Often times I will get questions from my patients regarding medical doctors feelings toward chiropractic.  The answer is…depends.  In recent years the medical profession has not only come to accept chiropractic, but in many cases brought chiropractic into their practices.  Yes, there are still a number of MDs who would never send a patient to a chiropractor, but those days are coming to an end.

The following is a list of quotes from prominent MDs and their feelings toward chiropractic:

“Chiropractors were right. Many headaches are caused by damaged structures in the neck-and scientific evidence proves it.”
Peter Rothbart, M.D.
Anesthesiologist/Pain Specialist

“The physician who makes use of this resource (chiropractic) will have many contented patients and avoid many headaches.”
W.H. Kirkaldy-Willis M.D.
Author of: Managing Low Back Pain

“The benefits of manipulation (chiropractors perform 94% of the spinal manipulation in the U.S.) in acute low back pain are well established in the literature.”
Arthur White, M.D.
Medical Director, San Francisco Spine Institute“Overall. chiropractic has the advantage of reducing pain, decreasing medication, and requiring fewer passive modalities.”
Andrew Cole, M.D.
Associate clinical professor of Rehabilitative Medicine
University of Washington

“I’m an orthopedic spine surgeon, so I treat all sorts of back problems and I’m a big believer in chiropractic.”
William Lauerman, M. D.
Chief of Spine Surgery and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery of Georgetown University Hospital

“Most back pain can and should be treated conservatively. I have seen many cases of good chiropractic care result.” “I now proudly support my son in his choice to become a chiropractor.”
Rudy Kachman, M.D.
Neurosurgeon

“Patients who seek manual therapy, and especially chiropractic care, consistently report a high level of satisfaction with their care.”
Jeffrey Fischgrund, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgeon
Editor of Neck Pain, published by the
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

“The spinal column is involved in disease wherever it occurs in the organism.”
“The effect of successful manipulation (spinal adjustment) is two-fold: 1) it restores mobility, including joint play; and 2) it has a very intense reflex effect upon all structures where changes have been found prior to manipulation.”
Karel Lewit, M.D.
Neurologist

“Manipulation designed to restore normal joint play, when its loss is the primary cause of symptoms, is the treatment of choice. No other therapeutic approach has any hope of predictably relieving such a patient’s symptoms.”
John Mennell, M.D.
Author of: The Musculoskeletal System

Comments on a study of Doctors of Chiropractic as primary doctors in an HMO:
” I have always believed that the overutiliization of pharmaceuticals and surgery, and the underutilization of more natural healing techniques, such as chiropractic, has been the cause of great suffering. Yet I had no idea that the magnitude and cost effectiveness would approach 50% in both cases. Previous studies have shown these types of savings when chiropractic has been used as a first line treatment for neuro-musculoskeletal ailments, instead of conventional medical care. But to see this level of effectiveness across the board for literally all types of clinical presentations within a primary care setting is surprising to me, and good news for the world.”
Richard Sarnat, M.D.

“Chiropractors are increasingly becoming important members of the traditional healthcare team, providing valuable contributions to a patient’s health and well being. I can attest to this on a professional and a personal level. Following a car accident three years ago, I had the benefit of conservative chiropractic and orthopedic care and thus avoided surgery.”
Sana Khan, Ph.D., M.D.
Radiologist, Beverly Hills, CA

“Good medicine is about the putting the patient first and chiropractors are an important part of the total healthcare team. Chiropractic works. I know this because my partner is a chiropractor and I’m proud of that fact..”
Carlon Colker, M.D.
Your Health and Wellness Coach
Internal Medicine, Greenwich, CT

“The chiropractic profession is assuming its valuable and appropriate role in the health care system in this country and around the world. As this happens the professional battles of the past will fade and the patients at last will be the true winner.”.
Wayne Jonas, M.D.
Director (1995-1998) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
US National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD.

“I am very familiar with the chiropractic approach to health care. As an OB-GYN, I know chiropractic care is the best treatment for common backaches and joint problems experienced by many women during pregnancy. I refer all my patients to doctors of chiropractic for these problems. As we all know, the less medications taken by a pregnant woman, the better it is for her yet-to-be born child.
Over the years, I have seen the benefits of the care only a doctor of chiropractic can provide and significantly reduce a pregnant mother’s reliance upon pain and narcotic medications.”
Jason Rexroth, M.D., OB-GYN

“The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) recently made history when it concluded that spinal manipulative therapy is the most effective and cost effective treatment for acute low back pain.” (Chiropractors perform 94% of the spinal manipulation in the U.S.).
Marc Micozzi, M.D., PhD.
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Philadelphia

“Throughout my years in clinical practice, I have been fortunate to associate with excellent clinicians among the chiropractors who treated my friends, my referred patients, and me”.
Helen Rodriguez-Trias M.D., FAAP
Fellow American Academy of Pediatrics
Past President of the American Public Health Association

“Our trial showed that chiropractic is a very effective treatment, more effective than conventional hospital outpatient treatment for low back pain, particularly in patients who have severe problems.”
T.W. Meade, M.D.

“A great many people in this country receive chiropractic care and there is a great level of satisfaction among them.”
Aubrey Swartz, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgeon
Executive Director, American Back Society

For more information about Chiropractic check out our What is Chiropractic Page.