
Do Doctors of Chiropractic Prescribe Medication?: No. The Doctor of Chiropractic is trained in treating human illnesses without drugs or surgery. Each health profession has its specialty: for dentists, teeth; for optometrists, eyes; for physicians, medication and surgery; for psychologists, counseling; and for chiropractors, spinal manipulation. Just as you would never consider going to anyone but a dentist for expert care of your teeth, the chiropractor by education, training and practice is the one to seek out for expert spinal manipulation.

Questions & Answers

Will I Have to Keep Going to My Chiropractor Forever?

Not unless that is your choice or necessity dictates it. Most cases seen by a chiropractor respond relatively quickly. However, in certain instances, a long-term treatment program may be necessary.

The process of initial care may be lengthy because chiropractic adjustments work by moving the vertebrae only a small distance. Immediately after treatment the joints, muscles, ligaments and other structures change their function. Each time the vertebrae are adjusted, they change a little more until eventually the function has returned to normal. This process only works with repetition over time: the more significant the dysfunction, the longer resolution will take. It is rather like getting a rusty hinge to start working again.

Once the original condition that caused the pain and discomfort has been resolved, it may still be necessary to have follow-up care from time to time to "fine tune" your spine's function. Many people find they feel better on a regular program of preventive care.

Is a Chiropractor a Doctor?: Yes. Chiropractors (DC), along with dentists (DDS), optometrists (OD), physicians (MD) and psychologists (PhD, DPsych), are entitled to use the title "Doctor". The common denominator to all of these professions is the right and responsibility to diagnose. As with all students in the health sciences, students of chiropractic are required to have at least a Bachelors degree in science (BSc) before entering a chiropractic college. Before graduating and becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic, the student will have completed more than 4,500 hours of classroom study. Also, following the course of a student's chiropractic studies, they must pass clinical proficiency examinations and national and provincial board examinations in order to practice.