Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships." 

American Chiropractic Association

Introduction to Chiropractic (additional updated information)

 

Independently, chiropractic and naturopathic medicine are the two leading professions of natural holistic healthcare.  

 

This page provides background and basic information about chiropractic, and it also provides links to other websites where interested visitors can find additional information. 

 

 

"Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships."  American Chiropractic Association 

 

 

Various forms of spinal manipulation as a healing modality have been utilized throughout the world since recorded history.  However, it was not until 1895 when Daniel David Palmer applied the term "chiropractic" (which means "to do by hand") and established the first full-time chiropractic college that the profession was unified and recognized as a formal discipline of healthcare.

 

Getzendanner S. Permanent injunction order against AMA. JAMA. 1988 Jan 1;259(1):81-2

 

Despite significant resistance by the allopathic medical profession (who were generally afraid of competition for America's healthcare dollars) and lack of financial support (compared to medical colleges which were subsidized by the government and which received massive funding from the pharmaceutical industry, which depends on large numbers of medical physicians to sell its products) chiropractic physicians, colleges, and organizations made significant progress toward establishing chiropractic's place in the American healthcare delivery system: chiropractic physicians became licensed in many states to practice as healthcare providers and many chiropractic colleges and universities were opened and have continued to provide full-time resident education for their students.  By 1987 many medical organizations--including the American Medical Association (AMA)--were sued and found guilty of engaging in illegal and anti-trust activities to harm the chiropractic profession.  Currently, the chiropractic profession is stronger than ever, and chiropractic physicians enjoy licensure in all 50 states and a generally broad scope of practice.

 

 

The basic philosophical paradigm which is taught in many chiropractic colleges (and which I learned as a freshman student at Texas Chiropractic College before I transferred to Western States Chiropractic College) is to envision health, disease, and patient care from a conceptual model named the "triad of health" which gave its attention to the fundamental foundations for well-being: namely, the physical/structural, mental/emotional, and biochemical/nutritional factors that influence health.  This model is easily apprehendable and can be visually illustrated as shown below.

 

 

Revolutionary at the time of its inception in the early 1900's, this model now forms the fundamental foundation for the increasingly dominant and very popular paradigm of "holistic medicine."  It remains a powerful contrast and an attractive alternative to the conventional allopathic approach which generally approaches the human body as if it were simply a conglomerate of independent organ systems which have little or no functional relationship to each other.

 

 

Contrary to inaccurate and misleading research, chiropractic manipulation is very safe (even safer than anti-inflammatory and pain-killing drugs (like aspirin) for the treatment of neck pain) (safer also than the new pain-reliving "COX-2 inhibitors" which increased the risk for heart attack, stroke and renal failure) and has shown effectiveness in the treatment of several illnesses and disease conditions.  

 

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A case study of misrepresentation of the scientific literature: recent reviews of chiropractic.

Morley J, Rosner AL, Redwood D.
Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, Brookline, MA 02446-3202, USA.

J Altern Complement Med. 2001 Feb;7(1):65-78; discussion 79-82

Accurate use of published data and references is a cornerstone of the peer-review process. Statements, inferences, and conclusions based upon these references should logically ensue from the data they contain. When journal articles and textbook chapters summarizing the safety and efficacy of particular therapies or interventions use references inaccurately or with apparent intent to mislead, the integrity of scientific reporting is fundamentally compromised. Ernst et al.'s publication on chiropractic include repeated misuse of references, misleading statements, highly selective use of certain published papers, failure to refer to relevant literature, inaccurate reporting of the contents of published work, and errors in citation. Meticulous analysis of some influential negative reviews has been carried out to determine the objectivity of the data reported. The misrepresentation that became evident deserves full debate and raises serious questions about the integrity of the peer-review process and the nature of academic misconduct.

 

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Misuse of the literature by medical authors in discussing spinal manipulative therapy injury.

Terrett AG.

