Financial pressure, enrollment declines and institutional challenges are emerging at several U.S. chiropractic colleges. Life Chiropractic College West's and Life University's struggles may be the most talked about but appear to be part of a larger story. And with recent USDE requirements threatening to hamstring federal student financing for DC degree programs, chiropractic education is facing questions for which it has no immediate answers.
| Digital ExclusiveDCs Rated Higher Than MDs In Consumer Reports Survey
A Consumer Reports survey of its readers found that "hands-on" therapies, led by chiropractic care, were the top-rated treatments for people suffering from back pain and that chiropractors are the best at providing real relief.
Fifty-eight percent of those in the survey of 12,000 Consumer Reports readers rated chiropractic/spinal manipulation as helping a lot. And massage (48%) and physical therapy (46%) were close runners up. Consumers also rated their satisfaction with practitioners, telling Consumer Reports they were more likely to be "highly satisfied" with the back pain treatment received from their chiropractors (59%) than from their primary care physicians (34%).
The full report can be found on the Consumer Reports web site.