What are the similarities between a medical doctor (M.D) and a doctor of Chiropractic (D.C)?
A doctor of chiropractic just like a medical doctor focuses on examining, diagnosing and treating patients.
Like a Medical doctor, a doctor of chiropractic uses diagnostic imaging, clinical exams, lab tests and questionnaires to diagnose their patients but the treatment provided is different. Chiropractors treat the cause not the symptoms without the use of drugs and surgery, whereas medical doctors will make a diagnosis and recommend a treatment which may involve prescribing drugs. Chiropractors take a more hands on approach to correct the cause of the problem through a more holistic approach.
Chiropractors focus on musculoskeletal health and general wellness.
Medical doctors and a doctor of chiropractic are both fully licensed healthcare providers.
A doctor of chiropractic will refer you to a medical doctor if they believe that diagnosing and treating your specific condition is beyond their scope of practice.
The World Federation of Chiropractic has defined chiropractic in the following way: “A health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal adjustment and other joint and soft tissue manipulation.”