2014 National Chiropractic Health Month -

Hosted by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is a national public awareness and education campaign held each October. NCHM strives to teach health care consumers about the benefits of chiropractic services and to promote the expertise of doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in helping their patients reach optimal levels of health and wellness.

In 2014, NCHM will use the theme “Conservative Care First!” to educate the public on why a conservative approach to pain management and health enhancement is both sensible and effective. For years, many patients would find relief through conservative forms of care such as chiropractic services only afterunsuccessfully trying a range of other, more complex and riskier treatments. Today, that approach has been reversed, with more medical research and guidelines supporting the idea that patients should exhaust conservative approaches to pain management before moving on to other options.

During NCHM, doctors of chiropractic will share information with the public about chiropractic’s conservative approach and why it is especially relevant in today’s health care system—and urge them to become their own best health care advocates by insisting on “Conservative Care First!”

Social Media Campaigns:

• Post a photo on your Instagram or Facebook that defines being healthy to you, whether it be a green smoothie or a selfie of you post-run.
• Print our "We Love DCs" or "I Love Being a DC" signs to pose with in a photograph on your Facebook or Instagram account to show your pride in the chiropractic profession.

For either campaign, use #NCHM or #NationalChiropracticHealthMonth and tag us at @acatoday on Instagram.

• Oct. 15: Social Media Share Day: ACA will post items related to "Conservative Care First!" on its Facebook, www.facebook.com/acatoday.org. We challenge members of the profession to share them throughout October.

NCHM Toolkit:

ACA provides public awareness resources and guidance to doctors of chiropractic to help them create a local NCHM campaign and raise community awareness of the benefits of chiropractic services...and their practices. Learn more about how to participate, no matter what your time or staff resources.  

Promote NCHM through your clinic, school, organization or community:  

• Post the NCHM web button on your website
• Use NCHM Logos in your publications and materials
• Give a community health talk
• Find ways to promote wellness through community involvement
• Post ACA's Conservative Care First video on your website
• Post one of our info graphics on your website 
• Distribute patient education handouts
       Make Conservative Care Your First Choice
       Back Pain: Safe, Effective Conservative Treatment
       Neck Pain: Prevention and Conservative Care
       Visiting a Doctor of Chiropractic: What to Expect

Promote NCHM to the press and through social media:

• Send a press release to local editors and share via social media (instructions)
• Attach one of our info graphics when you send your press release to the media, or share them through your social media channels  
• Post our Facebook posts and Tweets throughout the month of October
• Use the NCHM logo as your social media profile picture during the month of October

Promote NCHM via government:

• Get a proclamation signed by your governor or mayor (instructions)
• Distribute an ACA issue brief to your federal and state representatives: Conservative Care First: A Strategy to Reduce the High Cost of Health Care

Additional resources:

• Read Relevant articles (for background on the importance of a conservative-care-first approach)

Please contact [email protected] with any questions or to share your plans for NCHM 2014!