Truth in Numbers - How risky is chiropractic care?

What the cost of insurance says about the safety of Chiropractic Medicine

Just paid my malpractice insurance bill--whew!  A whole $480 later, I and my patients are protected against any risks of practicing Chiropractic Medicine.  Yes, you read that clearly: 480 dollars...for the whole year.  Many of you pay more than that for car insurance--much, much more.  The insurance company is basically saying that your drive to the grocery store is more risky than all the treatments I have so far provided.  Kind of amazing.

Curious what your other doctors pay for their insurance?  Why not ask one?  In North Carolina, where our rates are often lower than the national average, MDs still pay significantly more than $400.  General internists are often in the $10,000 - $40,000 / year range.  Specialists like Ob/Gyn, cardiac, and surgeons can often range upwards of $250,000 per year.  A quarter of a million dollars for a year's coverage!  Why so expensive--because the insurance companies know that having back surgery is likely 500 times more risky for their bottom line than you choosing a chiropractor.

This is especially important to me to clarify the worries of risk.  There are still some people, and unfortunately, some experts, who are concerned about the risks of seeing a chiropractor.  I recently treated a student-athlete who's team staff warned him that seeing a chiropractor could be dangerous for his back.  It's disappointing to have misinformation create fear.  And that information couldn't be further from the truth.  This patient was back on the field with no pain in 2 visits, treated with both joint manipulation and muscle re-education.

Chiropractors are trained to use neurologic and orthopedic testing as part of a full physical exam, in the same way that every physician should, to rule out patients who may be at risk from specific treatments.  Manipulation is only one technique we use at our office.  We use soft-tissue treatments, including functional rehabilitation and Active Release Techniques more frequently to get the fastest and best results with little risk.  Next time you think of your car insurance, you might remember how safe and effective chiropractic care can be.