Making a living curing backache

My search took me of course to the all knowing google search engine where I typed “chiropractors in Nigeria” and dare I say that I was disappointed. First I could only obtain two addresses for chiropractors in Nigeria–in Abuja and Lagos. Then I also discovered there was no chiropractic council regulating the profession in Nigeria. […]

My search took me of course to the all knowing google search engine where I typed “chiropractors in Nigeria” and dare I say that I was disappointed. First I could only obtain two addresses for chiropractors in Nigeria–in Abuja and Lagos. Then I also discovered there was no chiropractic council regulating the profession in Nigeria.
Initially they were under the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria alongside Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Clinical Audiology. At the time the board had only four licensed chiropractors in her register. But by year 2000, chiropractors migrated to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Again, I could not find any university in Nigeria offering chiropractic medicine but in an interview with a national newspaper one Prof Magnus Adeyemi Atilade, Provost, Nigeria College of Natural Medicines who attended North Eastern College of Chiropractic Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States where he graduated with a doctorate said the United Kingdom (where many Nigerian students are going for undergraduate and postgraduate studies) has three institutions offering chiropractic courses.
To quote him: “ There are three institutions in the UK offering chiropractic courses. They offer either a BSc or a diploma. Two of the institutions describe themselves as a “college of chiropractic”, and the other, the University of Glamorgan, has been fit to offer a B.Sc (Hons) Chiropractic among its degrees (interestingly listed under  health science).”
I then placed many calls to the mobile numbers of the only chiropractic clinic I could find in Abuja– Wellness Chiropractic Nigeria in Asokoro  to try to book for a consultation and find out just how much it would cost but I was not successful. However seeing that it was the only one I discovered in Abuja, plus it is located in a highbrow area their prices would not come cheap at all.
The fact that there are very few chiropractors in Nigeria is what for me makes it a very viable career plus with the proper publicity reaching out to the target market would not be difficult. By target market I mean the many Nigerians who sit on a chair for more than six hours every day, hardly exercise and carry with them a constant backache.
The closest competition to chiropractors in Nigeria are maybe massage therapists and these days one can hardly tell between someone who loves to give a good massage and one who is actually trained to do that. But before I erroneously lead you to believe that the treatment of backaches is all a chiropractor does, let us define his or her professional duties.
A chiropractor is a health care professional focused on the diagnosis and treatment of  neuromuscular disorders, with an emphasis on treatment through manual adjustment and/or manipulation of the spine.
Most chiropractors seek to reduce pain and improve the functionality of patients as well as to educate them on how they can account for their own health via exercise, ergonomics and other therapies to treat back pain.
Chiropractors use a variety of non-surgical treatments to treat patients with certain types of lower back pain and/or leg pain (sciatica), neck pain, repetitive strains, headaches, sports injuries, car accident injuries and arthritic pain.
In an article published by the Telegraph on Wednesday, August 14, chiropractor was listed as the 11th best job to pursue in the United States. The survey used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other government agencies to determine the rankings.
Further research reveals that chiropractors earn competitive incomes across the globe. For example in the USA an average annual salary for a chiropractor ranges from between $30,612 – $101,100 per annum (N4.8m- N16.1m), in the UK the average expected ranges from between £12,464 – £82,434 (N3.1m- N20.6m) this is outside of yearly bonuses.
So if these figures have whet your appetite and you are intrigued as I am about the scarcity of chiropractors in Nigeria, then you might want to consider a career in this field.
Like I said earlier I could not find any Nigerian university offering this as a course but if you have a bachelors’ degree  in laboratory sciences such as chemistry, physics, and biology then it is a good foundation to start with.
If you can afford to travel to the United States the next step would be to  complete a master’s degree in sports rehabilitation or nutrition. It is highly recommended to complete a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) postgraduate professional degree that usually lasts for 4 years.
The coursework includes supervised clinical training in the diagnosis and spinal manipulation. The D.C. degrees are awarded by the Council on Chiropractic Education.
Upon graduation, one can enroll in a residency programme in one’s field of interest such as chiropractic pediatrics or radiology. Upon successful completion of an accredited Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program, one qualifies to complete the board exams officially conducted by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and obtains license.
As for skills to possess, chiropractors often have to stand for long periods of time so they should be in good physical condition. Most chiropractors work in clean, well-lit, comfortable offices.
Chiropractors must enjoy working with people, and have strong communication and interpersonal skills. The profession requires strong math and science skills, as with other health careers. Chiropractors must be able to collect and analyze information and data, assess a situation and develop a plan of action and treatment. Then they must be able to evaluate the progress of the patient and make any necessary adjustments accordingly.