How Are Chiropractors and Medical Doctors Different?
Chiropractors and Medical Doctors
If you need to see a chiropractor, you can’t just visit a medical doctor and call it good. Chiropractors and medical doctors are two different people practicing two different professions in two very different ways. The following are just a few ways in which they are different.
Training
Both chiropractors and medical doctors will have to complete four years of undergraduate studies. They also both go to four more years of schooling at either a chiropractic college or medical university. The similarities end when medical students go on to complete anywhere from three to eight years, sometimes more, of residency. Chiropractors will spend a year training in their field, but it’s not considered a residency. Finally, they will take a national board exam, and must pass it in the state in which they intend to practice. Medical doctors also have to pass an exam to receive a license.
Treatment
Medical doctors treat patients in a variety of ways. They may order tests, prescribe medication, suggest surgery or send someone to a specialist. Chiropractic treatments are quite different. Using their hands, and possibly some tools, chiropractors gently manipulate the spine to bring it back into alignment. It seems like a simple fix, but has been known to treat a variety of injuries and illnesses.
Medication
Chiropractors don’t have the license needed to prescribe medication, whereas medical doctors do. As many chiropractors will tell you, medication is often just like putting a bandaid over a gushing wound. It might help for a little while, but it’s just masking the problem. Rather than providing a temporary fix, chiropractors offer permanent solutions through manual manipulation of the spine.
Issues
Medical doctors treat a variety of issues. Some are qualified to handle most of those issues, and others are specialists who focus on just one area of health. For example, a primary care physician may be able to treat a broken bone, diagnose a heart condition and prescribe medication for chronic headaches. A cardiologist, however, won’t treat a broken bone, as they are simply concerned with the heart.
To compare that with a chiropractor, chiropractors often treat many of the same issues a primary care medical doctor can treat. They don’t typically specialize in one area, though they can get additional training to care for pregnant women and children. Chiropractors treat neurological issues, joint pain, nausea, muscle issues, problems with the joints, issues with the ligaments and more.
Contact a Chiropractor Today
To learn more about the difference between a medical doctor and a chiropractor, you may want to visit a professional. Contact your chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Silver Spring, MD, today to schedule an appointment.
Thank you to the experts at AmeriWell Clinics for their input into chiropractic care.
