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Chiropractic patients in Denmark 2002: an expanded description and comparison with 1999 survey.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to provide an expanded description of Danish chiropractic patients and to compare characteristics seen in a survey from 1999 with those seen in 2002. METHODS: All chiropractic clinics in Denmark were asked to collect information on new patients during 1 randomly assigned week in 2002 using a survey questionnaire. All 52 weeks of the year 2002 were represented with an even dispersion of weeks (182 clinics participated). Outcome measures included age, sex, education, occupation, location and duration of chief complaint, pain intensity, limitation of activities of daily living, mode of referral, duration of sick leave, previous treatments, comorbidity, SF-12, smoking habits, and use of x-ray. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of all chiropractic clinics in Denmark participated in the study, and 1595 patients (81%) filled out a self-administered questionnaire. As in 1999, the most frequent area of complaint was pain related to the lower back and pelvis (49%). Contrary to the 1999 survey, most of the patients (64%) had complaints of less than 4 weeks of duration. Twenty-nine percent of the patients had been off work because of their symptoms; most of these for less than 1 week. Fifty-one percent of all patients were referred to chiropractors in 2002 (doubling since 1999). Referrals from general medical practitioners rose from 11% in 1999 to 17% in 2002. Sixty percent of all patients had similar symptoms in the past, and approximately half had previously received treatment of the same or a similar problem. Thirty percent of first-time chiropractic patients were x-rayed. Compared with general population measures, Danish chiropractic patients had significantly worse physical health status measured by the SF-12. CONCLUSIONS: Most Danish chiropractic patients complain of pain related to the spine, especially the lower back, with duration of symptoms of less than 4 weeks, and many with recurrent back pain. Referrals from general medical practitioners have increased since 1999.

Absenteeism↗

Chiropractic management of cow's milk protein intolerance in infants with sleep dysfunction syndrome: a therapeutic trial.

OBJECTIVE: In addition to the more usual cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory problems, infants with cow's milk intolerance (CMI) may present with a disturbed sleep pattern. Frustrated mothers may turn to their doctor of chiropractic for assistance. This pilot study shows how a therapeutic trial may offer a realistic, noninvasive approach to the chiropractic management of infants with this clinical problem. METHODS: A pilot study to describe the presentation and treatment of infants presenting with disturbed sleep patterns to a chiropractic clinic was undertaken. Infants fulfilling a clinical screening protocol for CMI were selected for a therapeutic trial. The sleep behavior of subjects was monitored over a 4-week period during which they were managed by dietary change and a high-impulse, low-amplitude whole-of-body chiropractic management protocol. RESULTS: Fifty-nine infants presented with disturbed sleep. Of these, 19 met the clinical criteria used to establish the diagnosis CMI. The mothers of breast-fed infants were counseled on how to implement a dairy-free diet, and those infants who were artificially fed were changed from cow's milk-based formulae to either a partially or wholly hydrolyzed formula. Fourteen achieved a stable sleep pattern within the study period. In 5 instances, the sleep pattern remained problematic, but other clinical evidence of hypersensitivity reactions attributable to CMI disappeared. By the end of the study, no subject had demonstrable evidence of either biomechanical derangement or functional neurologic imbalance. CONCLUSION: CMI should be considered as a possibility in infants with disturbed sleep patterns who present for chiropractic care. This study describes how a therapeutic trial involving dietary modification, parental counseling, and comprehensive chiropractic care may offer a noninvasive approach to excluding and/or managing this condition. Further research is required before definitive recommendations can be made.

Counseling↗

Economic case for the integration of chiropractic services into the health care system.

The role and position of chiropractic care in the health care system must be transformed from being alternative and separate to alternative and mainstream. This transformation requires that chiropractic services become integrated in the many health care delivery organizations that collectively constitute the health care system. There is solid and impressive economic and related justification for the desired integration. Chiropractic care is a cost-effective alternative to the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions by other professions. It is also safer and increasingly accepted by the public, as reflected in the growing use and high patient retention rates. There is much and repeated evidence that patients prefer chiropractic care over other forms of care for the more common musculoskeletal conditions. The public interest will be well served by this transformation. Musculoskeletal disorders and injuries are the second and third most costly categories of health problems in economic burden-of-illness studies. They rank first as a cause in the prevalence of chronic health problems and long-term disability and rank at the top for activity limitations and short-term disability. They rank first as a reason for consultation with a health professional and second as a reason for the use of prescription and nonprescription drugs. These conditions are more prevalent among the poor, lower-middle income groups, and the elderly, yet those are precisely the groups that make the least use of chiropractic care for reasons of inadequate insurance coverage. The integration of chiropractic care into the health care system should serve to reduce health care costs, improve accessibility to needed care, and improve health outcomes.

