This is a surprisingly common, and understandably confusing, question.
If you’ve never looked closely at chiropractic education, you might assume chiropractors complete a short technical program or certification. In fact, when I first told a family member I was going to chiropractic school, they asked how long the program was, assuming it was similar to massage therapy training. After all, chiropractors “just adjust,” right?
Not exactly.
Chiropractors Are Doctors — With Extensive Medical Training
Chiropractors earn the title Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), just as medical doctors earn Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees.
Chiropractic school is a full doctoral program and requires:
- A minimum of 3–4 years of undergraduate coursework
- A 4–5 year doctoral program
- National board exams and state licensing
In total, chiropractic education includes 4,200–4,800+ hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical training, which is comparable to medical school.
Both chiropractic and medical students complete rigorous science-based coursework, including:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Neurology
- Biochemistry
- Pathology
- Diagnosis
- Radiology
Where the education differs is in emphasis. Chiropractic programs spend significantly more time on anatomy, biomechanics, spinal function, and radiology, while medical school places greater emphasis on pharmacology, surgery, and hospital-based clinical rotations.
Different tools. Same foundational understanding of the human body.
So… Are Chiropractors Considered Primary Care Physicians?
Yes, chiropractors function as primary care physicians.
A primary care physician is not defined by the ability to prescribe medication or perform surgery. A primary care doctor is someone who:
- Understands how the body functions as a whole
- Serves as a first point of contact for patients
- Can assess, examine, and diagnose health concerns
- Knows when they can help, and when to refer out
Chiropractors do this every day.
If someone calls our office with a broken bone, an open wound, or signs of a medical emergency, we refer them immediately to the appropriate medical provider or emergency facility. That’s not a limitation, that’s responsible primary care.
At the same time, chiropractors routinely evaluate patients for concerns that go far beyond back pain.
What Chiropractors Do — and What We Refer Out
During patient visits, it’s very common for conversations to go beyond musculoskeletal pain.
If a patient mentions:
- Digestive issues
- Headaches or migraines
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Fatigue or sleep issues
- Numbness or tingling
- Postural or movement concerns
A chiropractor doesn’t ignore those symptoms.
We ask questions. We assess patterns. We look for contributing factors. If the situation requires medication, imaging, or medical management outside our scope, we refer to an MD or specialist. If it’s something we can help address through improving nervous system and joint function, we do that, safely and conservatively.
Many patients tell us they trust their chiropractor with most of their health concerns. That doesn’t mean we treat everything. No doctor does. It means patients value a different perspective, one that looks deeper than symptom management alone.
The Chiropractic Perspective: Cause vs. Symptom
One of the biggest differences between chiropractic care and conventional medical care is how we approach a problem.
Medicine often asks:
“What is the diagnosis, and how do we manage it?”
Chiropractic asks:
“Why did this problem develop in the first place?”
For example, consider a patient with chronic neck pain.
- An MD and a chiropractor may both perform an exam and order X-rays
- The X-rays show arthritis in the neck
From there, treatment paths often diverge.
A medical approach may involve prescribing medication to reduce pain or inflammation. This can be helpful for symptom relief, but it doesn’t address why the neck stopped functioning properly years ago.
From a chiropractic perspective, arthritis is rarely the cause of pain. Arthritis develops over time due to long-standing joint dysfunction and abnormal movement patterns. Improve the function of the neck, and pain often improves, even if arthritis remains.
Will chiropractic “cure” arthritis?
No.
Is arthritis always the true cause of pain?
Also no.
Function matters. And restoring function is where chiropractic care shines.
Why Chiropractors Are Well-Suited for Primary Care
Chiropractic care is conservative, non-invasive, and carries significantly lower risk than many medical interventions. Because of that, chiropractors are not bound to rigid pharmaceutical or procedural protocols.
This allows for:
- More individualized care
- Longer patient conversations
- A whole-body, systems-based approach
- A focus on prevention, function, and long-term health
Rather than masking symptoms, chiropractors aim to understand what led the body to break down, and how to help it move, heal, and function better.
The Bottom Line
Yes — chiropractors are primary care physicians.
You can see a chiropractor for far more than back pain. Chiropractors are extensively trained doctors who understand the human body, nervous system, and musculoskeletal function at a deep level.
And when something falls outside our scope, we have the training and judgment to guide you to the right provider.
Primary care isn’t about doing everything.
It’s about knowing what to do, and who to involve, to help a patient move toward better health.
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