Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts, which is concerned with human health and disease processes. Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.

Chiropractic is not "new", although it celebrated it's 100th anniversary in this country not long ago. As old at least as recorded history, cave wall paintings depict "chiropractic adjustments" (called "bone setting" in China). According to Dr. Mancini, president of Parker Chiropractic College, two basic premises support chiropractic care. First, the body is designed to heal itself. "Our bodies have a miraculous ability to heal themselves when they are functioning properly," Mancini states. Second, the body is controlled by the nervous system, brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves that go to all the cells in the body. "When the body has a subluxation - nerve interference primarily in the spine - the body's electrical system malfunctions. The cells do not make the proper nerve communication and a person may become ill," according to Mancini, a spokesman for quality chiropractic care. "It is through treatment of the spine and by encompassing the many factors that affect health including fitness, nutrition, and self awareness that Chiropractors help patients achieve relief from many conditions and ultimately maintain healthy lifestyles."

Education of Doctors of Chiropractic Doctors of Chiropractic
Must complete four to five years at an accredited chiropractic college. The complete curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. Approximately 555 hours are devoted to learning about adjustive techniques and spinal analysis in colleges of chiropractic. In medical schools, training to become proficient in manipulation is generally not required of, or offered to, students. The Council on Chiropractic Education requires that students have 90 hours of undergraduate courses with science as the focus.
Those intending to become doctors of chiropractic must also pass the national board exam and all exams required by the state in which the individual wishes to practice. The individual must also meet all individual state licensing requirements in order to become a doctor of chiropractic.

Chiropractic Philosophy
As a profession, the primary belief is in natural and conservative methods of health care. Doctors of chiropractic have a deep respect for the human body's ability to heal itself without the use of surgery or medication. These doctors devote careful attention to the bio-mechanics, structure and function of the spine, its effects on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems, and the role played by the proper function of these systems in the preservation and restoration of health. A Doctor of Chiropractic is one who is involved in the treatment and prevention of disease, as well as the promotion of public health, and a wellness approach to patient healthcare.