Chiropractic↗

Stress: the chiropractic patients' self-perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial stress pervades modern life and is known to have an impact on health. Pain, especially chronic back pain, is influenced by stress. Various strategies have been shown to successfully reduce stress and its consequences. OBJECTIVES: This study explores stress as a potential disease trigger among chiropractic patients. METHOD: A descriptive study was undertaken to ascertain the stress perceptions of chiropractic patients. Purposive sampling of chiropractic practices and convenience sampling of patients was undertaken. Patients were allocated to 1 of 4 groups according to their presentation: acute, chronic biomechanical, fibromyalgia, or maintenance care. Participating patients were requested to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 138 patients attending 1 of 10 participating chiropractic clinics, more than 30% regarded themselves as moderately to severely stressed, and over 50% felt that stress had a moderate or greater effect on their current problem. Some 71% of patients felt it would be helpful if their chiropractic care included strategies to help them cope with stress, and 44% were interested in taking a self-development program to enhance their stress management skills. CONCLUSION: Patient perceptions are known to be important in health care. A number of chiropractic patients perceive they are moderately or severely stressed. Interventions that reduce stress, or even the patient's perception of being stressed, may be construed as valid, non-specific clinical interventions. It may be timely for chiropractors to actively contemplate including stress management routinely in their clinical care protocols.

Adult↗

Back problems. Chiropractic evaluation and management.

A thorough knowledge of equine spinal anatomy, biomechanics, and potential pathology is required to understand the principles and theories behind chiropractic and to apply its techniques properly. Chiropractic provides additional diagnostic and therapeutic means that may help equine practitioners to identify and treat the primary cause of lameness or poor performance. Specialized training in the evaluation and treatment of vertebral joint dysfunction and neuromusculoskeletal disorders places chiropractic in the forefront of conservative treatment of spinal-related disorders. Nevertheless, limited research is currently available on equine chiropractic and other nontraditional modalities in veterinary medicine. In 1996, the American Veterinary Medicine Association's Committee on Alternative and Complementary Therapies suggested that the research community should be encouraged to prioritize avenues of research and to allocate research funds to projects that are designed to provide further scientific evaluation of these modalities. The future of equine chiropractic in veterinary medicine is dependent on future research into the clinical effects of chiropractic techniques and the basic pathophysiology of spinal-related disorders in horses.

Animals↗

A comparison of physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, and provision of an educational booklet for the treatment of patients with low back pain.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: There are few data on the relative effectiveness and costs of treatments for low back pain. We randomly assigned 321 adults with low back pain that persisted for seven days after a primary care visit to the McKenzie method of physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, or a minimal intervention (provision of an educational booklet). Patients with sciatica were excluded. Physical therapy or chiropractic manipulation was provided for one month (the number of visits was determined by the practitioner but was limited to a maximum of nine); patients were followed for a total of two years. The bothersomeness of symptoms was measured on an 11-point scale, and the level of dysfunction was measured on the 24-point Roland Disability Scale. RESULTS: After adjustment for base-line differences, the chiropractic group had less severe symptoms than the booklet group at four weeks (P=0.02), and there was a trend toward less severe symptoms in the physical therapy group (P=0.06). However, these differences were small and not significant after transformations of the data to adjust for their non-normal distribution. Differences in the extent of dysfunction among the groups were small and approached significance only at one year, with greater dysfunction in the booklet group than in the other two groups (P=0.05). For all outcomes, there were no significant differences between the physical-therapy and chiropractic groups and no significant differences among the groups in the numbers of days of reduced activity or missed work or in recurrences of back pain. About 75 percent of the subjects in the therapy groups rated their care as very good or excellent, as compared with about 30 percent of the subjects in the booklet group (P<0.001). Over a two-year period, the mean costs of care were $437 for the physical-therapy group, $429 for the chiropractic group, and $153 for the booklet group. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with low back pain, the McKenzie method of physical therapy and chiropractic manipulation had similar effects and costs, and patients receiving these treatments had only marginally better outcomes than those receiving the minimal intervention of an educational booklet. Whether the limited benefits of these treatments are worth the additional costs is open to question.

