Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that deals with a patient's neuromusculoskeletal system, bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A chiropractor helps manage back and neck pain by using spinal adjustments to maintain good alignment. The fundamentals of chiropractic care revolve around the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Simply put, chiropractors believe that structural misalignments of the musculoskeletal system directly and indirectly affect everything from fertility to respiratory patterns.
By addressing these misalignments, also called subluxations, chiropractors believe they can alleviate other symptoms and improve the overall quality of life for their patients. To be licensed as a chiropractor in New York, a person with a DC degree from an accredited chiropractic school must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) four-part exam. Chiropractors generally complete a bachelor of science degree, although currently chiropractic candidates are not required to have a degree; instead, chiropractic programs require candidates to complete a minimum of 90 semester hours of undergraduate courses prior to acceptance.
