Multimedia Reporting (Adler-Noland-Utsler)

Dr Kendall Payne was once just another patient. He suffered from lower back pain and migraine headaches. His doctor simply prescribed medication and he saw an orthopedic surgeon who recommended surgery. Dr Payne did not want to get surgery and did not want to continue covering the pain up.
Now, seven years later Dr Payne is now a practicing chiropractor at the Chiropractic Injury and Wellness Clinic in Overland Park, helping other people get rid of pain.
Recently, a resolution has been introduced in congress in support of commissioning chiropractors into all branches of the armed forces according to the American Chiropractic Association, ACA.
This is the latest development for a form of medicine that continues to seek recognition from the traditional medical establishment.

“I would say that seven out of ten doctors won’t give a referral to a chiropractor,” Dr Jeff Wingate said. Dr Wingate is a practicing chiropractor at Life Chiropractic in Olathe.
One major source of opposition comes from a web site called quackwatch.com. The website is run by Dr Stephen Barrett which investigates questionable medical practices and runs chirobase.com a branch of quakwatch.com devoted to bebunking chiropractic myth.
Dr Samuel Homola works on the website with Dr Barrett. Homola is a chiropractor who wrote several books talking about the limits of chiropractic.
In 2002, 7.4 percent of Americans used chiropractic. This is more than yoga, massage, and acupuncture. Chiropractic is the most wide-spread alternative medicine and the most regulated alternative medicine.

The ACA defines chiropractic as a health care profession the focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system in order to treat back aches, neck pain, pain in joints, and headaches.
The procedure performed by chiropractors is spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustment. The purpose is to restore joint mobility.
“It (spinal manipulation) relieves interference from the body,” Payne said.
Dr Wingate says he works on managing people and makes people healthier through constant monitoring and work.
“I help people get more balanced and funtional,” Wingate said.
While chiropractic does not different health symptoms, both Dr Wingate and Dr Payne say that colds, headaches, bowel problems and back pain, can be fixations of the spine. Dr Wingate said getting adjusted, himself, helps deal with his chronic heartburn.
However, in his book, Bonesetting, Chiropractic, and Cultism, Dr Homola, said that while there are uses for chiropractic does have uses, chiropractic treatment does not compare with medical treatment in treating organic or infectious diseases. He also said the manipulation has yet to be established as a science.
While the medical establishment remains skeptical about chiropractic, Dr Payne said most patients are open to it.
“Once they realize you’re not going to hurt them they really enjoy it,” Dr Payne said.
Dr Wingate said about 80 percent of people have never been to a physical doctor. Part of his job is to keep putting the word out and making people aware.
“We’re trying to work our way into the game,” Dr Wingate said. “Even though they (the medical establishment) don’t like it.

Posted by Taylor Nye on May 9, 2008 5:20 PM | Permalink