Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "How Well Educated is a Chiropractor? - Chiropractic vs. Medical Education"

(Click on the image above to see the entire comparison!)


This is a follow up to a post I had written about two weeks ago. In the post I had commented on a survey done on medical students at Harvard Medical school.

Just a brief summary of my earlier post. The survey involved third and fourth year medical students who were on the brink of earning their degrees as Medical doctors (MD's). The survey revealed that many medical students regarded musculoskeletal medicine as very important. (In reality; back, neck and other related bodily pains are one of the most common reasons people will go seek the advice of a family doctor). However, the survey revealed that the medical students did not feel confident in their skills and education to adequately diagnose and treat musculoskeletal complaints. Evidenced by physical exam competency that was less than stellar. If I remember correctly, even the fourth year students failed to show competency more than 70% of the time.

Now of course this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart being a Chiropractor. I can't tell you how many times I have seen patients visit my office only after they have seen their family doctors. Many of these same patients even had x-rays done to get to the bottom of their complaints. Unfortunately, these patients were too often told, "Your x-rays appear normal and we're not sure why you're having pain." Often followed by the recommendation to take Tylenol, rest at home and wait it out.

I found this comparison that was compiled by the California Chiropractic Association.
In it, it compares the number of class hours across different subjects in Chiropractic and Medical schools. Many people are unaware that a Doctor of Chiropractic is a 4 year degree and as seen by the comparison above, the total hours are very comparable. I think if you take a close look, you can see where Chiropractic education specializes in compared to Medical education.

So the next time you are suffering from back, neck or other bodily pain that you think may be joint or muscle related. Go see a Chiropractor! (and remember, you don't need a referral to see a Chiropractor!)

If you are in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, visit your COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN HERE!!!>

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "What's That 'POP' I Hear During an Adjustment?"

This question comes up very often when patients are treated in my office. Many ask, "Doc, what's that pop/crack coming from my back?" A few patients that have not visited a Chiropractor have asked, "Is it my bones breaking?"

The simple answer is; the pop is coming from the space between your bones or what is commonly known as the joint. The corresponding picture will make it a lot more clear. When one bone 'connects' to another, you get a joint. But what you may not be aware of is the joint is not empty space. In fact, the joint is actually surrounded by connective tissue. Namely; ligaments, tendons and a membrane called a Synovial membrane may surround the joint, forming collectively a 'joint capsule'. As mentioned before, the space between bones is not empty. It is actually filled with a fluid called; Synovial Fluid. Synovial fluid is very thick and acts to help lubricate movement between the bones. Just think of it like grease making the hinge of a door move without catching or squeeking.

When we take a closer look inside the synovial fluid, we will discover that there is gas suspended in the fluid. When you hear a "pop" during a Chiropractic adjustment, what is happening is that your joints are being stretched. This stretching of the joint momentarily makes the space in the joint bigger. Along with this, the stretching helps to decrease the pressure within the joint. If pressure drops enough, it forces the gases in the synovial fluid to leave the fluid producing a 'pop' as it does. (A simpler analogy would be taking a can of any soda. When you first open the can and pull the tab back, what do you hear? That's right, you will probably hear a "hissing" sound due to you releasing the pressure inside the can by opening the top) A similar phenomenon is happening in the joint, but what you'll hear is a pop.

Specifically it is known that when you stretch a joint that is stiff and relieve the pressure, you activate a part of your nervous system called the Golgi tendon organs. The stimulation will actually register in your brain as; relief, less pain, more flexibility, lightness etc. That's exactly what many patients feel after a Chiropractic adjustment and why they get relief.

If you're in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, please contact me here; COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC>

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Think Twice Before Going to Your Family Doctor for Back/Neck Pain!"

I am fully aware that many will read this headline and feel a degree of skepticism. Perhaps you think that this article is self-serving? Okay let me explain. For years now I have informed patients that Chiropractors are uniquely positioned to diagnose and treat problems involving the Musculoskeletal system (Muscles/Joints/Bones).

In my years of practice I have been able to provide relief for patients that either; wanted a natural, conservative approach to pain relief or were dissatisfied with what traditional medicine could do for them.

Here is a study that will definitely open your eyes and maybe make you think twice about going to your family doctor the next time you have pains in your back, neck or elsewhere!

