National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) is celebrating National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) throughout October by highlighting the diverse career opportunities available in chiropractic medicine and focusing on the importance of chiropractic care.
Spearheaded by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), NCHM emphasizes the importance of musculoskeletal health and brings awareness to the benefits of chiropractic medicine treatment options and the profession as a whole.
NCHM is represented at NUHS through spreading awareness and providing community education, in the classroom where students learn the importance of advocating for their profession, as well as student club and organization events throughout October. If you’re considering a career in chiropractic medicine with a specialized focus, here are six areas to consider:
Veterans Hospitals
Veterans (VA) hospitals are among the many integrated health care centers that continue to add chiropractic physicians to their medical teams. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), the overall use of VA chiropractic medicine services is set to double from 2022 to 2027.
Chiropractic medicine services are highly sought after by veterans and frequently recommended by VA physicians. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs recognizes the VA’s use of chiropractic care as the most comprehensive integration within any major U.S. health care system.
Various disciplines also work together in one team. For example, chiropractic physicians at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Center work closely with NUHS student interns and various health care professionals to diagnose and manage muscle and joint conditions.
To help prepare for this specialty, NUHS provides students the opportunity to intern at Veterans hospitals and military installations across the country as part of our preceptorship program’s extensive network of providers and medical facilities.
Functional Medicine
Functional medicine is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that focuses on restoring optimal health by addressing the connections between bodily systems and the influence of lifestyle factors. Chiropractic physicians with expertise in spinal adjustment, neurology, nutrition and lab testing have a competitive edge in this specialty.
NUHS offers a wide range of opportunities for those interested in functional medicine, including clubs, courses and a dedicated concentration within the doctor of chiropractic medicine program.
Pediatric Patients
Chiropractic medicine is not limited to adult patients; it can also provide beneficial results for infants, toddlers and adolescents through adulthood. While children often visit chiropractic physicians for musculoskeletal issues, it is also commonly used as primary or adjunctive therapy for non-musculoskeletal conditions including constipation, acid reflux, sleep problems, ear infections and tongue ties.
NUHS offers two online continuing education courses on pediatric care in chiropractic medicine.
Sports Medicine
In the past 20 years, chiropractic physicians have become significantly more commonplace among the medical staff for athletic teams spanning all levels and ages, from youth sports through professional-level teams. The majority of elite and Olympic-class athletes use chiropractic medicine care to enhance performance, reduce injury risk and aid in recovery.
In sports medicine, providing adjustments is essential, but soft tissue work is equally important. Unlike working in a chiropractic clinic, the sports medicine staff are expected to be fluent in emergency medicine and often work in a fast-paced environment. As a result, chiropractic physicians focused on sports medicine require a wide range of skills.
Ambulatory trauma and emergency medicine courses are available to students within the doctor of chiropractic medicine program. Along with robust, active student club and organization activities, NUHS offers a sports medicine concentration for a specialized focus in this treatment area.
Women’s Health
Historically, research into women’s health issues has been underfunded, according to a 2020 study. However, new research is revealing how women experience health issues differently, including pain, stress and the leading cause of death, heart disease.
Inline with increased awareness and emphasis placed on a mother’s prenatal and postpartum care across all medical professions, chiropractic medicine clinics specializing in women’s health have grown in both popularity and availability. These clinics often receive referrals from obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) and midwives with patients suffering from low-back pain and other musculoskeletal issues. This natural, non-pharmaceutical approach also helps support the mother’s optimal health and can reduce the risk of breech babies, one of the most common reasons for a C-section delivery.
Chiropractic medicine is among the disciplines that can treat and manage these issues, along with fibromyalgia. Some of the other conditions chiropractors address among women include menstrual cycle/dysmenorrhea, pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence, perimenopause/menopause, mental health, stress and chronic pain.
If students are interested in this specialty, NUHS offers a women’s health concentration within the doctor of chiropractic medicine program.
NUHS is proud to celebrate National Chiropractic Health Month by highlighting the many career specializations available within the field of chiropractic medicine. Discover the possibilities of a chiropractic career by exploring our Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine program today.
