Hello, and welcome to the History of Chiropractic.
When we think of history, we think as far back as our imagination can go, and not what could be right on our doorstep.
Chiropractors and the AMA
As recent as the 1960s and ’70s as chiropractic began to gain public awareness, we also gained public enemies, namely the American Medical Association. According to D.C. Louis Sportelli, “The AMA’s clandestine activities to contain and eliminate chiropractic profession were being planned and executed in an illegal plot to destroy chiropractic. These efforts involved a formidable disparagement campaign, characterizations of chiropractic as a cult, and chiropractors as charlatans.”
Wilk v. AMA
Until 1983, the AMA held that it was unethical for medical doctors to associate with an “unscientific practitioner,” and labeled chiropractic “an unscientific cult.”
In 1976, Chester Wilk and four other chiropractors sued the AMA, several nationwide healthcare associations, and several physicians for violations of sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The plaintiffs lost at the first trial in 1981, then obtained a new trial on appeal in 1983 because of improper jury instructions and admission of irrelevant and prejudicial evidence (Wilk v. American Medical Ass’n).
Sources:
Wilk v. American Medical Ass’n. (2022, May 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilk_v._American_Medical_Ass%27n
Our promise to you
HealthWorks is dedicated to a comprehensive and specific approach to taking care of spinal and nervous system needs. Let us help you find out how taking care of the most important system in the body will create optimal health that will last a lifetime!
If we find we’re not the best suited to help with your condition or it is out of our scope of practice, we promise to refer you to someone who is.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did chiropractic become accepted by mainstream medicine?
Chiropractic gained wider acceptance in the 1970s after winning antitrust lawsuits against medical associations. Research validation in the 1990s established effectiveness for back pain. Today, many hospitals include chiropractic departments, showing full integration.
HealthWorks continues advancing chiropractic credibility through precise, evidence-based Orthospinology techniques and measurable patient outcomes.
Why was chiropractic initially opposed by medical doctors?
Early chiropractic challenged medical monopoly on healthcare, offering drugless healing alternatives. Lack of standardized education and scientific research made verification difficult. Economic competition and philosophical differences about health created professional rivalry.
Our doctors maintain the highest certification standards, including Dr. Taylor’s board position, ensuring professional excellence.
Is chiropractic care scientifically proven today?
Yes, extensive research validates chiropractic effectiveness for musculoskeletal conditions, headaches, and certain neurological issues. Studies show chiropractic reduces surgery rates and medication dependence. Major medical journals regularly publish positive chiropractic research.
We use objective measurements and imaging to document your improvement, providing scientific proof of our gentle technique’s effectiveness.