School of Chiropractic and Osteopathy, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995 May;18(4):203-10

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine how the words chiropractic and chiropractor have been used in publications in relation to the reporting of complications from cervical spinal manipulation therapy (SMT). STUDY DESIGN: The study method was to collect recent publications relating to spinal manipulation iatrogenesis which mentioned the words chiropractic and/or chiropractor and then determine the actual professional training of the practitioner involved. METHOD: The training of the practitioner in each report was determined by one of three means: surveying previous publications, surveying subsequent publications and/or by writing to the author(s) of ten recent publications which had used the words chiropractic and/or chiropractor. RESULTS: This study reveals that the words chiropractic and chiropractor commonly appear in the literature to describe SMT, or practitioner of SMT, in association with iatrogenic complications, regardless of the presence or absence of professional training of the practitioner involved. CONCLUSION: The words chiropractic and chiropractor have been incorrectly used in numerous publications dealing with SMT injury by medical authors, respected medical journals and medical organizations. In many cases, this is not accidental; the authors had access to original reports that identified the practitioner involved as a nonchiropractor. The true incidence of such reporting cannot be determined. Such reporting adversely affects the reader's opinion of chiropractic and chiropractors.

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There is research to support the use of spinal manipulation in the treatment of low back pain, infantile colic, headaches which result from neck problems, tension headaches, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches.  In my opinion the most interesting area of research and clinical application of chiropractic spinal manipulation is in the area of affecting (generally "improving") the function of the brain with manipulation of the cervical spine (neck area).  The effects of spinal manipulation on brain function appear to be quite beneficial, as evidenced by reduced seizure frequency in a patient with epilepsy and the numerous reports by several different authors which describe improved vision following spinal manipulation.  Let's look at a few examples:

 

Extraspinal and non-musculoskeletal benefits of chiropractic spinal manipulation: a brief survey of the literature.

·         “A 53-year-old woman suffered a facial fracture and loss of vision in her left eye following a fall down a stairwell.   The loss of vision was objectively documented by clinical exam, by serial visual field tests, and by electrophysiologic studies.  After her fractures where treated surgically, her vision was completely restored with 20 treatment sessions with chiropractic spinal manipulation.”[1]

·         "It was noted that significant improvement in vision occurred immediately after the spinal manipulation treatments. Full recovery of vision was attained by series of these steps. In addition, both patients reported significant constitutional benefits after the treatment in addition to the improved vision.[2]

·         "Standard outpatient spinal adjustments were followed by recovery of vision."[3]

·         "...his visual fields were tested before and after a normal office spinal manipulation. After this procedure, there was a measurable rise in the visual sensitivity of both eyes."[4]

·         "CONCLUSION: The use of computerized static perimetry to measure the cerebral effects of spinal manipulation has increased knowledge of how chiropractic works. The further recovery of vision with each spinal adjustment suggests that more treatment may be better than less treatment in the chiropractic management of such cases."[5]

·         "The child was treated by spinal manipulation under anesthesia; the vision was found to be normal on awakening from the anesthesia. Both visual recoveries were authenticated by an independent ophthalmic specialist."[6]

·         "Vision improved dramatically in the week of spinal manipulation therapy, as measured by serial computerized static perimetry."[7]

·         "CLINICAL FEATURES: A 44-yr-old housewife presented with nonspecific bilateral visual field loss. This visual disability disappeared immediate to pan-spinal manipulation under anesthetic."[8]

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[1] Stephens D, Pollard H, Bilton D, Thomson P, Gorman F. Bilateral simultaneous optic nerve dysfunction after periorbital trauma: recovery of vision in association with with chiropractic spinal manipulation therapy. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1999 Nov-Dec;22(9):615-21

[2] Stephens D, Gorman F, Bilton D. The step phenomenon in the recovery of vision with spinal manipulation: a report on two 13-yr-olds treated together. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1997 Nov-Dec;20(9):628-33

[3] Stephens D, Gorman F. The association between visual incompetence and spinal derangement: an instructive case history. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1997 Jun;20(5):343-50.

