The subject of alternative health care continues to get plenty of print. In keeping with this trend, Good Housekeeping devotes its "Living Well" section in the March 1994 issue to "Alternative Medicine."
Good Housekeeping is a family oriented magazine read primarily by women, and ranks eighth in U.S. magazine circulation with over five million subscribers. The article, authored by Maxine Abrams, reviews nonmedical treatments that range from chiropractic to ayurvedic medicine.
The article begins with chiropractic and informs its readers that chiropractors are the third largest group of primary-care doctors in the country, and that 15 million Americans seek chiropractic treatment each year. The author reveals the findings of the Utah study, which showed chiropractic care cut treatment costs and disability time in half when compared with conventional medicine.
Featured in the article is noted researcher Scott Haldeman, DC, MD, PhD, speaking with authority on the effectiveness of chiropractic care.
"Chiropractors have built their reputation by treating patients who have had back pain for months to years and who haven't responded to the conventional bed rest, physical therapy, and medication prescribed by most conventional doctors."The article points to the "traditional school of chiropractic" (back pain) and the "broad scope" (peptic ulcers to menstrual pain). Dr. Haldeman notes: "The peptic ulcer story is probably weak, but there are a couple of papers suggesting that menstrual pain, which has a strong back component, may respond to manipulation."
Dr. Haldeman also points to the treatment of migraine and tension headaches by chiropractors. "When you manipulate and stretch the muscles in the back of the head, you cause relaxation and increase mobility or movement. You may also reduce headaches in certain patients."
The article concludes by briefly explaining what a patient can expect when going to a chiropractor, how one is positioned on a treatment table, and how the adjustment feels.
Coming on the heels of the "20/20" debacle, it's refreshing to see an article that presents a positive look at chiropractic.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
