Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a university-level medical profession dealing with mechanical disorders of the spine and joints. Treatment is manual, following a clinical examination and a diagnosis. In Switzerland no referral is required, and basic health insurance covers the cost.
One of five university medical professions
Chiropractic sits alongside human medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine among the five professions recognised by the Medical Professions Act (LPMéd). A chiropractor makes a medical diagnosis and practises under her own professional responsibility.
That status explains both the direct access and the insurance cover.
Training
Six years of university study in Zurich, then the federal examination. Practising independently additionally requires at least two years of supervised assistantship and postgraduate courses at the Swiss Chiropractic Academy in Bern, ending in a further examination. Continuing education is then mandatory every year.
What chiropractic treats
Mechanical disorders of the spine and joints and their consequences: back and neck, shoulder and arm, hip and leg, tension headaches, muscular pain, and pain during pregnancy.