Spinal Manipulative Therapy
Most chiropracters claim that chiropractic is a
effective
method of promoting heath. That is, they claim that using appropriate
chiropractic techniques, a
qualified chiropracter can generate changes that, A. were produced by the
application of chiropractic methods to the client's body, not by processes
well-known to medicine, B. could not have been so easily generated by
non-chiropractic methods, such as non-chiropractic manipulation or other
massage, and C. represent a significant improvement in the client's health.
Critics of chiropractic claim that this never happens, chiropractic theory is
not supported by evidence, that applying specifically chiropractic methods to someone's
spine produces no improvements in health. They do not rule out the possibility
that people enjoy visiting chiropractors, or that they may feel better after
visiting a chiropractor. They just deny that chiropractic treatment really produces
health improvements.
It has been medically documented that a treatment called "Spinal Manipulative Therapy" has been effective in treating lower back pain. (See chiropracticrand.htm) This Spinal Manipulative Therapy can be performed by chiropractors, and it's efficacy is often given as a reason to think that chiropractic works.
Your assignment is to determine whether the success of Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) means that the chiropractic theory
of heath is correct and that treatment based on that theory in opposition to prevailing medical theories of health will be effective.
Your intial task for this topic is to answer the following questions the best
you can.
1. What exactly is the theory of chiropractic?
2. What exactly is Spinal Manipulative Therapy?
3. Is SMT based on chiropractic theory?
4. Does the fact that SMT works mean that Chiropractic works?
For background, read the
Foreword by Dr. William Jarvis at Victims of Chiropractic (Also reproduced in quackfiles)
Your essay should explain your reasoning clearly and completely. It should
not simply give a list of reasons that happen to support your opinion. Instead,
it should carefully explain and critique the logic of what you take to be the
one or two most important arguments on both sides of the issue.
For more information on how you might structure your
paper, see conclusion.htm
Copyright © 2004 by Martin C. Young
This Site is Proudly Hosted
By:
