Over the years, I have heard people say they “don’t believe in chiropractic” as if chiropractic is a religion or maybe it only works if you believe in it. More often than not, people who say things like that are people who have little or no experience with chiropractic.
Most people who have gone to the chiropractor are very happy with their care. In fact, 80-90% satisfaction rates have been reported when chiropractic patients are surveyed. That’s pretty amazing.
Now that’s not to say that all chiropractic care is the same or that all chiropractic care works for everyone. Any chiropractor who says something like that is not being intellectually honest. But more often than not, chiropractic care gets great results.
Unfortunately, despite the satisfaction among chiropractic patients, there is still a large percentage of the population who hasn’t tried chiropractic. I used to be a chiropractic skeptic myself, so I understand where people were coming from.
But the reasons why I used to be a chiropractic skeptic are not necessarily everyone else’s reasons. So I decided to ask ChatGPT to give me the most common objections to chiropractic so I could address them. Here is what I got…
Chiropractic Objection #1: Lack of Scientific Evidence
Critics argue that there is insufficient scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of chiropractic care for many of the conditions it claims to treat, especially for non-musculoskeletal issues.
MY RESPONSE: While it would be great if there were more research being done on all the benefits of chiropractic, double-blind studies are not the only measure of healthcare efficacy. In fact, much of what medical doctors do on a day-to-day basis is not as well researched as the general public believes.
All medical professionals use a combination of scientific and anecdotal evidence to determine what’s best for their patients. Chiropractic is no different.
As far as treating non-musculoskeletal issues, you would be hard-pressed to find any traditional chiropractor who claims to do that. Yes, there is a wellness component of chiropractic that extends beyond the muscles and spine.
Chiropractors who have a wellness approach to chiropractic do not treat any particular issue. Their goal is to improve their patient’s overall health/wellness allowing the patient’s body to heal itself. Any non-musculoskeletal benefits to this approach are a side-effect. That is not the chiropractor’s primary objective to care.
Chiropractors have done a bad job explaining to the public the difference between a musculoskeletal chiropractic approach vs a wellness chiropractic approach. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding causes some people to reject chiropractic wholeheartedly.
Last thing…it’s important to note that there is a smaller segment of non-traditional chiropractors who focus primarily on non-musculoskeletal conditions because their additional training, unique techniques, and expertise allow them to do so. These chiropractors are rare within the profession, but they do exist.
If a non-traditional chiropractor tries to hide the fact that they are a chiropractor, that’s a potential red flag. However, if a chiropractor has been trained to diagnose and treat conditions outside of the musculoskeletal system, those chiropractors and their approach should be considered an option for people seeking help.
Chiropractic Objection #2: Overemphasis on Spinal Manipulation
Chiropractic care primarily focuses on spinal manipulation, but some medical professionals argue that this approach is too narrow and not suitable for treating a wide range of conditions.
MY RESPONSE: Spinal adjustments/manipulation are the foundational component of the entire chiropractic profession. Sure, many chiropractors do other things. However, the chiropractor’s approach to and emphasis on spinal adjustments is what makes the profession unique.
Objecting to a chiropractor because of their emphasis on spinal adjustments/manipulation is like objecting to a medical doctor because of their emphasis on medications. It’s what they do. This is a silly objection.
Chiropractic Objection #3: Risk of Injury
There are concerns about the potential risks associated with spinal manipulation, particularly in the cervical (neck) region, which some studies suggest can lead to serious complications like stroke or spinal cord injury, although these occurrences are rare.
MY RESPONSE: Generally speaking, chiropractic care is extremely safe. Like any healthcare approach, chiropractic care has contraindications. Conditions like acute fractures, spinal instability, and spinal cord compression (just to name a few) are reasons why someone may not be a good fit for chiropractic care.
A good chiropractor should rule out contraindications before starting care. Assuming a patient has been cleared, the likelihood of them being seriously injured from chiropractic care is extremely low.
People who do not have a contraindication to chiropractic care but are still concerned about the safety of chiropractic, are making a mountain out of a molehill. Chiropractic is extremely safe for the vast majority of people. Saying that it’s not, is intellectually dishonest.
Chiropractic Objection #4: Inconsistent Training & Standards
The level of training and the standards for practice can vary significantly between chiropractors, leading to concerns about the consistency and quality of care provided.
MY RESPONSE: Uuuuummm…yeah. No argument here. Not all chiropractors are created equally. Choose wisely.
If you go to or have gone to a chiropractor who sucks, find a different one. There are good ones in your area. Every profession has bad eggs. The bad ones DO NOT represent the profession.
Chiropractic Objection #5: Scope of Practice
Some medical professionals believe that chiropractors sometimes operate outside their scope of practice, particularly when they make claims about treating conditions unrelated to the musculoskeletal system.
MY RESPONSE: People need to understand that what a chiropractor does or doesn’t do can vary tremendously. There are many traditional chiropractors who focus primarily on the spine and adjustments/manipulation. That’s what most people think of when they think of a chiropractor.
