Chiropractic FAQ

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts that is concerned with human health and disease processes. Chiropractors focus on the physiological and biochemical conditions of patients, including how spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional and emotional relationships affect patient's well-being. In doing so, they also consider environmental conditions surrounding the patient.

Chiropractic is an ancient healing practice, well documented in ancient Chinese and Greek history. Hippocrates (Greek physician - 460 to 357 B.C.) wrote: "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases".

In the United States, the practice of spinal manipulation started in 1895 with Daniel David Palmer. Palmer, who focused in studying anatomy and physiology, founded the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1897 - still one of the most prominent chiropractic colleges in the nation.

Are chiropractors physicians? Are they required to be licensed?

Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who spend a minimum of 4,200 hours in academical, laboratory and clinical training in accredited chiropractic colleges. To become licensed in the state of Oregon a prospective chiropractic student must have a four year undergraduate degree before acceptance into the chiropractic program. This degree must include courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once enrolled in chiropractic school the course work is four years long and includes comparable medical school classroom hours in biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology and pathology.

Becoming licensed as a chiropractic physician requires passing four different National Board exams and then passing the State Board exam.

What do chiropractors do?

Chiropractors are dedicated to non-invasive care promoting science-based approaches to a variety of ailments. They can diagnose and prescribe appropriate therapy to help patients heal from a wide range of dysfunctions and disorders. Most common procedures include the adjustment and manipulation of the articulations of the spine, as well as adjacent tissues. Chiropractors are educated in the diagnosis and correction of spinal misalignments. These misalignments are called subluxations. Subluxations can be the cause of pain, muscle spasm or radicular symptoms such as sciatica. Subluxations can also affect proper nerve communication with internal organs resulting in disease and dysfunction. Finally, subluxations may be the root cause of degenerative conditions such as arthritis or spinal instability.

Chiropractors are prepared to diagnose health care problems and treat problems that can be treated by chiropractic care. They can also refer patients to other health care specialists, when appropriate.

"The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it."

--Marcus Aurelius