Moving from "Alternative" to "Complementary"
Chiropractic is experiencing a significant amount of focus and exposure in Great Britain. While it has been a slow evolution, the distinguished British Medical Journal (BMJ) is a good example of the transition seen in the British health care community. In 1983, the BMJ featured an article regretting the "amazing growth rate of alternative medicine" (Smith, 1983). Yet only seven years later, the ground breaking Meade et al., study was featured in the BMJ.1
A recent article documents the shift in thinking that has occurred in the British medical community regarding alternative health care, including chiropractic.2 The article queries and explains:
"What brought about this shift in opinion? Two main factors seem to dominate. First, public demand has increased. Nobody quite knows why, but the fact cannot be denied. Second, and perhaps more importantly, even the critics now admit that some scientific evidence is, in fact, slowly emerging."The authors conclude with this observation: "Therefore the term 'alternative' (in the sense of either this or that) is a misconception and 'complementary' is a much better course to pursue the future."
References
While full-spine x-rays have a long history in the chiropractic profession, their use has caused considerable controversy in recent years. A review of the literature (123 references) was conducted by John A. M. Taylor, DC.1
Dr. Taylor concluded:
"Full-spine radiography and spinographic analysis have a rich and interesting history rooted in chiropractic. Although controversy still exists, the role of full-spine radiography is well established. With proper patient selection, careful attention to technical detail and utilization of several technological advancements, full-spine radiography is a diagnostic and analytic procedure with an acceptable risk/benefit ratio. Although the reliability of certain spinographic parameters has been established, many questions remain regarding the validity and clinical relevance of those parameters."
Needless to say, if full-spine x-rays are part of your chiropractic practice, this is a paper you will want to read in its entirety. To obtain a reprint of this important paper, please contact:
JMPT
200 East Roosevelt Road
Lombard, IL 60148-4539
Tele: (708) 268-6524, Fax: (708) 268-6600
Reference
1. Taylor AM. Full-spine radiography: a review. JMPT, September 1993;16(7).
When I graduated from chiropractic college in 1981 and started practice, I heard it all, and very little was positive. “You are a quack; you do not know what a subluxation is; you couldn’t get into a real health care program, so you chose the one that is slightly above a mail-order degree; you have no proof that chiropractic works; Are you really licensed?”, and so much more.
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