There is a continuing debate among medical practitioners on whether chiropractic care is an effective health care option vis-à-vis the conventional allopathic medicine. And this argument is not limited to medical professionals. Patients who were healed from their illnesses through chiropractic care swear to its benefits for themselves while satisfied recipients of allopathic medicine scoff at chiropractic for being just an alternative treatment option to the mainstream medical health care.
Pros of Chiropractic Care
Listing the benefits or advantages of chiropractic care can give somebody who may be contemplating on visiting a chiropractor for the first time a better perspective of chiropractic care. Some of them are:
- Chiropractic care can be considered as an alternative medicine or complementary medicine therapy. Many patients find relief with their symptoms and health conditions through chiropractic also complement other existing therapies and their combinations, at lot of times, produce better results compared to when only traditional or other forms of therapies are used.
- Chiropractic care is natural and safe. It is non-invasive because it does not depend on the use of drugs and surgery in the treatment. And because it is non-invasive, the body’s response to the treatment is more predictable. Not only the medical community, but research institutions and governments confirm that chiropractic is one of the safest forms of therapy.
- Chiropractic care is gaining a lot of adherents. These people who have experienced the positive results of chiropractic care in the relief of their muscle tension, soreness and other symptoms swear by chiropractic care. They will continue to use chiropractic care despite the contradictory belief of critics. Data from the American Chiropractic Association show that 250 million visits to the chiropractors are registered each year. This number is bound to improve even better every year.
- Overall chiropractic care cost can be cheaper. Many patients consider that chiropractic care presents a cheaper option to expensive medicines and doctor visits, especially on a long-term basis. Some chiropractors with small practices can work with their patients for an affordable payment scheme and can even give discounts for new patient referrals.
- A lot of people recognize the therapeutic effect of chiropractic adjustment. The reason why regular recipients of chiropractic healthcare keep coming back for body adjustment on a monthly or bimonthly basis even if they are not in pain is simply to experience the therapeutic effect adjustments bring to their bodies. It is their form of relief from physical and mental stress.
Cons of Chiropractic Care
Some people perceive the following as the disadvantages of using chiropractic care as a treatment option:
- Insurance coverage for chiropractic care is not always guaranteed or available. Your insurance plan may not cover chiropractic visits because chiropractic care is generally classified as an alternative form of healthcare. It may be a difficult situation for a patient wanting chiropractic treatment but could not afford to pay especially for multiple visits.
It is a welcome development that many insurance companies are beginning to cover chiropractic care for cases involving acute pain or requiring short-term rehabilitation, due to the growing popularity of chiropractic care. However, most insurance companies still will not include routine visits for chronic pain treatment among the cases they provide coverage for.
- There is not enough research on the effectiveness of chiropractic care. This may be especially true for conditions that chiroprarctic care is able to successfully treat outside of the the common issues with the musculoskeletal system, such as back pain, neck pain, headaches and joint problems. In fact, the American Chiropractic Association itself advocates more research.
- Some patients experience soreness in their bodies after the first day or two of their chiropractic treatment. Some even notice that their soreness is worse than when they got into the clinic. Not everyone experiences this situation, but those who do only feel the positive effects of the treatment after the soreness dissipates.
- Chiropractic adjustment may need multiple visits. Depending on the severity of the condition of the patient, and the result of the initial visit for adjustment, more than a single chiropractor visit may be necessary. It is rather inconvenient and costly for those who do not have the means to undergo treatment for several times.
These are some of the pros and cons that may guide you to make a decision to try the first visit to the chiropractor.
