Why Do Doctors Not Like Chiropractors?
If you’ve ever complained of lingering back pain or terrifically sore neck, it is obvious that someone suggested you see a chiropractor. For many problems, including such diverse and seemingly unrelated ones as back and neck problems, headaches, and digestive distress – chiropractic care can often provide effective, fast-working, and safe treatment. Most insurance organizations cover it as an alternative for most of the allopathic and interventional therapies.
However, many conventional medical doctors aren’t fans. There are no clear reasons behind it, however, the dislike ness seems to lie somewhere on the scale between being worried that chiropractic treatment is not safe or that good chiropractor may carry away many of their patients.
In a glass-is-half-full kind of way, this troubled healthcare environment is actually offering an opportunity for good chiropractors to gain some long-delayed respect — at least that gives hope for the currently floating chiropractic community.
Why are doctors skeptical? A chiropractor explained that one of his patients is an orthopedic surgeon — but another orthopedic surgeon in his community won’t accept any patient referrals from him, and any of the nearby hospitals won’t conduct MRI scans for his patients. This shows a lack of acceptance which is fueled by the very fact that chiropractic care does not involve drugs and may be an effective alternative to surgery and hospitalization, which makes it captivating to the patients.
A few medical care companies now cover some chiropractic services and it has improved its credibility. This thing also threatens the doctors and hospital administrations that this natural, less expensive, and less invasive alternative will divert medical-care dollars away from hospitals and medical doctors.
A common misconception is that medical doctors “hate chiropractors.” This generally is not true. They usually dislike any specialist who makes them feel uneasy or unaware about their patient. Therefore, any specialist who acts unconventionally and roguishly without first consulting with the Medical Doctor will face a cessation of referrals.
Another objection faced is that physicians question chiropractors being “real” doctors. Chiropractors produce charts to praise all of the hours of physiology and anatomy knowledge that they get in chiropractic schools and how they compare to their MD colleagues. The issue is that the chiropractors show these charts to their patients and not the MDs.
It is often heard that MDs will not refer their patients to chiropractors because they think a chiropractor will “cannibalize,” or steal, their patients from them. A primary care medical doctor may see more than 100 different cases in a week or 400 in a month. A conservative estimate is that about 10% of those patients are with musculoskeletal complaints, which is almost 40 patients. If the MD treats half of these 10% patients, then there will be 20 patients left that must be referred out for therapy to a chiropractor. It is obvious that the MD should not be worried that the other specialists will cannibalize his patients. Therefore, he should refer his patients to a chiropractor for effective treatment and care.
3 Comments
Spinal manipulation is absolutely not an alternative to surgery. Spinal surgeries are reserved for serious cases that absolutely should not be touched by a chiropractor. Doctors do not view chiropractors as a threat. we practice evidence based medicine, meaning that only things founded in strong scientific principles with data and analysis to back will be implemented into our patient care. There is very minimal solid research that shows significant benefits of spinal manipulation. Which is why we don’t “refer” patients to a chiropractor. We do encourage patients to continue going if they find it helpful though. The reality is chiropractic treatment is pseudoscience and is not founded in real evidence based principles. If we need help with MSK complaints, physical therapy is a far more effective and beneficial alternative
I disagree. I am a chiropractic patient. I had multiple spinal issues and have been to multiple “real ” doctors including a surgeon who basically told me it was all in my head and wanted me to try his “modern pain science” seminars after me explaining that I could not sit upright longer than 30 minutes. Every specialist failed to be able to tell me what my problem was. I went to 3 rounds of physical therapy, an upper cervical epidural, and on and on and on and on. Cha ching Cha ching Cha ching. Money Money Money. I FINALLY made my own decision to seek chiropractic care and within a month I started to see some improvements. So make no mistake about it, I’m not pseudoscience. I am science and I am now on my way to regaining my life back and I did not have to have my spine altered for 750,000 never to be with my original spine ever again. Go to the chiropractor folks.
I totally agree with your response, I have multiple fusions from C-1 to S-1, and several bulging discs within those fusions. I had a car accident and my attorney told me to reach out for Chiropractic care. I only knew one place that I placed trust in because he was highly recommended. I had four office visits with treatment with spinal stimulation at the end of each treatment. Afterwards I suffered more than prior to being treated, I tried to inform him very politely but he didn’t seem to listen or maybe he thought that future care would resolve my issues with chronic pain and strains from the car accident.. Since I kind of knew this gentleman, and had mutual colleagues, I hesitated to tell him that he was really hurting me so I just failed to keep my future appointments. Finally I was forced to inform him that his care was not benefitting me and I hurt a lot more after each visit. I completing concur with Jack Reacher that sometimes, chiropractors should not interfere with patients that are restrained with hardware or have had serious spinal damage.