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Chiropractic care began in 1895. To put that into perspective, the building where our clinic is located, The Crescent, is older and was built in the 1860s! And standard medical care is a few thousand years old!
This makes chiropractic a very modern form of health care, and its roots began across the pond in the United States and has quickly spread across the world due to its effectiveness.
There are always a few questions I hear from patients regarding the question: ‘can my GP refer me to a chiropractor’. I will answer them in short below.
Chiropractors are fully qualified primary healthcare providers, which means they are trained in the full assessment and diagnosis of patients. They are fully regulated, and it is a crime to call yourself a chiropractor unless you are completely registered.
There are GPs who refer their patients to chiropractors. However, they will also have to include the next step on the NHS for you.
The discussion regarding this from both sides is outlined below.
Chiropractic care, a practice focused on diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system, notably the spine, has a solid, albeit relatively recent presence in the UK.
Since the early 20th century, it has been gathering steam, with private practices dotting the country.
Presently, chiropractic services aren’t routinely offered on the NHS. However, there was a scheme trialled in new parts of the UK called the Any Qualified Provider (AQP) programme.
This programme allows NHS patients to receive certain services from providers outside of the NHS framework, which includes chiropractors.
The results found that chiropractic care was very beneficial for patients and lowered pain levels and lowered painkiller intake for patients that were referred to a chiropractor more so than those that weren’t.
Chiropractic and the NHS, although share the same goal of helping patients and the public as much as possible, share different views of how this should be done.
The NHS is in the Allopathic Healthcare system. Allopathic healthcare deals with illness, injury, sickness and disease. Their treatment methods for these diseases and illnesses are medications and surgery.
It is generally a more reactive approach to problems once they’ve happened and generally seeks a man-made chemical approach.
Chiropractic, on the other hand, is in the Salutogenic Healthcare system. Salutogenic healthcare is all about optimising health naturally and taking a preventative approach to health.
BJ Palmer, the developer of chiropractic, said it best “Medicine is the study of disease and what causes man to die. Chiropractic is the study of health and what causes man to live”
Chiropractic is proactive. Medicine is reactive.
Both have their place. However, these differences in the NHS view of health is hard to merge unless there is a big influx of investment in the NHS of preventative methods and natural salutogenic healthcare methods such as chiropractic.
All chiropractic clinics are fully regulated, and all chiropractors are qualified primary healthcare physicians, which means you don’t need to see a GP before seeing a chiropractor because chiropractors are fully trained in the diagnosis and management of patients.
Chiropractic care is celebrated for its effectiveness in managing certain conditions, such as neck pain, lower back pain and headaches. Besides, it takes a holistic view of health, focusing not just on symptoms but on overall well-being.
With its unique manual adjustment techniques, it can enhance your body’s innate natural healing potential.
If you’ve been met with resistance from your GP, don’t lose heart. It could be due to various reasons, including a lack of understanding about chiropractic care or a more conventional approach to medicine.
Remember, your health is in your hands, and it’s up to you to take charge of it. You don’t need to see a GP before seeing a chiropractor, as chiropractors are primary healthcare physicians.
Chiropractic care, like all medical interventions, isn’t suitable for everyone. Some conditions or individual circumstances may not be appropriate for this type of treatment.
For example, individuals with certain severe or complicated health conditions may not qualify under the AQP programme.
After securing your coveted referral, you’ll typically have an initial consultation, followed by a personalised treatment plan. This could involve regular visits and a mix of treatments, including spinal manipulations, exercises, and lifestyle advice.
In the evolving world of healthcare, chiropractic care is emerging as a potential game-changer, both within private practices and possibly soon within the NHS.
So, whether it’s relief from chronic pain or a more holistic approach to health you’re seeking, chiropractic care might just be the way forward.