Adult↗

Are chiropractic tests for the lumbo-pelvic spine reliable and valid? A systematic critical literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the peer-reviewed literature about the reliability and validity of chiropractic tests used to determine the need for spinal manipulative therapy of the lumbo-pelvic spine, taking into account the quality of the studies. DATA SOURCES: The CHIROLARS database was searched for the years 1976 to 1995 with the following index terms: "chiropractic tests," "chiropractic adjusting technique," "motion palpation," "movement palpation," "leg length," "applied kinesiology," and "sacrooccipital technique." In addition, a manual search was performed at the libraries of the Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark, and the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Bournemouth, United Kingdom. STUDY SELECTION: Studies pertaining to intraexaminer reliability, interexaminer reliability, and/or validity of chiropractic evaluation of the lumbo-pelvic spine were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Data quality were assessed independently by the two reviewers, with a quality score based on predefined methodologic criteria. Results of the studies were then evaluated in relation to quality. DATA SYNTHESIS: None of the tests studied had been sufficiently evaluated in relation to reliability and validity. Only tests for palpation for pain had consistently acceptable results. Motion palpation of the lumbar spine might be valid but showed poor reliability, whereas motion palpation of the sacroiliac joints seemed to be slightly reliable but was not shown to be valid. Measures of leg-length inequality seemed to correlate with radiographic measurements but consensus on method and interpretation is lacking. For the sacrooccipital technique, some evidence favors the validity of the arm-fossa test but the rest of the test regimen remains poorly documented. Documentation of applied kinesiology was not available. Palpation for muscle tension, palpation for misalignment, and visual inspection were either undocumented, unreliable, or not valid. CONCLUSION: The detection of the manipulative lesion in the lumbo-pelvic spine depends on valid and reliable tests. Because such tests have not been established, the presence of the manipulative lesion remains hypothetical. Great effort is needed to develop, establish, and enforce valid and reliable test procedures.

Chiropractic↗

Cost and effectiveness analysis of chiropractic and physiotherapy treatment for low back and neck pain. Six-month follow-up.

STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, clinical trial was conducted in which patients with back/neck problems, visiting a general practitioner, were allocated to chiropractic or physiotherapy as primary management. OBJECTIVES: To compare outcome and costs of chiropractic and physiotherapy in managing patients with low back or neck pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Earlier studies on the treatment of back pain by spinal manipulation have shown inconsistent results. When a "new" strategy--chiropractic--in the treatment of back pain was introduced in public health care in Sweden, there was a need to compare the effects and costs of chiropractic with the established physiotherapy. METHODS: Three hundred twenty-three patients aged 18 to 60 years who had no contraindications to manipulation and who had not been treated within the previous month were included in the study. Treatment was carried out at the discretion of the therapist. Outcome measures were primarily changes in pain intensity and general health, both assessed with visual analog scale and Oswestry pain disability questionnaire. Direct and indirect costs were measured. RESULTS: For patients with low back or neck pain visiting the general practitioner in primary care, both chiropractic and physiotherapy as primary treatment reduced the symptoms. No difference in outcome or direct or indirect costs between the two groups could be seen, nor in subgroups defined as duration, history, or severity. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness and total costs of chiropractic or physiotherapy as primary treatment were similar to reach the same result after treatment and after 6 months.

