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Summary Chiropractic care is popular
with patients. A growing interest in holistic healthcare is fueling demand.
A healthy number of Americans enjoy access to chiropractic care these
days, but that hasn't always been the case. For the last few decades,
chiropractors have had to work hard to bring their profession into the
mainstream and to validate their holistic approach to healthcare.
Now that they have taken some huge steps forward, the need for chiropractors is
growing. Here's a glimpse of what it means to be a chiropractor and why an increasing
number of people are seeking treatment with one for a variety of ills.
The Basics of Chiropractic
Chiropractic is an "American-born profession" that dates back to 1895 in
Davenport, Iowa, according to J. Michael Flynn, DC (doctor of chiropractic), chairman of
the board of the American Chiropractic Association.
Since then, chiropractors have been diagnosing and treating patients whose health problems
are associated with the body's muscular, nervous and skeletal systems.
The chiropractic approach to healthcare is holistic, stressing the patient's overall
health and wellness. "It's a drugless profession," Flynn says. "We use
common sense and recognize that many lifestyle factors affect health, including nutrition
and exercise." In some cases, chiropractors manually adjust the spinal column. They
may also use water, light, massage, ultrasound, electric and heat therapy.
An Entrepreneurial Environment
Chiropractors usually work in solo or group practices, and some work in corporate
settings, says George A. Goodman, DC, president of Logan
College of Chiropractic in St. Louis. Solo practices are the most common. "A lot
of chiropractors have the desire to be their own boss," Goodman says.
Renee Tornatore, DC, is one of those chiropractors who is an entrepreneur at heart. She
put out her shingle in Corydon, Indiana, soon after graduating from Logan College of
Chiropractic two years ago and hasn't had any trouble rounding up business. "My
practice is as busy as I want it to be," Tornatore says. She sees about 80 to 100
patients in a typical day and gets 60 percent of her business through patient-to-patient
referrals. "It's the best profession to get into in terms of helping people,"
Tornatore says."The financial rewards are amazing, and it's a growing field."
According to ACA statistics, the average income for a chiropractor was $86,500, after
expenses, in 1997. Current salary surveys from other sources show similar figures.
A Growing Demand
Although chiropractors have a long history in the US, it's only in the last 30 years
that chiropractic care has become tightly woven in the fabric of American healthcare.
During those years, chiropractors have fought for recognition from Medicare and private
health insurers, and they've faced off against medical groups opposed to chiropractic
care. Winning those battles has helped push chiropractic into the mainstream. Even more
important, however, may be several scientific studies that have shown the effectiveness of
chiropractic care and the popularity among consumers.
A recent five-year study at 16 military sites showed that chiropractic care reduced
hospitalizations, surgery and dependence on medicine among military personnel, for
example. The study also showed overwhelming patient support for chiropractic care, Flynn
says. As a result of the study, President Clinton signed a bill making chiropractic care
accessible to men and women in the armed services, Flynn says.
American healthcare consumers have been increasingly interested in all
forms of complementary and alternative healthcare services in recent years,
and chiropractic is the most popular modality, Flynn adds. Results of
a 1998 study by the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention
showed 17 percent of Americans used chiropractic care in the last year.
"In many studies, chiropractic leads the list as the number one treatment
alternative," Flynn says. "As more information is available
to consumers and they are able to pick their providers of choice, chiropractic
will continue to grow."
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