Healthcare constantly evolves. We know this. We see it every day. Yet chiropractic is continually overlooked when it comes to research funding. 

The need to elevate chiropractic research to the level that mainstream, traditional medicine enjoys is urgent. If research funding were more equitably distributed, we could see skyrocketing chiropractic advances and a firestorm of patient-centered, whole-being healthcare improvements. 

Yet, despite exciting chiropractic advancements, the misconception became entrenched that there is nothing further to be learned about chiropractic and, therefore no additional funding for research is needed. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Last November an event hosted by The Galien Foundation celebrated groundbreaking innovations, mainly in pharmaceuticals and medical technologies. 

If chiropractic receives more research funding and, therefore, generates more healthcare advancements, its contributions will be as significant and life-changing as we’ve seen in traditional medicine. 

Roots of the Funding Disparity: Chiropractic Versus Mainstream Medicine

At the heart of this funding disparity lie fundamental differences in approach, especially as they pertain to chronic pain, which the World Health Organization identified as the number one disability worldwide. 

Mainstream medicine often views chronic pain as a diagnosis, not a symptom. Typically, when patients complain of chronic pain, a diagnosis of chronic pain is issued by the healthcare provider, along with a treatment plan heavily reliant on painkillers, muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatory drugs. 

By contrast, doctors of chiropractic (DC) view chronic pain as a symptom, not a diagnosis. From there, the DC investigates the pain’s cause – spinal misalignment, nerve irritation, biomechanical imbalances, etc. – and works to relieve the pain and determine whether and how recurrence can be prevented. 

Instead of masking pain, chiropractic treatment aims to restore proper function, improve mobility      and support the body’s healing ability. 

Medications used by mainstream healthcare providers can come with side effects and long-term dependency risks, and because chiropractic is non-invasive and pharmaceutical-free, it’s imperative to amplify chiropractors’ voices in discussions of patient care – and that starts with increased research funding. 

Another difference in approach is chiropractic’s hallmark characteristic of personalized attention. One person’s back pain could stem from hours spent at a workstation with poorly designed ergonomics. Another’s might result from rushing their yoga routine or skipping the warmup. 

So, for people living with chronic pain, chiropractic’s hands-on, whole-being approach, with patients as lead members of the healthcare team, may eliminate future flare-ups and the development of chronic illness. 

The Case for Longitudinal Studies  

Longitudinal (long-term) studies are scarce in chiropractic research. One of the few that comes close is a one-year study, considered “short-term longitudinal” because 12 months “captures mid-range outcomes but not long-term durability.” 

The study observed chronic low back pain patients referred for chiropractic treatment by spine surgeons. It concluded that chiropractic can be important in treating chronic back pain.

A 2021 longitudinal study published in Pain Physician observed that patients receiving ongoing chiropractic care for chronic low-back and neck pain experienced gradual improvements over three months. These findings strongly suggest that chiropractic interventions play a significant role in managing chronic musculoskeletal conditions. 

Research also indicates that chiropractic could help treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause a type of stroke called ‘silent brain infarctions.’ Chiropractic may contribute to better sleep and neurological health by improving spinal alignment and nervous system function. 

But again, this non-invasive and promising treatment of conditions like OSA remains underrepresented in major health initiatives. 

Albert Einstein urged us to not stop questioning. Questions can lead to discovery and progress. These groundbreaking studies into chiropractic care raise questions of their own about the current state of chiropractic research:

• Why haven’t there been more of these long-term studies?
• What are people “doing right” in current chiropractic practices that lead to such positive outcomes?
• Why should these successful approaches be promoted through further research and advocacy?

Funding and research are needed to realize chiropractic’s potential and findings should be freely shared with the public. Until that happens, we won’t know the full extent of its capabilities. 

By investigating and addressing root causes, prioritizing long-term patient-centered outcomes, and integrating chiropractic studies into major health study agendas, chiropractic research can pave the way for a more holistic and empowering future for us all.  

We advocate for expanding the role of chiropractic care in public health initiatives. Chiropractic benefits the “whole-being” due to its focus on patient education, lifestyle changes and neuromusculoskeletal health—including spinal alignment. All of these factors can improve many physical and mental health conditions. 

The effectiveness of chiropractic in preventive care and chronic pain management supports the public health’s goal to reduce the chronic disease burden. 

By striving for changes that will place chiropractors in full and equal collaboration with other healthcare providers, doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are better positioned for patients as advisors and guides who walk the journey alongside them. 

As things stand, we continue to see patients getting needlessly sicker because they and their primary care physicians operate under the assumption that surgeons and cardiologists are the first ones to call. However, research has shown, and the CDC has recommended chiropractic as a first-line approach. More public awareness and education campaigns promoting chiropractic as a primary care option as an appropriate step are needed.

It’s human nature to want to ignore the red light on our dashboard and hope that the engine doesn’t malfunction. People often do the same thing when pain alerts them of a health concern.

Waiting until pain is intolerable and then heading to the emergency room is not  a safe cost-effective choice . Seeking appropriate and timely preventive treatment is effective in “compressing morbidity,” which means we limit the time we spend in worsening health. 

Chiropractic Treatment of Anxiety, Depression, and Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and standard treatments have often been heavy-handed in the use of prescription medications, including opioids, which carry risks of addiction.  

Chiropractic offers a drug-free alternative for pain management, can alleviate physical discomfort associated with withdrawal symptoms and is part of some federally funded opioid alternative programs. However, it remains an underused weapon in defense of public health.  

