The #1 Criticisism Of Chiropractic

I’ve been a chiropractor since 1986 and the #1 complaint I’ve heard from the general public (not patients) is that the problem with chiropractic is that you have to keep on going to the chiropractor over and over again. This observation reminds me of a remark made by a Spinal Mechanics teacher in my first year of chiropractic school. He said that the hardest thing we’ll ever face is to have our treatments (adjustments) “hold.” As you know, chiropractors identify small misalignments in the spine and adjust them into positions promoting normal spinal motion, muscle balance and proper nerve flow.

My observation is that the vast majority of chiropractors use a technique that’s over 50 years old. When I was in school it was called Diversified. If you’ve been to a chiropractor you probably recognize it. As a patient, your treatment starts out with you lying face down. The chiropractor pushes forward on your back, and then you roll, first on one side, then the other and as the chiropractor adjusts your low back. Then you lay on your back and the chiropractor adjusts your neck in a (painless) twisting motion. During the process you may hear popping which is completely normal.

Regardless of how this sounds, with a good practitioner this is an extremely safe procedure and quite effective for many people. However, we haven’t used Diversified since 2005. In the last several years I’ve utilized methods and technology that offer new approaches to treat chronic problems. The newer methods view the spine as a series of inter-related parts that each need to function properly in order for the entire skeleton to function correctly. Nowadays, we literally treat people from head to toe.

The good news is that we’re able to get faster results that last much longer than the older treatments that I used to use. For example, it used to take about a year of active therapy and periodic maintenance type treatments to get the results we’re now able to get in roughly 4 months. I can't say that these new methods are necessarily superior but they work much better for me and my patients.

Better Body Solutions Health Tips: How to Pick a Chiropractor

1. Choose to work with a practitioner who loves what he/she does

2. Find someone who stays current on the newest methodologies

3. Find out how long a treatment program typically takes and how the doctor will objectively measure your progress

4. Ask before you start if follow-up visits are necessary after the initial care plan