Chiropractic facts for patients

 Untrue chiropractic facts for patients


1) Chiropractors are the most common medical providers in America, with more than 1 million of them working today. They make up less than 0.5% of all physicians and surgeons (0.7%) but they account for nearly half of all medical students.

2) The number one reason why people choose to become a chiropractor is because it's cheaper than going to the doctor. In fact, the average annual cost of a new chiropractor is $3,000. That's not including equipment or supplies.

3) Chiropractors typically treat patients with non-invasive, manual adjustments. These are done by hands and wrists, and don't interfere with the progress of illness or injury.

4) Chiropractors believe in the perpetuation of pain. Acupuncture, massage and other techniques are used to treat conditions like headaches, but those techniques do nothing to relieve pain. In fact, those techniques are specifically designed to increase patient tolerance to pain by engaging the body's natural endorphins and other pain relieving chemicals.

5) It is within the power of chiropractic care to prevent illness and maintain health. Most doctors agree that regular chiropractic care can decrease the risk of injuries and help maintain or improve your health.

6) There are two types of chiropractors. Those who have earned a doctorate in chiropractic medicine and those who have not. The latter group is typically known as "chiropractic technicians" or "chiropractors."

7) Chiropractors have a wide variety of opinions and beliefs on alternative medicine. Many are wary of referring patients to healers that manipulate the mind, such as herbalists and homeopaths. Some even believe that prayer can cure patients!

8) Chiropractors are much more likely to believe in "natural" medicine. Some 43% of chiropractors believe that alternative medicine can cure or prevent health problems as well as or better than traditional methods. That number drops to just 12% for all doctors.This belief in "natural" medicine is especially popular among younger chiropractors, with over half of all chiropractors under the age of 36 believing that way.

9) Chiropractors are also much more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. Some 20% of chiropractors believe that the pharmaceutical industry intentionally creates or covers up dangers of some drugs so they can make money. That number jumps to nearly a third when you include conspiracy theories involving the food industry and other natural products. (Just 4% of all doctors share that view!)

10) Chiropractors also believe that non-traditional treatments can be just as or more effective than traditional medicine. Some 46% of chiropractors say that natural products like herbs and vitamins can cure or prevent health problems as well as or better than pharmaceutical drugs. That number drops to just 11% of all doctors who share that belief.

11) Chiropractors are also more likely to believe in the power of Prayer, with nearly 2 out of 5 (37%) saying it has the power to heal.

12) Chiropractors believe that traditional medicine holds many dangers, especially for people with compromised immune systems like the very young, the elderly and people who have cancer. Just 1% of all doctors share this view.

13) Still, most chiropractors don't believe that alternative or "natural" medicine is dangerous or useless. Some 65% of chiropractors say that both experimental medicine and natural products can be just as dangerous as traditional medicine, while just 27% say they're as safe.

14) Chiropractors are also split on which is more important in healing: skill or the patient's well being: 46% of chiropractors say that treating patients based on their needs is more important than skill, while just as many say that a doctor's skill is more important than the patient's well being.

15) Chiropractors themselves are split on politically. While just 10% of all doctors are registered Republicans, the number jumps to a bit more than a quarter of all chiropractors being registered Republicans (26%). A nearly equal number are Democrats (24%).

16) Chiropractors themselves are more likely to identify as "independent" rather than either of the two major parties. Some 32% of all chiropractors identify as independents while just 18% say they're Democrats, 17% say they're Republicans. Even more (35%) identify as "other."

17) Chiropractors themselves are split on whether they believe in a higher power. Some 43% of chiropractors say they do, while just 23% say they don't.

18) Chiropractors generally have much lower incomes than all other doctors. The average chiropractor earns $93,000 a year while the average doctor earns $219,000. Chiropractors earn a slightly lower salary than primary care physicians (family doctors, internists, etc.) but considerably more than psychiatrists, oncologists, and other specialty doctors.

19) Chiropractors are also more likely to be self-employed than other doctors. Some 16% of all doctors are self-employed, while the number is nearly twice as high for chiropractors (29%).

20) Chiropractors are also more likely to work out of their homes. In fact, nearly a third (31%) of chiropractors work from their homes on a regular basis. That's nearly 3 times as many as the 11% of all doctors who self-identify as "home-based."

21) Chiropractors are also more likely to work mostly on their own terms. A strong 88% of chiropractors say that as a doctor, they are allowed to work around the conditions they want. Just 1% of all doctors say the same thing.

22) Chiropractors are also much more likely to work as a "sole practitioner." Some 77% of chiropractors work as such, while just 15% of all doctors do.

23) The working environment in a chiropractor's office is generally friendlier than in most doctor's offices. Nearly 3 out of 5 chiropractors (59%) say that their office environment is "friendly,"


So there you have it, the top 23 chiropractic facts for patients myths. Do you still believe in any of these? I know I didn't!