For those familiar with chiropractors already, they know from their own personal experience that chiropractic simply works. As for those who haves yet to experience chiropractic there seem to be a few rumors floating around out there. Today we would like to try and clear the air as to fact vs. myth.

Misconception #1– Chiropractors are not real doctors.

False. The biggest difference between medical doctors and chiropractors is not their level of education but in their method of treating patients.

Let’s look at both forms of treatment

Chiropractors – For soft tissue damage and misalignments, there is no miracle chemical compound that can correct this. It requires a physical solution. This is where chiropractic adjustment comes in as well as recommended exercises, stretching, and muscle therapy. Chiropractors are able to help your body to work and function correctly in order to be able to heal itself.

Medical doctors – Medical doctors are, as they are accurately named, trained in the use of medicine as well as surgery. If you have a chemically treatable problem, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a bacterial infection, medical treatment can be an answer.

Schooling for a Doctorate of Chiropractic (D.C.) and schooling for a Medical Degree, in curricula, are virtually identical. The Chiropractic degree actually requires more hours of classroom learning than the medical degree. Chiropractic students are required to complete a supervised residency just as medical doctors are. Upon graduation, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams where they intend to practice.

Chiropractors are subject to the same type of licensing, testing procedures, and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Workers’ Compensations programs, Medicare, and Medicaid cover chiropractic. Federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by D.C.’s.

Their doctorate is in every way equal to that of a medical doctor.

Misconception #2 – Medical doctors don’t believe in chiropractors.

Untrue. While it may have been the case way back in the 1940s and even as recently as the 1970s in the years following the overall opinion of the vast majority of the medical community has changed. There have been studies conducted showing that chiropractic does indeed help patients with a wide range of conditions and can work very well in conjunction with more traditional medical care. Hospitals across the country staff chiropractors as do many medical offices.

Misconception #3 – If you get adjusted once, you must go for the rest of your life. It’s better to just leave things be.

Though of course recommended is a lifetime of preventative wellness care, that is totally up to the individual. You can receive just a single adjustment in a life time or regular care. There is no mandate, and being adjusted and in alignment simply makes you feel better. The likely reason this idea got started was that once you feel what your body feels like in alignment and working properly, you will not want to accept a lesser version of your health.

Chiropractic is very much akin to going to the dentist. Can you get your teeth cleaned only once? Sure. But you may not experience full dental health if you don’t continue to go on a regular basis for preventive maintenance.

This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.

We hope this has cleared up some common misnomers about chiropractic. Thank you for reading and we hope to see you in our office sometime soon for an adjustment. If you would like to schedule an appointment in either our Fort Myers or Naples offices please give us a call at 239-332-2555 or visit www.drkasters.com.