Not many Filipinos know what chiropractic is. Or that chiropractors spend five years and 5,000 hours in training after completing a four-year college degree (BSc or BA with a major in science), and that they are trained as doctors who can diagnose patients.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health.
“A person who wants to be a chiropractor must be really determined and committed because this is not something you do like a business. It’s investing the same kind of energy and money to let’s say medicine or dentistry,” says Dr. Michel Tetrault (docMIKE), who earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, summa cum laude, at Life Chiropractic College. He attended pre-chiropractic courses at University of Manitoba.
He goes on to say that many people he knew who chose to become chiropractors were patients first, just like he was.
“I was a patient first so I personally saw its value to me. I was 21 when I first saw a chiropractor. I had an accident when I was 16 and I suffered for five years. Sometimes it was debilitating but I knew I just had to get up and keep going. It was only the medicine that relieved the pain and the doctors were not very helpful. I heard the orthopedic doctor and the therapist say that I did not need chiropractic care. So I went and explored that. And here I am now,” admits Dr. Tetrault who married a Filipina and has been here since 2006, sharing his expertise among Filipinos who need chiropractic care.
He is saddened that there are only a few chiropractors here in the Philippines.
What Chiropractors can do, any other profession can’t. So its very vital that a law should be passed in the Philippines.
“Hundred and three million people here and only 30 chiropractors. There are more chiropractors in the downtown LA and downtown San Francisco where there are 200 hundred. It’s a tragedy. We do not even have a school here,” shares docMIKE, one of 10 full-time chiropractors in the country.
Dr. Tetrault is actually surprised that chiropractic care is not very popular in a country with population that believes in hilot.
The founder of Chiropractic, a gentleman and scholar, Daniel David Palmer was a Canadian who lived in the US and interested in manghihilot as an alternative health care. He was studying sciences then when he treated a worker who lost his hearing. Dr. Palmer suggested checking the spine, then he adjusted the spine and the hearing came back. So he started checking everyone, saying, “I don’t care what your ailment it is, I’m gonna check your spine and see if it’s connected.” And he kept finding spinal problems all the time for every illness people had.
“We started developing programs and teaching about a hundred thousand people already and we need two thousand here in the Philippines,” recalls Dr. Tetrault.
He established Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinic, now with centers in Forbes Park, Glorietta 4, Salcedo, Las Piñas and Bacoor. Two clinics will be opened this month, at Mall of Asia and Ayala Fairview Terraces. He is also happy to have celebrities, senators, mayors and CEOs who support and believe in his profession.
DocMIKE, who’s been practicing for 37 years, only wishes that chiropractic practice would be regulated in the Philippines and to have the government sponsor a bill on its recognition.
“Most multinational companies’ have plans that cover and reimburse their chiropractic expenses,” says docMIKE.
Visit the Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinics at www.chiropractic.com.ph or call (02) 812-6903 for an appointment and learn more about “Natural Heath” on their website www.docMIKEblog.com.
