The chiropractic profession is very close to the mainstream end of the alternative medical treatment spectrum. Chiropractors have medical degrees from specialized schools, and their services are usually covered by health insurance if they are prescribed by a physician. Despite this, chiropractors devote an inordinate amount of time to defending their profession against critics both inside and outside of medicine.
Chiropractors are educated in human physiology and biology in general, but their main focus is the spinal column. Chiropractors believe that everyday stressors pull the vertebrae of the spine and neck out of alignment, and that these misalignments (called subluxations) are the root cause of a variety of physical and mental ailments. Chiropractors hope to relieve pressure caused by subluxations by physically manipulating individual vertebrae or readjusting the entire spine.
Free spinal exams are a common way for chiropractors to generate business. Basic measurements are taken during these examinations to reveal any imbalances in spinal alignment. One shoulder may be noticeably higher than the other, or one arm may offer greater stress resistance than the other. Clients of chiropractors may be asked to stand on two scales to determine which side of the body is heavier. According to critics, almost every human has some form of spinal imbalance, but this isn’t always a sign of poor health.
Chiropractic treatments are a cross between those provided by a trained spinal doctor and those provided by a physical therapist. Much of what chiropractors do is hands-on manipulation or adjustment of the patient’s spine and back, as the term chiropractic literally means “through the hands.” Chiropractors use special tables to place patients in traction or compression. Pressure is sometimes applied between each successive vertebrae to ‘pop’ the spine. Other times, chiropractors will use a twisting motion to realign the neck vertebrae.
All of this spinal manipulation, according to critics of the chiropractic profession, is a potentially dangerous practice. These critics argue that as gases in the cartilage are released, almost all joints will produce a satisfying ‘pop,’ but that this does not imply that the joint is more aligned than before the manipulation. Critics of chiropractic medicine also claim that the neck vertebrae are particularly prone to fractures that result in paralysis, implying that the risks of serious injury outweigh the health benefits.
Chiropractors, on the other hand, adamantly defend their profession, pointing to the number of potentially dangerous services provided on a daily basis by spinal surgeons and physical therapists, such as drug prescriptions and surgery. Patients benefit from the long-term effects of spinal manipulations, not just a single visit, according to chiropractors, and physical manipulation of the spine and neck can be compared to deep tissue massage techniques, both of which claim to relieve stress and restore damaged nerve pathways. Chiropractors also point out that many health insurance companies cover their services, implying that enough people could benefit from chiropractic care to justify the cost.