Chiropractic Medicine Career Guide |
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Chiropractors are also known as Doctors of Chiropractic (DC). They treat patients with skeletal problems that are interfering with their health and causing them pain. However, Chiropractors are also holistic physicians. They believe that many factors affect a person's health, including diet, sleep patterns, environment and heredity.
Chiropractors use the status of the spinal column as an indicator of health. The nervous system is affected by the status of the spinal column, and through adjustments, they can correct misalignments that are interfering with the proper flow of blood between different parts of the body. Chiropractors do not use drugs or surgery to treat illness, but often incorporate natural therapies to assist in treating patients. |
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There are more than 50,000 practitioners in the United States now, making Chiropractics the largest single natural health field in the country. But Chiropractics wasn't invented by a physician. Rather, it was an odd-jobber living in Iowa who was responsible for its formulation. Daniel David Palmer was a health enthusiast who studied the medical journals of his time (the mid 1800's) and practiced magnetic theory. Over the years he developed theories regarding disease as caused by altered nerve flow, which in turn was affected by the spinal column. When Palmer "cured" a local janitor of deafness using spinal manipulation, he received the confidence to start his own school of Chiropractic in 1897.
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Chiropractors take an extensive history from those who visit, in order to determine underlying conditions that might be causing the patient's problems. They may add lab tests or X-rays to help determine the positioning of the spinal column and find any blood-borne anomalies.
Those who need treatment are provided with guidance in such areas as nutrition, lifestyle changes, stress management and the importance of exercise. Chiropractors employ water, light, ultrasound, massage, heat and electric therapy, and if there is a misalignment of the spine responsible for problems, he or she might send patients home with braces or supports of some kind, or perform spinal manipulation. |
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- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Bed Wetting
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Common Cold
- Conjunctivitis
- Disc Herniations
- Disc Protrusions
- Dizziness
- Ear infections
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Menstrual Pain/Irregularities
- Migraines
- Osteoarthritis
- Sciatica
- Stress
- Tennis Elbow
- Ulcers
- Vision problems
- Whiplash
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- Improves circulation
- Improves flexibility
- Reduces pain and soreness
- Shortens recovery time after an injury
- Relaxes the body and assists self-repair
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Side-Effects/Contra-Indications:
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- Patients can experience soreness after spinal manipulation.
- If patient shows signs of insufficient blood-flow to the brain, chiropractic manipulation should not be performed on the neck.
- Those who have an un-healed fracture should not have a manipulation.
- Those with inflammatory disease that might restrict blood flow should avoid manipulation.
- Avoid manipulation if on anticoagulant drugs.
- During first trimester of pregnancy, manipulations should be avoided.
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To become a Chiropractor, students go through traditional and field-specific schooling. They must complete at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate schooling, although most students finish the traditional four year bachelor's degree. Coursework before entering Chiropractic school includes anatomy/physiology, biology, psychology, chemistry, orthopedics ,and other similar subjects.
Once enrolled in a Chiropractic college, students are required to complete at least 4,200 hours of training, including classroom and laboratory work. The last two years of training includes courses in spinal adjustment and manipulation, in addition to clinical experience.
Degree/License offered: Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Chiropractic
Length of study: 3-7 years
Cost/Financial Aid: The cost to attend school in chiropractic medicine can run anywhere from $11,000-$20,000 per year, depending on how many credits a student takes and whether the school follows a year-long program or one split into semesters/quarters. Most U.S. Chiropractic colleges offer some type of financial aid. |
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Scientists continue to research the effectiveness of chiropractic care in relation to other areas of treatment. Current projects are studying:
- The satisfaction of patients who underwent chiropractic care in relation to those who were treated by their family physicians. The large proportion of chiropractic patients considered treatment by the chiropractor to be more helpful.
- Whether the chiropractic technique of spinal mobilization takes less time to recover from than physiotherapy or general practitioner care.
- The effect of spinal manipulative therapy on tension headaches.
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Practitioner Training & Licensure:
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After completing all the necessary training and education, students desiring licensure must pass four separate examinations offered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and meet the requirements of the state that they wish to practice in. Once Chiropractors are licensed, they must complete up to 50 hours of continuing education each year. |
Average Salary/Hourly Rate:
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In 2006, chiropractors made an average of $73,500, with starting salaries of $45,000. These numbers can be higher or lower depending on the region of the country the office if located in.
Those who are self-employed have a higher potential for earnings, as they build a steady stream of repeat clients. Considering both self-employed and salaried chiropractors, the average salary jumps to $91,500. |
