Of the many medical professions in practice today, more myths surround chiropractic care than any other. Active Life Chiropractic, a highly-rated chiropractor serving Charlotte, shares seven of the most common chiropractic-related misconceptions and reveals the facts behind each one.
Myth #1: Chiropractors Aren’t Real Doctors
Fact: Chiropractors receive a D.C. (doctorate of Chiropractic) from a chiropractic college. This doctorate licenses the chiropractor as a certified health care provider in all 50 U.S. states, and internationally too. Also, just like a “traditional” medical education, chiropractors are required to complete four years of pre-med classes before enrolling in a chiropractic college. And here’s something interesting: whereas the average medical student completes 2,756 hours of classroom education, the average chiropractic student takes 2,887 hours. Not to mention chiropractic students must complete a residency, same as med students.
Myth #2: Chiropractic Care is “Pseudo-Science”
Fact: We’ll let the RAND Corporation, noted skeptical institute, “debunk” the pseudo-science myth: “There are considerably more randomized controlled trials which show benefit of chiropractic care than there are for many, many other things which physicians and neurosurgeons do all the time.” Moreover, there are more published chiropractic medical papers than there are published papers for numerous other practices. Not to mention the years of research validating chiropractic as a genuine (and effective) alternative treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal issues.
Myth #3: Adjustments are a Waste of Money
Fact: given what we just stated in myths 1 and 2, this second myth is especially nonsensical. Chiropractic adjustments for discomfort and joint pain are supported by the medical and scientific communities – thus the reason why so many people pursue chiropractic care.
Myth #4: Chiropractic Treatment is Only for “Old People”
Fact: if you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know this isn’t the case. Chiropractic care is safe and beneficial starting at the infant stage, and even before that for pregnant mothers. Telling stat: according to OSHA, by age five the average child has incurred around 1,500 spinal-related traumas. The total number of joint-related traumas is unknown.
Myth #5: Chiropractic Adjustments Hurt
Fact: on the contrary, most people who’ve seen a chiropractor feel relieved and relaxed because their misaligned joints have been restored to their natural position, allowing for comfortable movement. We can also add “cracking joints” to this category, since there’s a misconception that cracking joints hurt and/or are bad for your bones. The truth is that cracking joints, just like cracking one’s knuckles, has no proven negative side-effects. In fact, the cracking sound is made by the release of CO2 gas.
Myth #6: Chiropractic Treatment isn’t Covered by Insurance
Fact: this may have been true 30 years ago, but in 2018 most insurance plans cover chiropractic care – for the simple reason that health insurance companies have validated beyond a doubt the benefits of chiropractic vs. traditional medicine.
Myth #7: Chiropractors are Expensive
Fact: numerous studies prove that chiropractic care is considerably cheaper than seeing a “mainstream” physician, especially when you factor in the recurring cost of prescription medication that comes with most physician visits. In a recent survey, 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield members who saw a chiropractor for back pain paid 40% less than members who saw a traditional physician.
If you were on the fence regarding chiropractic care before reading this blog, hopefully you’re now ready to pursue chiropractic care at our local Charlotte chiropractic clinic.