Myth #4: A Chiropractor Is Not a Real Doctor

Myth #4: A Chiropractor is not a real doctor.

If you look up the word ‘doctor‘ you will find the following definitions:

“a person skilled or specializing in healing arts” (Merriam-Webster)

“a person licensed to practice medicine” (Dictionary.com)

Most people equate the word ‘doctor‘ with the person you see when you are injured or sick. However, this is not entirely true. What limits our understanding of a doctor is our experiences and awareness. It’s like being born and raised in a particular part of the country and never being exposed to the rest of the world. Our understanding is limited by our experiences. The fact that we have not been exposed to the rest of the world does not mean it doesn’t exist, or that there aren’t better places to live.

The modern-day medical field is filled with highly reputable and qualified physicians. However, it is also heavily driven by the pharmaceutical industry. We have been conditioned through advertising to look for solutions to our ailments with pharmaceuticals. In fact, as of 2015, direct-to-consumer advertising jumped 19% from the previous year to $5.4 billion (Kantar Media).  This industry only makes money if we are sick.

Doctors of Chiropractic are fundamentally different from what many would consider “regular doctors” largely because of their approach to wellness. Yet, the schooling for each is just as intense. Plus, they both have written and oral state boards to pass at the state and national levels. Chiropractors do not rely on prescription medications to treat their patients. Rather, wellness is achieved holistically where the root cause of pain is found and corrected.

Ironically, the Latin root for ‘doctor‘ is actually ‘teacher.’ When a person chooses the field of chiropractic as their profession, they are making a decision to pursue a career that combats the pharma industry. A chiropractor is most certainly a real doctor, just as a medical doctor is. Yet what makes them different from each other is their approach to health and wellness. At the end of the day, we need to decide how we are going to treat our body. We can constantly be on the defensive, only reacting when there is a problem. Or, we can be proactive with our health. Allowing our body to do what it does best, heal. That is the essence of chiropractic care.