Did you know that Terry Chimes, the original drummer of historic punk band The Clash, is now a chiropractor in Essex, England? The musician has had a love of biology and healing for his entire life, so it was only natural that in 1994 he began to pursue a career in chiropractic health and wellness.

It was a wise move, as anyone with a passion for helping others would feel satisfied with a career as a chiropractor. It puts them in a position to help an amazing number of people. In fact, the 2007 National Health Interview Survey found that more than 20 million adults and children received chiropractic treatments that year.

Some, though, are dubious of the practice’s efficacy, wondering if its benefits are nothing more than a placebo effect.

These doubters should have to eat their words, though, as research on the efficacy of chiropractors is beginning to accumulate, demonstrating that the work these medical professionals do truly helps their patients.

According to the British Medical Journal, a 52 week study of 183 patients suffering from acute and/or chronic pain found that the patients who received treatment from chiropractors recovered from their injuries faster than those who received physiotherapy or care from general practitioners.

The Annals of Internal Medicine published a study comparing chiropractic therapy to other treatments. It found that the success rate of chiropractic patients was twice as high as those who received care from general practitioners. Also, these patients had fewer work absences than the others in the study as well.

The evidence doesn’t stop there. One study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic treatments successfully treated headaches. Four weeks after patients stopped receiving treatment, they had more sustained benefits than other patients who received amitriptyline therapy. The latter group actually reverted to their baseline pain and discomfort levels.

The reason that chiropractor’s have such a high volume of patients is for the simple fact that it works. More and more evidence gathers that backs up what most any patient could tell you. If you have any questions about chiropractors, feel free to ask in the comments.