pain.
- Nearly 1/2 of all U.S. adults don’t know if their insurance covers chiropractic care
Because of its non-invasive yet effective procedures chiropractic records from insurance and court cases have shown that it is the safest portal of entry health care available for the public to date. Many mistakenly believe chiropractics to be a pseudo medicine, but it`s a fact that doctors of chiropractic receive extensive professional education on par with Medical Doctors and Osteopaths. It is recognized by Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health Care Benefits Programs, Federal Worker`s Compensation and all state workers compensation programs. The process of chiropractic care is safe, efficient and most importantly as noted by the Ontario Ministry of Health “On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical studies, spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective than alternative treatments for low back pain…There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low back pain was transferred from physician to chiropractors.”
Chiropractic today emphasize the conservative side of management for neuromusculoskeletal without the use of medicine or surgery (this includes a special emphasis on a patient`s spine). Chiropractic treatment has been applied for such diverse issues as carpel tunnel, pregnancy, disc problems, back surgery, pinched nerves, degeneration and scoliosis. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests chiropractic care (in the form of spinal decompression) can even be an alternative to certain surgical procedures concerning the spine. Specifically herniated and degenerative disk disease has been studied with results that 86% of patients who were treated expressed an immediate resolution of their pain while 84% expressed continuing pain relief 90 days after their treatment ended (“Spinal Decompression Study” T. Gionis MD). Herniated and degenerative disk disease cost the American health care system more than $50 billion annually. The cost for successful nonsurgical therapy is less than a tenth of that for surgery. The possibilities for our health care system if chiropractic care was recommended as an alternative to surgery are mind boggling! It is exactly this type of issue that is changing the course of chiropractics, and is quickly drawing chiropractics into the forefront of medical issues and studies.