Adolescent↗

Frequency and clinical predictors of adverse reactions to chiropractic care in the UCLA neck pain study.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVES: To document the types and frequencies of adverse reactions associated with the most common chiropractic treatments for neck pain, and to identify possible clinical predictors of adverse reactions to chiropractic treatment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Chiropractic care is frequently sought by patients for relief from neck pain; however, adverse reactions related to its primary modes of treatment have not been well examined. METHODS: A total of 336 patients with neck pain presenting to 4 southern California health care clinics were randomized in a balanced 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design to manipulation with or without heat, and with or without electrical muscle stimulation (EMS); and mobilization with or without heat and with or without EMS. Discomfort or unpleasant reactions from chiropractic care were self-assessed at 2 weeks after the randomization/baseline visit. RESULTS: Of the 280 participants (83%) who responded, 85 (30.4%) had 212 adverse symptoms as a result of chiropractic care. Increased neck pain or stiffness was the most common symptom, reported by 25% of the participants. Less common were headache and radiating pain. Patients randomized to manipulation were more likely than those randomized to mobilization to have an adverse symptom occurring within 24 hours of treatment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83, 2.49). Heat and EMS were only weakly associated with adverse symptoms (heat: OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.54, 1.62; EMS: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.63, 1.89). Moderate-to-severe neck disability at baseline was strongly associated with adverse neurologic symptoms (OR = 5.70, 95% CI = 1.49, 21.80). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that adverse reactions to chiropractic care for neck pain are common and that despite somewhat imprecise estimation, adverse reactions appear more likely to follow cervical spine manipulation than mobilization. Given the possible higher risk of adverse reactions and lack of demonstrated effectiveness of manipulation over mobilization, chiropractors should consider a conservative approach for applying manipulation to their patients, especially those with severe neck pain.

Adult↗

Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a randomized clinical trial.

The purpose of this randomized patient- and observer-blinded cross-over trial was to evaluate the efficacy of chiropractic treatment in the management of chronic asthma when combined with pharmaceutical maintenance therapy. The trial was conducted at the National University Hospital's Out-patient Clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark. Thirty-one patients aged 18-44 years participated, all suffering from chronic asthma controlled by bronchodilators and/or inhaled steroids. Patients, or who had received chiropractic treatment for asthma within the last 5 years, who received oral steroids and immunotherapy, were not eligible. Patients were randomized to receive either active chiropractic spinal manipulative treatment or sham chiropractic spinal manipulative treatment twice weekly for 4 weeks, and then crossed over to the alternative treatment for another 4 weeks. Both phases were preceded and followed by a 2-week period without chiropractic treatment. The main outcome measurements were forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), daily use of inhaled bronchodilators, patient-rated asthma severity and non-specific bronchial reactivity (n-BR). Using the cross-over analysis, no clinically important or statistically significant differences were found between the active and sham chiropractic interventions on any of the main or secondary outcome measures. Objective lung function did not change during the study, but over the course of the study, non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity (n-BR) improved by 36% (P = 0.01) and patient-rated asthma severity decreased by 34% (P = 0.0002) compared with the baseline values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Acute respiratory distress syndrome: clinical recognition and preventive management in chiropractic acute care practice.

OBJECTIVE: To present clinical information relevant to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and its appearance in chiropractic acute care practice. DATA SOURCES: The National Library of Medicine MEDLINE database was used, along with the bibliographies of selected articles and textbooks commonly found in chiropractic college libraries and bookstores. STUDY SELECTION: Clinical studies from the English literature were selected if they pertained to incidence, clinical relevancy, or the association of ARDS with commonly-seen diagnoses in chiropractic neuromusculoskeletal or orthopedic practice. DATA EXTRACTION: All relevant studies identified by the search were evaluated based on information pertinent to chiropractic management of acute care patients. RESULTS: ARDS is a pulmonary distress syndrome with a high mortality rate. Recognizable indications for the possible development of ARDS include chest pain, head injury, and thoracic spine pain with or without trauma. Clinical evaluation, radiographic findings, and laboratory findings are presented to assist practitioners in identifying this disease process of multiple etiology. A study of the basic pathophysiologic processes that occur in the formation of ARDS is presented to help practitioners gain clinical appreciation. Strategies for preventing respiratory distress in chiropractic patients are also presented and include use of the postural position and the clinical maxim of "slow, deep breathing despite pain" to lessen incident rates of subjects at risk. CONCLUSION: Although ARDS may not be prevalent in chiropractic practice, it is important for physicians to be aware of the clinical basics (including its pathophysiology), its medical significance, and the preventive strategies that may be used to minimize its occurrence. This basic understanding will further advance knowledge of this disease complex.

Acute Disease↗

Pacific States Chiropractic College: the legacy of George Emmet Anderson, D.C.