Chiropractic already improves life for many people with chronic pain, anxiety and depression. Recent research discussed in JAMA Network Open revealed that depression and anxiety were comorbid in approximately 40% of chronic pain patients who were tracked in a massive study. 

Imagine the improvements that might be made in patients’ lives around the world if chiropractic care, which has the highest satisfaction rate and is conducive to a consistent approach, featured more prominently in public health. Picture a seesaw where overall public health soars and chronic illness and healthcare costs plummet. 

In addition to collaborative care, it’s time to further integrate the roles chiropractic plays in the following: 

• Employee benefits and workplace health
• Government policy and public health programs 
• Legislative and policy level discussions

Whole-Being and Integrated Care

The Global Health and Purpose Summit convened in New York in May 2025. Among its goals was collaborating with nongovernmental organizations and business leaders to transform healthcare, climate, and environmental sustainability. 

Healthcare has missed many opportunities to pivot from crisis intervention care toward integrated, “whole-being” care focused on prevention and with chiropractic as a central component. 

It’s essential that public perceptions shift to consider chiropractic care a priority. Reducing the need for surgery, hospitalization and medication is a cost-effective solution. Seeking chiropractic care before pain becomes unbearable minimizes lost work and increases people’s healthspans, keeping them well longer. 

In these ways, they avoid the higher costs associated with health conditions that chiropractors could have managed but became chronic instead. 

In 2018, the Nordic Maintenance Care Study showed that over a one-year period, patients receiving chiropractic “maintenance care” (regularly scheduled treatments) reported fewer days with lower back pain compared to those who were treated only when pain bothered them. The study supports the case that chiropractic care can be a cost-effective investment.  

It is our mission to continue to work towards a system that is better educated on the benefits of chiropractic care both to improve personal healthspan and savings in healthcare costs.

Every injured worker deserves more than a painkiller and a place in line. And yet, across many state workers’ compensation systems, patients are ushered down a well-worn path of imaging, referrals, and prescriptions—while effective, conservative options like chiropractic care remain overlooked. Despite robust evidence, doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are still fighting for a rightful seat at the table of recovery care.

The Problem: A System Stacked Against Conservative Options

Too often, the workers’ comp system treats injuries as paperwork—symptoms to be coded, costs to be minimized. But behind every claim is a person whose life has been interrupted. Insurer-controlled provider networks frequently exclude DCs, locking patients into physician-directed pathways that can bypass non-invasive care entirely. The result? Delays, excessive imaging and an overreliance on medication.

Recent findings show how restrictive referral systems sideline DCs even when they offer faster, lower-cost recovery options. Studies have also shown how injured workers are often “put on rails”—funneled through default treatment pipelines that leave little room for patient-centered or preventive care.

The Underutilized Solution: Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care is more than a spinal adjustment; it is an active, evidence-based strategy for neuromusculoskeletal recovery. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation showed that workers receiving chiropractic care experienced fewer disability days and were less likely to develop chronic disability. These workers recovered faster and returned to work sooner.

Earlier research aligns with these findings, including studies showing significantly lower opioid prescribing rates and shorter disability durations for patients receiving chiropractic care.

Too often, though, access to chiropractors depends not on what works best, but on who holds the referral power. A warehouse worker with a lower back strain may be steered into a long cycle of passive care when early chiropractic intervention could get them back on the job weeks sooner.

Costs, Opioids, and Missed Opportunities

Early access to chiropractic care also helps curb runaway workers’ comp costs. Analyses from multiple state systems have found that higher chiropractic utilization correlates with lower claim costs and fewer lost workdays.

These are not just accounting wins—they are critical levers in the fight against opioid overuse. Chiropractic reduces dependency on prescription drugs by addressing the root causes of pain with physical, non-pharmacological interventions. Research from the Department of Veterans Affairs has shown that this approach helps prevent opioid initiation in the first place.

A System Ready for Change

The timing couldn’t be better. Some large employers are now incorporating chiropractic into their employee wellness and recovery strategies. These companies know what the data confirms: keeping employees healthy, pain-free      and present is good business.

Public systems are beginning to catch up, modernizing infrastructure and prioritizing better tracking of provider performance and treatment outcomes. This shift opens the door for conservative care to be integrated into mainstream recovery planning.

As workers’ compensation evolves, it must reflect not just clinical evidence but real-world recovery patterns. Conservative care is no longer “alternative”—it is foundational.

A Whole-Being Approach

Chiropractors don’t just treat pain,they help patients reclaim their lives. Many provide movement coaching, ergonomic guidance and stress-reduction techniques that address the physical and emotional toll of injury. The VA’s Whole Health Model exemplifies this: treating not just the symptoms, but the person behind them.

Injured workers carry more than physical pain. Fear of reinjury, trauma from the accident, anxiety over lost wages—these invisible burdens prolong recovery. DCs are trained to see and treat the whole patient, helping rebuild resilience from the inside out.

A care model that ignores those burdens may clear the case but fail the person. By contrast, chiropractic care often serves as an anchor in recovery, grounding patients in active participation and steady progress.

Conclusion: Chiropractic Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential

We have the data. We have the results. What we need now is action. Workers’ compensation systems must evolve to reflect what evidence already makes clear: chiropractic care works. It shortens recovery. It saves money. It keeps people off addictive medications. And it gives patients the dignity of choice.

When patients are empowered, outcomes improve. It’s time for policymakers, insurers and employers to align recovery systems with the evidence—and the people they were built to serve.

Chiropractic care isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.