"I wish you had come to me first." How many times have you either said this or at least thought it when working with a patient who came to you only after seeing a barrage of doctors for their problem? While there are some issues that require surgery, oftentimes a person could prevent surgery and avoid unnecessary medical treatment with chiropractic care. However, the key is to start chiropractic care before the problem has reached the point of no return. A recent study by Keeney, et al., found that 42.7 percent of workers with back pain who saw a surgeon first had surgery, in contrast to only 1.5 percent of those who saw a chiropractor. Therefore, those who see a surgeon instead of a chiropractor have 30 times the likelihood of ending up with a back surgery. [Read our front-page article in this issue for a summary of this important study.]
The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) understands this valid concern and has created a new campaign tagline to address it. "Try Chiropractic First" is the new tagline for F4CP ads in 2013. This slogan is an obvious thought for you, but it's one we want your patients and potential patients to also recognize. The idea is to get patients to think of you before going straight to see a surgeon or other medical professional who provides invasive procedures that may not be necessary.
What If You Tried Chiropractic First?
You want your patients to think of chiropractic first, but do you? It's common for chiropractors to get frustrated with the lack of support from their community or especially from the medical community. Yet what are you doing to change that? Change requires action. What if you channeled your energy into supporting chiropractic? Imagine how much better you would feel knowing you are doing something to change perceptions and promote chiropractic.
What if instead of feeling overwhelmed by the problems, you were a part of the solution? Join the F4CP and see a difference being made. You will be a part of it! Your support is the only way the foundation can succeed in its mission of generating positive press about the benefits of chiropractic care.
You can be the agent of change you want to be. You can be the one who helps others understand why chiropractic is not a last resort, but a first choice for health care. You can be the difference. You help your patients every day. Now it's time to look outside the office and discover how much you can help your profession. We need your help to achieve our goals of spreading awareness about all the positive benefits of chiropractic.
How Can I Help?
Join the F4CP as a monthly contributor to become a part of the largest unifying public-relations campaign in the history of chiropractic. We can't complete our mission without you. You are the one who can make the change. You are the one who sets the example of "trying chiropractic first."
You make a difference to your patients every day. Now you can make a difference to all those potential patients who don't know about chiropractic or have negative perceptions about our profession. Let's work together to give them the correct information about how chiropractic can help them without invasive procedures or surgeries.
As the foundation gains more support, the general public and media will advance both their acceptance and knowledge of chiropractic. Help spread awareness by supporting the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Visit www.f4cp.com or call the foundation's number at 866.901.F4CP (3427) to join today.
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?