Established in 1976, Pacific States Chiropractic College (PSCC) was the first such institution in Northern California since the 1950s. Its founder, Dr. George E. Anderson, was himself a 1954 graduate of an earlier school, Claifornia Chiropractic College at Oakland. His vision was of a strong, professionally-owned institution founded on a balance of science, art and traditional chiropractic principles. It was to be a fitful start for the new school as two administrators would be discharged for malfeasance; lawsuits filed against them by Dr. Anderson and his founding associate, Dr. George Wentland. A newly-structured PSCC reopened in September 1978 at its present location in San Lorenzo and with its master plan intact. In the early 1980s, after three interim administrations and a long search Pacific States was merged with Life Chiropractic College of Marietta, GA. Dr. Gerard W. Clum was named president. Fully accredited, Life Chiropractic College West today the largest chiropractic institution on the West Coast and carries on the dream of Dr. George Anderson.

Chiropractic↗

Joseph W. Howe, D.C., D.A.C.B.R. and the development of modern chiropractic radiology.

Born in Galeton, Pennsylvania, on 27 May 1930, Joseph W. Howe has been extremely influential raising the educational standards for radiology in chiropractic. After receiving his D.C. from Palmer in 1952, he worked in private practice in Pennsylvania until being drafted into the Army, where he worked as a radiologic technician. After returning to civilian life and his practice, he attended many seminars and lectures on the subject, including one in 1958, taught by Roland Kissinger, D.C. at the National College of Chiropractic (NCC), the first postgraduate course in chiropractic roentgenology ever administered by a college. Howe then took and passed the second exam given by the American Board of Chiropractic Roentgenologists and was awarded certificate number eight in 1959. He helped to form the American Chiropractic College of Radiology and became its first Radiological Health Consultant. In 1968, he joined the Associates Diagnostic and Research Center (ADRC) in Tallmadge, Ohio, where he was able to concentrate on research and establish an off-campus facility for radiology residents of NCC. During this time Howe also lent his expertise to the Houston Conference on Spinal Manipulation. However, financial difficulties with the Center led Howe to leave, and accept a full time position teaching at NCC. Howe ultimately found himself too involved with administrative duties and not enough with the radiology that he loved, so he moved his family across the country in order to accept the radiology department chair at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) in 1978. There he was given freedom to build the department to his high standards, and it retains the strongest residency in the profession, with up to six residents at any one time and links to prestigious radiologists like Donald Resnick, M.D. and Steve Rothman, M.D. Officially, Howe retired in 1998, but he still occasionally teaches residents and the Westwood-based radiology practice that he donated to LACC continues, run by the radiology faculty.

Chiropractic↗

Chiropractic and medical care costs of low back care: results from a practice-based observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the 1-year costs for patients treated for acute and chronic ambulatory low back pain by medical physicians and chiropractors. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, practice-based observational study undertaken in 13 general medical practices and 51 chiropractic community-based clinics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 2872 study patients, 2263 had complete 1-year records of services. Service data, collected from billing records, chart audits, and provider questionnaires, were assigned relative value units that were converted into 1995 dollar costs. Prescription drug costs for medical patients were included. Patient data on health status, pain and disability, and socioeconomic characteristics were obtained from self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The direct office costs of treating both chiropractic and medical patients over a 1-year period were relatively small. Forty-three percent of chiropractic patients and 57% of medical patients incurred costs of less than $100. However, the mean costs associated with chiropractic patients ($214) were significantly higher than those for medical patients ($123), especially when compared with medical patients who were not referred for further treatment or evaluation ($103). Chiropractic patients had somewhat lower baseline levels of pain and disability than nonreferred medical patients, but the 2 groups were relatively similar on most patient characteristics. There also were no statistically significant differences in the improvements in pain and disability between these 2 groups of patients. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that patients treated in chiropractic clinics incur higher costs over a 1-year period, but have about the same degree of relief as nonreferred patients treated in medical clinics.

Acute Disease↗

Proposal for establishing structure and process in the development of implicit chiropractic standards of care and practice guidelines.

