Why I Still Believe in Chiropractic After 15 Years

By Dr. Mike Vilello, CARE Chiropractic & Wellness

Every once in a while, I come across another post questioning chiropractic or calling chiropractors “quacks.”

Fifteen years ago, those posts used to bother me.

Now?

Not nearly as much.

After helping thousands of patients over the last 15 years, I’ve learned something important:

I don’t need to win arguments on the internet.

I just need to keep helping the person sitting in front of me.

That doesn’t mean chiropractic is perfect.

It isn’t.

And it certainly doesn’t mean every chiropractor is great.

Just like every profession, there are outstanding providers, average providers, and unfortunately some who probably shouldn’t be practicing.

The same is true of medicine, physical therapy, dentistry, personal training, and virtually every profession that exists.

Healthcare is made up of people, and people are imperfect.

A Little Perspective

One criticism I often hear is that chiropractic has unusual origins because D.D. Palmer had ideas that don’t fit with modern science.

That’s true.

But it’s also important to remember the time period.

Medicine in the late 1800s and early 1900s looked very different than it does today.

Physicians commonly used treatments like bloodletting, mercury-based medications, arsenic compounds, cocaine as a local anesthetic, heroin as a cough suppressant, and even radioactive substances before their risks were fully understood. Surgeries were performed long before antibiotics existed, and infection itself was one of the greatest threats to survival.

Many of those treatments were accepted medical practice at the time.

Healthcare has always evolved.

Chiropractic has too.

Medicine today is not the medicine of 1895.

Chiropractic today is not the chiropractic of 1895.

Thankfully.

Visionaries Usually Look Different

I don’t view D.D. Palmer as a quack.

I view him as a visionary.

He believed the body had an incredible ability to heal and adapt when obstacles to normal function were removed.

Not every idea he had stood the test of time.

Very few pioneers in any profession have a perfect batting average.

But he started a profession that has continued to question, research, improve, and evolve for well over a century.

That’s what progress looks like.

Healthcare Never Stops Evolving

What’s considered “alternative” today often becomes mainstream tomorrow.

Years ago, people laughed at things like:

• Red light therapy
• Vibration therapy
• Dry needling
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
• Stem cell research
• Wearable health technology

Today, many of these therapies are backed by growing bodies of research and are used by professional athletes, hospitals, universities, and rehabilitation clinics around the world.

The lesson?

Stay curious.

Don’t blindly accept everything.

Don’t blindly reject everything either.

That’s how healthcare moves forward.

Safety Matters

One thing I’m especially proud of is the emphasis chiropractic places on patient safety.

Contrary to what many people believe, chiropractors spend just as much time learning when not to adjust as they do learning how to adjust. Recognizing red flags, knowing when imaging is appropriate, and understanding when a patient needs to be referred to another healthcare provider are just as important as the adjustment itself.

No healthcare profession is completely risk-free, but serious complications from chiropractic care are rare when patients are properly evaluated and treated appropriately.

Another fact that often surprises people is that chiropractic consistently carries some of the lowest malpractice insurance premiums among healthcare professions. While malpractice premiums aren’t a perfect measure of safety or quality, they are based largely on actuarial risk. Lower premiums reflect the reality that severe malpractice claims against chiropractors are relatively uncommon. That doesn’t mean chiropractors are perfect—it simply reinforces what years of research have shown: when practiced appropriately, chiropractic care is generally very safe.

In my opinion, one of the most valuable skills any chiropractor can have isn’t delivering an adjustment.

It’s recognizing when chiropractic isn’t the right answer.

Where I Stand

I don’t believe chiropractic fixes everything.

It doesn’t.

I don’t tell patients to avoid medical doctors.

In fact, I regularly encourage patients to see orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, primary care physicians, pain specialists, physical therapists, and other healthcare providers when it’s appropriate.

Over the years, I’ve built relationships with local orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, primary care physicians, imaging centers, pain specialists, and other providers because my patients deserve a team—not competing opinions.

Sometimes chiropractic is the best option.

Sometimes it isn’t.

Sometimes the best outcome comes from multiple healthcare providers working together.

That’s how it should be.

Why I Continue Practicing

People often ask why I’ve stayed in chiropractic for so long.

The answer is simple.

It’s not because I think chiropractic has all the answers.

It’s because I’ve had the privilege of watching people’s lives change.

I still remember the young mom who came into my office because her back hurt so badly that picking up her toddler had become something she dreaded.

Every parent knows those little moments matter.

After working together for a few weeks, she walked in smiling and told me she had spent the entire weekend picking up her daughter without even thinking about her back.

That’s why I love what I do.

Another patient that has always stuck with me was a high school volleyball player.

As someone who still plays volleyball myself, this one hit especially close to home.

She was convinced her season was over because every jump, every swing, and every dive aggravated her back.

We worked together using chiropractic care, mobility work, strengthening exercises, and a gradual return to activity.

A few weeks later she was back on the court with her teammates.

Watching someone get back to the sport they love is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

I’ve seen people get back to golf.

Back to gardening.

Back to lifting their grandchildren.

Back to sleeping through the night.

Back to work.

Back to simply living life without constantly thinking about pain.

Were those results because chiropractic is magic?

Of course not.

Every patient is different.

Some improve quickly.

Some improve slowly.

Some need imaging.

Some need injections.

Some need surgery.

Some need physical therapy.

Some need all of the above.

Healthcare isn’t about finding one treatment that fixes everyone.

It’s about finding the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.

When chiropractic is that treatment, it’s incredibly rewarding.

When it isn’t, my responsibility is helping that patient find the care they do need.

That’s what I believe good healthcare looks like.

At the End of the Day

If you’ve had a bad experience with a chiropractor, I believe you.

They exist.

If you’ve had a bad experience with a medical doctor, I believe you.

They exist too.

I’ve even had patients tell me they had a bad experience with a chiropractor before they ever walked through my door.

I don’t dismiss those experiences, and I don’t try to explain them away.

Every patient deserves to feel heard.

But I’ve also been fortunate enough to know incredible chiropractors, incredible physicians, incredible physical therapists, incredible surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, massage therapists, athletic trainers, and countless other healthcare professionals who genuinely care about helping people.

Rather than arguing over which profession is “right,” I’d rather focus on getting patients the right care at the right time.

If that means chiropractic care, great.

If it means physical therapy, great.

If it means surgery, imaging, medication, or another specialist, that’s okay too.

My job has never been to convince someone that chiropractic is the answer to everything.

My job is to help people make informed decisions, explain their options honestly, and point them toward the care that gives them the best chance of getting their life back.

After fifteen years, that’s still what gets me excited to come to work every day.

That’s the kind of healthcare I believe in.

It’s the kind of chiropractor I’ve tried to become.

And it’s the kind of practice I’ve worked hard to build here at CARE Chiropractic & Wellness.

Simple Solutions for Prevalent Problems.