This survey was published in; Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. This Survey was conducted at Harvard Medical School, a world famous institution with a stellar reputation. The purpose of this survey was to assess the medical student's knowledge and clinical confidence in musculoskeletal medicine as well as their attitudes toward the education they receive in this specialty. The survey was given to more than 600 medical students and they were asked about 30 different questions and asked to rate their responses. The results should surprise you!

74% of the students responded and their answers are very sobering. (NOTE: the authors noted that although the survey was conducted at Harvard, they claim the results are consistent with other schools). Medical students rated Musculoskeletal education of major importance (3.8 out of 5) but when asked to rate the amount of time spent learning about the musculoskeletal system, they rated it as poor (2.1 out of 5).

In addition, 3rd year medical students rated their confidence at performing a complete musculoskeletal exam as low to adequate (2.7 out of 5) but when asked to actually perform a competency exam, scored shockingly low with only a 7% pass rate!! (That is not a typo, these 3rd year medical students had a pass rate only in the single digits!!)

When 4th year students were asked the same, they again rated their confidence similarly to their 3rd year classmates (2.7 out of 5). Although, their competency exam results improved (26% pass rate) that still means about 74% of 4th year medical students failed to prove competency in musculoskeletal medicine. Remember, these students are on the brink of earning their MD's and becoming family doctors!

These results surprised even me. Here is what the authors of this survey concluded;
"These findings, which are consistent with those from other schools, suggest that medical students do not feel adequately prepared in musculoskeletal medicine and lack both clinical confidence and cognitive mastery in the field. Implementing a four-year integrated musculoskeletal curriculum is one way that medical schools can address this concern".

I will write posts comparing Chiropractic vs Medical school education at a later date but for now, if you'd like more information about this survey, go here;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17457065

So remember the next time you're having back/neck pain and wondering what to do for relief, consider what you've read here!

If your near the Commercial Drive area of East Vancouver, contact your YOUR COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN HERE!!!>

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Chiropractic Success Stories; LANCE ARMSTRONG"

Today I thought I'd pass along a story about a well known athlete who has benefited from Chiropractic. Many people tend to think of Chiropractic as a means to get relief from pain, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are many people and world class athletes who integrate Chiropractic treatments into their training regimens. Along with this, Chiropractic becomes part of a healthy lifestyle for many of these people.

Let me give you a bit of background on Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong is synonymous with the strength of the human spirit and resilience of the physical body. Lance was a gifted youth, and his professional athletic career was well entrenched even before he finished high school. His early potential appeared limitless and it seemed there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.

However, his life would take a dramatic turn for the worse in 1996. Due to intense pain, Lance sought medical care for the cause and cure. Unfortunately, this is when Lance was diagnosed with cancer. Specifically, Testicular Cancer that had progressed to involve his lungs and brain. Lance's chances of surviving the cancer was pegged at less than 50%. But he decided to aggressively battle the cancer and decided to face the challenge of surviving head on.

Miraculously, he responded well to the treatment and two years later actually decided to race competitively again. Unfortunately, his return to competitive cycling was not fortuitous and it was apparent he was not the athlete he used to be.

In 1999, Lance decided to re-commit himself and he chose to focus all of his talents and energy into one singular goal; the Tour de France. With a new found purpose and resolve, Lance devised a strategy to achieve his goal and get his body in the best shape possible to challenge the 3,600 km cycling race that spans three weeks and draws the best cyclists on the planet.

An integral part of his success was a Chiropractor, team mate and friend; Dr. Jeff Spencer. Dr. Spencer was crucial to keeping Lance's body performing at it's potential while helping to avoid injuries. Dr. Spencer's work along with the tireless efforts of his team, allowed Lance to not only compete in the grueling race but ultimately win.

After Lance's first win at the Tour de France, Lance was quoted as saying, "...I could not have won without Jeff's help." Lance recognized the benefits of Chiropractic early on and relied on it's effectiveness to win the Tour de France. But the story doesn't end there. As we all know, Lance not only won the Tour de France but he would go on win the race every year from 1999 to 2005. That's a record breaking 7 times! Smashing the previous record of 5 wins held by several other world class athletes!

Lance Armstrong's legacy and place in history is surely undeniable. After retirement, he continued to give back to charities as well as starting his own, Lance Armstrong foundation. What an inspiration!

If you're wondering if Chiropractic could really help you, just look at Lance Armstrong!

If you live in East Vancouver, visit COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC HERE!!!>