Chiropractic Education

Have you ever wondered what the differences are between medical doctors and chiropractors?  Who is more educated…your chiropractor or your medical doctor?

Chiropractors spend 300 more hours learning about topics such as anatomy, embryology, physiology, pathology, chemistry, microbiology, diagnosis, neurology, X-Ray, Psychology/Psychiatry, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Orthopedics.  On average, chiropractors spend a minimal total of 2,419 hours these subjects, whereas medical doctors spend a minimum 2,047.

Is Chiropractic Anti-Medicine?

Patients have asked me, “Why does it seem like chiropractic is against medicine?”  Some patients are afraid to tell their chiropractor about visits to their MD or when they take medications.  They think we will be mad or disappointed in them.  We want you to know that chiropractic is not for or against medical doctors and drugs.  Chiropractic is pro-health, not anti-medical.  The difference is in the philosophy.  Chiropractic and medicine just have a different approach.

Medical care is designed for symptomatic or disease care.  The focus is on the disease and to manage that disease with drugs or surgeries.   Unfortunately, there are consequences to using drugs or having surgery.  Medical care is an aggressive and invasive approach.  We are not against this approach, we would just rather you try something safer first.  If that’s not working for you, you can always go for the more aggressive medical approach second.  Think about it, before you put a toxic drug in your body or have someone cut into your body, check out all your choices.  Here’s a perfect example: I have always been prone to kidney stones.  I have several a year, and they are miserable.  My usual routine for dealing with the stones were going in to the Emergency Room, getting pain medicine and or medications to help pass the stones.  I’m not saying that this is wrong by any means.  This is what I have been doing for almost 10 years.  I was putting those toxic drugs into my body and taking other medications to force out the stones.  Ultimately, it would pass, but I’d have to be on pain medication for several days until the stone passed.  About 2 months ago, I had another kidney stone and asked Dr. Duggar if he had any solutions to my problems.  He told me to drink 6-12 oz cans of regular coke in 2 hours, and then drink 4 oz of pureed asparagus.  Sounds totally strange, right?  By drinking the coke and pureed asparagus, you change the ph balance in your urine and it ultimately dissolves the stones.  I started the process around 9:00 pm that night and woke up the next morning absolutely symptom free.  No pain!  Like I said, before you put toxic drugs into your body, check out all your choices!

The Chiropractic Approach

The chiropractic approach is wellness based, not diseased based.  Chiropractic focuses on improving ones overall health and well-being so the patient doesn’t develop disease in the first place.  Then, if the patient happens to develop a disease, we want the patient to focus on the cause of the disease.  Remove the cause and allow the body to heal itself.  The best news is that Wellness Chiropractic has been shown to be safe and effective for all ages and many health conditions.  Chiropractic is not a treatment for performance of the patient so they can either heal or stay well on their own.  So, our message is that the body is a self healing organism and has the ability to heal itself once you remove the cause.  Chiropractors and doctors of cause.  Doesn’t it makes sense to try the safe natural approach first?  Chiropractic first, drugs and surgery last.  It’s as simple as that!

Don’t buy it yet?  Read these testimonials from some famous athletes and celebrities!

“If it weren’t for chiropractic care, I wouldn’t have won the gold medal!” -Dan O’Brien, Decathlon Gold Medal Winner, “Worlds’ Greatest Athlete

“Chiropractic is a wonderful means of natural healing.” -Bob Hope

“I have to have an adjustment before I go in the ring.  I do believe in chiropractic care.” -Evander Holyfield

“I probably wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for my chiropractic care.” -Merle Haggard, Country Singer

“Let me tell you, there is no better profession than being a chiropractor.  Chiropractic is about health and fitness.  Chiropractic is about natural, preventative health care.  Your chiropractic doctors are really miracle workers.” -Arnold Schwarzenegger, Actor, Former Governor of California

“Lifting weights and seeing a chiropractor has made me a much better golfer.”  -Tiger Woods

“I think it should be mandatory for athletes to see a chiropractor.  I go on a regular basis, because I want to prolong my career as long as possible.” -Barry Bonds

Other celebrities that have discovered chiropractic care and have chosen to use it over their medical doctors:  Mel Gibson, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Madonna, Denzel Washington, Robin Williams, Whoopie Goldberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Cher, Demi Moore, Clint Eastwood, Wade Boggs, Richard Gere, Steven Segal, Emmitt Smith, Joe Montana, Charles Barkley, and Anthony Robbins.

This post isn’t intended to bash medical doctors.  I am personally so grateful for all the medical doctors that have helped me with all of my problems, as well as all of my children’s illnesses.  All I hope to accomplish is to encourage you to have an open mind and give yourself to I Am Wellness and witness the miracles that can come from working with not only a chiropractor, but a functional medicine specialist who really, really cares about the whole you.

Come make an appointment with Dr. Duggar and the I Am Wellness team and get started on the new you today!

-Dr. Duggar