Several days ago, my dad revealed to me he is an avid reader of this blog. He explained to me that he really likes how I explain upper cervical. He likes how I explain that the chiropractor delivers the adjustment that removes the nervous system interference, and the patient’s body (Innate Intelligence) is what actually does the healing. He said that a lot of people his age (that he knows) have had bad experiences with a chiropractor and that my explanation was much more easily understood.
The sad thing is this is what chiropractic truly started out as, and should still be widely known as. Nervous system transmission of mental impulses become blocked by a vertebral subluxation. The chiropractor skillfully removes the vertebral subluxation, and the block is removed.
Even back in the early twentieth century, there were chiropractors that didn’t like this idea. They were the ones that wanted to be loved and accepted by the therapeutic community and the AMA. This line of thinking continued throughout the ensuing years until now, we are left with a profession that is thought of as neck and back pain relief. People think chiropractors twist and turn and crack and pop people. I once heard a prominent chiropractic success coach call this the FTHSAMI technique (Find The High Spot And Mash It).
So many people are calling for evidence-based care, meaning only doing things that are backed by research. Some of these people calling for the medical stamp of approval are the ones who failed their MCATs and, instead, went to chiropractic school because it was easier and they could still be a doctor. They forget that maybe 15-20% of all medical procedures are proven. Heart bypass surgery doesn’t cure heart disease. Gastric Lap-Band surgeries don’t cure obesity either. I know… Crazy, huh?
Others think that along with gross spinal manipulations, overly extensive exercise rehab and electro-therapies constitute the definition of chiropractic. Many of these same people cry when physical therapists are doing spinal manipulations. They will make comments like “They can’t adjust the spine… only chiropractors can adjust the spine!” I would counter to these chiropractors that “You can’t do exercise rehab and electro-therapies… only physical therapists can do exercise rehab and electrical modalities!” What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Chiropractic schools teach medical examinations and physical therapy. Chiropractic is taught very minimally, even in the best schools. Most people don’t even realize the power that a specific adjustment can have on a person’s nervous system and its ability to facilitate healing. It’s just not taught.
What IS taught in schools is that a chiropractic adjustment is no more effective than massage. Talk about wanting to pull out your hair! Parker students learn this in Tri 1. When chiropractors are hitting the high spots and cracking and popping everything under the sun, this is true. I’ve been adjusted, or I should say manipulated, in this way and 30 minutes later, I needed it again.
My goal is that this blog can at least teach the average person, and maybe even the average chiropractor, that chiropractic is MUCH more than pain relief, outcome assessments, and insurance billing.
Chiropractic is about restoring health, happiness, and hope to the sick and suffering who have no where else to turn. If I can do this just one person, I’ve made a difference.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love it Brandon. Keepin’ it simple. Perhaps it is just too simple for some chiropractors. Keep it up my friend.
Dr. Harshe,
Very well spoken. Interesting enough today I was doing a report with a new patient. After reviewing her films we explained her obvious upper cervical subluxation. She is skeptical. After all she spent every day for 2 weeks in the other local chiro’s office receiving therapy and it did nothing for her. They never even looked at her neck.
This has been a fairly common occurrence my 12 years in full time practice in 3 states. Nothing against my full spine brethren, the ones I know get the Big Idea.
Unfortunately, I believe we’re dealing with a situation where money is the first priority. Many docs do not have their heart in it, or lose it over the years chasing the “doctor” lifestyle. It’s very common.
I might ad: upper cervical vs. full spine or whatever else isn’t really the issue either. I have loads of respect for many colleagues who do phenomenal for their patients with other approaches full spine as well as upper cervical. These doctors care and do their best. When a doctor’s heart isn’t into what they do, that is when problems typically occur.
As far as schools go…I say for every defaulted loan the feds should go back and collect the money from the schools. We would have a much more sincere interest in our well being from the colleges. Fund raising from Alumni would take on a whole new meaning. LOL
Unfortunately very few chiropractors follow B.J. He figured it out and all you have to do is follow him. Read his books and do exactly what he did and you can make it. As far as mixers go, I would like to be in a different profession from them. I don’t do what they do, I work with a different principle. The principle of chiropractic is that a subluxation interferes with the flow of mental impulses from the brain to the body and from the body back to the brain. An adjustment arouses the body’s Innate to make the Innate adjustment and then heal the body. If a chiropractor manipulates the spine to increase range of motion, or reduce inflammation or stretch a muscle or treat pain or increase circulation to the disc, he or she is working with another principle and is not chiropractic. It’s time that the real chiropractors who work with the chiropractic priciple stand up and differentiate ourselves from the D.C.s who are practicing under a differnt priciple.
I agree, and well said Richard. Medical docs are like fire fighters putting fires out, and we as Chiropractors are construction builders since we rebuild your body. I have a subluxation based practice, and teach subluxation. Function relates to 90% of the nervous system.
Also, I have an original oil painting from 1942 of BJ Palmer in my office
Marco, D.C.