Having been a chiropractor now practising for 10 years in the UK and a having grown up in a family of chiropractors (10 in my family) I would like to think I have been exposed to a lot of chiropractic ideas and thoughts over the years. The following is my take on it what I as a chiropractor do with my patients and why we all differ a little.
Chiropractic is defined slightly differently and accepted slightly differently as a result within the systems of health care. In New Zealand chiropractic is commonly acknowledged as part of the national health system, the same is true to some extent in Australia. In the USA where insurance is king with many people claiming care on their insurance. Where this does not occur and the patient pays from their own pocket this is referred to as a cash based practice.
In the United Kingdom however for what ever reason chiropractic is rarely utilised in the NHS (the national public funded health care system). That doesn't mean its not available, just not commonly used. This I would suggest is for a number of reasons, the result is most chiropractors in the UK are cash based practices. There are obviously drawbacks and benefits. I personally prefer this model. Chiropractors are not entitled to standard subsidises that are afforded to other sectors of the NHS out of tax payers pocket. Bottom line: If I don't get people better, don't be available when people need me, people don't continue to sent there family and friends, I don't get paid, I change career!
So too the point, what do chiropractors do? What do I do?
Chiropractors assess the nerve system, to find if there is anything that maybe aggravating it. The Chiropractors knowledge comes through a comprehensive knowledge (4-5 year degree). There are currently 3 universities in the UK graduating students. McTimoney (Oxford), AECC (Bournemouth) and WIOC (Cardfiff).
Having undertaken a case history and performed an extensive examination we would then analyse the findings and return with a report of findings and a detailed explanation to the patient of what we have found and what we can do. On this second visit we usually make a start.
In addition to releasing these areas of tension in the spine (usually through using our hands) we then go on to advise home exercises in most cases and possibly even massage with our of our therapists onsite.
Whilst many people come to me with aches and pains I always like to remind patients at the start whilst most poeople come with aches and pains my job as a chiropractor is not to simply take away the pain (as drugs would usually do that). My job is to get to the cause of their pain and how I can get them functioning better.
A great example was just today when an electrician came to me house (whilst I am meat to be on holiday! I love what I do way too much!! ;). I booked him in as a patient. He told me he had a bad back, which he did, but failed to recognise I will probably help him with the problem in his neck most likely giving him headaches every fortnight too the point he has to lay down!! Crazy!! An easy problem to fix. So much suffering for no reason, simply because throughout his life even after insurance for a road traffic accident he is not informed for the thousands of people that I have seen with exactly that, chronic, recurrent headaches. 