With the advent of health care's "era of accountability", the chiropractic profession is now faced with generating implicit standards and guidelines for care or having it done for us by outside agencies. Already we see chiropractic groups in individual states and provinces being pressured into naive efforts of guideline development. Current knowledge and experience are available through recent health care literature that clearly defines the structure and process of guideline development and offers suggestions on how to measure outcomes of those processes. In addition, the United States Congress has directed a new federal agency to oversee this activity and monitor outcomes of quality improvement programs. The time has come for the chiropractic profession to define its exact role in health care delivery and develop implicit standards of care and practice guidelines. This sentinel effort should be managed by a commissioned body of empaneled experts that generally represent the academic and clinical chiropractic profession. A protocol for selection of these panelists and the panel chairperson needs to be developed and memorialized. Appropriate methodology (with definitions) needs to be developed for the process of standards/guideline development. Adherence to the accepted structure and process of guideline development will ensure the continuity of this dynamic process in the coming generations. This proposal offers a preliminary definition of the structure and process, including a "seed" policy statement and decision flow chart, specific to guideline development. Once the structure and process of guideline development for chiropractic are defined, the profession can then present this product to federal and state agencies, private sector health care purchasers, patient advocacy groups and other stakeholders of chiropractic care.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chiropractic↗

Short lever, specific contact articular chiropractic technique.

OBJECTIVE: To identify what has been theorized and/or written about the manual techniques generically classified as direct, but using specific contacts on short levers while using forces that may vary in speed and amplitude. DATA SOURCES: A search of the MEDLINE bibliographic database using MeSH key words (chiropractic/methods; osteopathic manipulation) was conducted. The Index to Chiropractic Literature and Chiropractic Research Abstracts Collection were searched through the past 10 yr using the key terms of chiropractic-methods; chiropractic techniques; manipulation, chiropractic; manipulation, osteopathic, manipulation, spinal; and manipulation, joint. A hand search of text-books was undertaken as well as review of the references included in books, monographs and collected papers. STUDY SELECTION: Studies in English were included, but it must be noted that these include publications that are not peer reviewed or refereed in any way. DATA EXTRACTION: Descriptions that discussed aspects of manipulative procedures with the appropriate characteristics were extracted by a single author. DATA SYNTHESIS: Very little was found or accessible using traditional methods of literature retrieval. Lack of common terminology as well as multiple technique systems developed in isolation contributed to the problem. Descriptions of characteristics for the attributes of techniques which use specific contacts on short levers are provided. The high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust technique is presented as one of the oldest and most widely used forms of manual medicine and remains one of the most frequently used forms of manual medicine. Derivation of applied forces as well as speculation as to the roll of specificity are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: This type of review is considered the first step in the evaluative process for a chiropractic technique procedure. It demonstrates that very little has been written in an accessible fashion relative to techniques which use specific contacts on short levers while applying forces that may vary in speed and amplitude. Statements made concerning the appropriateness or effectiveness consist of opinions only, with no reference to any form of injury or testing. The need for clinical trials and studies comparing different techniques is great.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

The treatment act: an analysis of the clinical art in chiropractic.

This paper discusses the nature of healing as it applies to the clinical art of chiropractic. General concepts of the phenomenology of illness and healing are developed and then applied specifically toward chiropractic care. The role of metaphor in medicine and chiropractic is discussed; chiropractic may make better use of root metaphor than does the practice of medicine. Finally, the paper discusses certain implications of the clinical art of chiropractic as they relate to teaching and research within the chiropractic profession.

Back Pain↗

Osteopathic vs. chiropractic education: a student perspective.

This study compares nationwide survey results from 506 second year students of 11 osteopathic schools and 881 students from the first and second academic year (third term/fourth quarter) of eight chiropractic colleges. Each student was given a questionnaire regarding his/her perspective on the education he/she was receiving. Both populations were questioned about whether or not they came from an osteopathic/chiropractic family, their application process, the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT)/chiropractic adjustments, their first year attitude concerning the efficacy of OMT/chiropractic adjustments, the integration of osteopathic/chiropractic principles into the curriculum and the justification for separate health care professions. Osteopathic and chiropractic students entered their respective professions from nonosteopathic/non-chiropractic families. Although both populations selected their profession as a first and primary choice, chiropractic students were more substantially represented. Upon entering their program, osteopathic students were not convinced, but had an open mind concerning the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT), and were divided as to whether there is enough of a distinction between DOs and MDs to justify separate professions. Chiropractic students, on the other hand, entered their program convinced that chiropractic adjustments are effective, and saw a clear distinction between the roles of chiropractic physicians and medical doctors.

Attitude↗