However, there is a smaller segment of chiropractors who focus primarily on non-musculoskeletal conditions because their additional training, unique techniques, and expertise allow them to do so…and they do it well.
Sometimes their non-traditional approaches are life-changing for patients who don’t want or who are not responding well to traditional medicine. Disregarding these approaches because someone is “just a chiropractor” is unfair if the chiropractor has been properly trained.
Also, as I said in my response to objection #1, there is a wellness component to chiropractic that extends beyond musculoskeletal conditions. Wellness chiropractors do not treat non-musculoskeletal conditions.
Their objective is to improve the spine and overall function of the body. Any benefits (musculoskeletal or non-musculoskeletal), are a side-effect of the process.
With that said, chiropractors have historically done a bad job explaining their approach to care. Because of that, many people believe that their chiropractor is claiming to treat conditions that they are not claiming to treat.
The disconnect between what the chiropractor is doing and what the patient thinks they are doing is often a result of poor communication on the part of the chiropractor.
However, I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge the small number of chiropractors who intentionally mislead people in order to grow their practices. It does happen. The profession as a whole does NOT condone this behavior.
Chiropractic Objection #6: Promotion of Unproven Therapies
Chiropractors may sometimes promote treatments or dietary supplements that lack scientific backing, leading to skepticism among the medical community.
MY RESPONSE: Yeah, this is fair. The chiropractic profession does seem to attract some odd ducks. Some (not all…not most) chiropractors have approaches to care and recommendations that are unproven, outdated, or just plain bizarre.
With that said, just because a therapy/approach doesn’t have multiple double-blind studies backing them up that doesn’t automatically make it invalid. Many things that are done within the medical profession do not meet that standard. On the flip side, just because a therapy/approach is endorsed by a healthcare professional (including chiropractors) that doesn’t automatically make it valid. It’s a double-edged sword.
The best things for patients to do is to ask a lot of questions and do their own research into their doctors and treatment options. Patients need to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with and what they are not.
Some people are very closed off to alternative healthcare approaches. Others are very open to them. There’s no right or wrong answer here. The most important thing is that people are informed and they are making their healthcare decisions eyes wide open.
Chiropractic Objection #7: Cost & Insurance Issues
Chiropractic care can be expensive, and not all treatments are covered by insurance, leading to concerns about cost-effectiveness, especially when long-term or frequent visits are recommended.
MY RESPONSE: Over the years, insurance coverage for chiropractic has gotten worse and worse. It’s to the point now that many chiropractors do no accept insurance at all. Without insurance coverage, one may assume that chiropractic care is unaffordable, but that’s simply not true.
The reality is that no one goes broke visiting a chiropractor once. Chiropractic care is not expensive especially when compared to other healthcare professionals. However, patients who visit the chiropractor often require multiple visits in order to resolve their issues. This is where chiropractic care can get expensive.
It’s important for people to understand that not all chiropractors have the same approach/technique. Some chiropractic approaches require a higher number of visits to be effective. Other chiropractic approaches require fewer visits in order to be effective. Some chiropractors may charge less per visit but may require more visits. Other chiropractors may charge more per visit but require fewer visits. It’s complicated.
As a chiropractic patient, it’s important to ask a lot of questions and have a clear understanding of the chiropractor’s care recommendations and cost. If a chiropractor uses pressure, fear tactics, or sales tactics with new patients, that’s a red flag. If a chiropractor recommends 6-12 months of care right out of the gate, that’s a red flag as well.
Regardless of the chiropractor, chiropractic care does tend to be more expensive in the beginning because of a higher frequency of care. As your chiropractic care progresses, you should be seeing the chiropractor less. How much you need to see the chiropractor will depend on your condition and the chiropractor’s approach.
Chiropractic Objection #8: Alternative to Proven Medical Treatments
Some patients may choose chiropractic care over conventional medical treatments that have a stronger evidence base, potentially delaying appropriate care.
MY RESPONSE: Wait, just a second! The way this objection is written assumes that there is no good evidence for chiropractic and that conventional medical treatment is more valid and appropriate. Those are two VERY broad sweeping generalizations.
Chiropractic care is often the best first option for people. Sure, there are times when chiropractic care is not the right choice at all, but a trained chiropractor should be able to identify those situations and refer the patient out. Chiropractors who treat people who they shouldn’t be treating are not the norm.
Chiropractic Objection #9: Association with Anti-Medical Sentiment
Chiropractic care has historically been associated with an anti-medical sentiment or distrust of conventional medicine, which can be concerning to those who value an integrated approach to healthcare.
These objections reflect a broader debate about the role of alternative medicine in healthcare and the importance of evidence-based practice. Some people find chiropractic care beneficial, especially for certain types of musculoskeletal pain, while others remain skeptical due to these objections.
MY RESPONSE: It’s not uncommon to find alternative healthcare providers who have a certain animosity towards traditional medicine. Some chiropractors fit into that category.
However, most chiropractors are not that way. Most chiropractors are more than willing to work alongside their patient’s other medical providers to do whatever is in the patient’s best interest. If a chiropractor is unwilling to do that, it’s a red flag. I would suggest finding a different chiropractor.
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