[4] Stephens D, Gorman RF. Does 'normal' vision improve with spinal manipulation? J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1996 Jul-Aug;19(6):415-8

[5] Gorman RF. Monocular scotomata and spinal manipulation: the step phenomenon. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1996 Jun;19(5):344-9

[6] Gorman RF. Monocular visual loss after closed head trauma: immediate resolution associated with spinal manipulation. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995 Jun;18(5):308-14

[7] Gorman RF. The treatment of presumptive optic nerve ischemia by spinal manipulation. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995;18(3):172-7

[8] Gorman RF. Automated static perimetry in chiropractic. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1993 Sep;16(7):481-7

 

 

 

A study by Leboeuf-Yde and associates in Denmark found that approximately 21% to 25% of patients reported improvement in other body systems following chiropractic treatment to the spine.

"26% were related to the airway passages (usually reported as "easier to breathe"), 

25% were related to the digestive system (mostly reported as "improved function"), 

14% were classified under eyes/vision (usually reported as "improved vision"), 

14% under heart/ circulation (about half of these reported as "improved circulation")."

 

 

The types and frequencies of improved nonmusculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy.

Leboeuf-Yde C, Axen I, Ahlefeldt G, Lidefelt P, Rosenbaum A, Thurnherr T. Medical Research Unit, Amtsradhuset, Torvet, Denmark.   J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1999 Nov-Dec;22(9):559-64.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and types of improved nonmusculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective information obtained by chiropractors through standardized interview of patients on return visit within 2 weeks of previous treatment. SETTING: The private practice of 87 Swedish chiropractors (response rate 81%). SUBJECTS: Twenty consecutive (presumably naive) patients per chiropractor (1504 valid questionnaires returned, 86% of optimal number of replies). INTERVENTION: Spinal manipulation with or without additional therapy provided by chiropractors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported improved nonmusculoskeletal symptoms (reactions). RESULTS: At least I reaction was reported after the previous treatment in 21% to 25% of cases. Of these responses, 26% were related to the airway passages (usually reported as "easier to breathe"), 25% were related to the digestive system (mostly reported as "improved function"), 14% were classified under eyes/vision (usually reported as "improved vision"), and 14% under heart/ circulation (about half of these reported as "improved circulation"). The number of spinal areas treated was positively associated with the number of reactions. CONCLUSION: A minority of chiropractic patients report having positive nonmusculoskeletal reactions after spinal manipulative therapy but such reports cluster predominantly around specific symptoms. It would be interesting to find out if these can be verified objectively and, if so, to investigate if they are caused by the treatment or if they are signs of natural variations in human physiology.

Interestingly, the researchers noted that " The number of spinal areas treated was positively associated with the number of reactions." which suggests a dose-dependent and therefore causal relationship between improvement in function and spinal manipulation. 

 

All experienced Doctors of Chiropractic--even when treating "only the spine"--have witnessed their patients' improvements in  "nonmusculoskeletal" symptoms.  Physicians who are uninitiated to the realities that 1) the human body works as a whole and not as simply a conglomerate of independent organ systems, and that 2) skillfully-applied holistic approaches to treating the human body often have beneficial effects in other "unrelated" organ systems often find such impressive results difficult to believe, let alone understand.  Yet the proof is in the research (as quoted and referenced above), and in the experience of holistic physicians, and in the improved lives of patients of such holistic medicine.

 

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the leading organization of chiropractic physicians in the United States. If you are interested in additional information about the chiropractic profession, you can easily learn more at the ACA website by reading general information about chiropractic and chiropractic physicians, educational requirements, history of the profession, and information about accredited chiropractic education as taught at several colleges and universities throughout the world.  

additional updated information about chiropractic healthcare