Another blog post from Ann Arbor chiropractor, Mike Tannenbaum, D.C.: Chiropractic Facts

One of the things I enjoy doing when providing chiropractic care at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office is answering questions about chiropractic. Such as about chiropractic’s history, where chiropractic is practiced throughout the world, how many chiropractors are currently practicing, and so on. Below, I've listed some of the answers to the questions people ask me about chiropractic.

1. The name chiropractic comes from the ancient Greek words cheir,  which means “hand,” and praktos, which means “done.” So chiropractic means “done by hand.”

2. On average, every day over 1 million chiropractic adjustments are performed throughout the world.

3. Currently, there are approximately 100,000 chiropractors practicing throughout the world; there are more than 70,000 chiropractors practicing in the United States.

4. Chiropractors are the highest-rated healthcare practitioner for low-back pain treatments, ranked above physical therapists (PTs), specialist physician/MD, DO (for example, neurosurgeons, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons), and primary care physicians/MD, DO.

5. It is estimated that chiropractors treat over 35 million people in the U.S. every year. This includes adults and children.  

6. Chiropractors are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school programs. The DC (doctor of chiropractic) curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools. Prior to chiropractic school, the student must complete at least three years of undergraduate education with substantial science classes, and many chiropractic schools require a bachelor’s degree.  

7. Children and infants can benefit from chiropractic. Just think of how a child’s birth could have stressed the neck and back, and how often children fall as they learn to walk and as they play.    

8. The first chiropractic adjustment was performed in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa, U.S., by the founder of chiropractic, Daniel David (D. D.) Palmer. The adjustment was performed on a janitor, Harvey Lillard, whom Dr. Palmer had befriended. Mr. Lillard had lost much of his hearing when he hurt his neck. The adjustment restored Mr. Lillard's hearing.  

9. A worker with a back injury is 28 times less likely to have spinal surgery if their first point of contact is a chiropractor instead of a surgeon.

If you have any questions about this blog post, chiropractic, neck pain, back pain, or headaches, I can be reached at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office at [email protected].