Working to Give Patients What They Want AND What They Need

Chiropractic care comes in many forms. Most people consider it a form of pain relief, something more natural than pills and less invasive than surgery. Others think of it as a way to keep things working properly, and they schedule appointments or check-ups at regular intervals to prevent problems. Both are good approaches.

Chiropractic care helps to keep the joints of the body moving properly and helps maintain proper alignment. It also helps to keep your muscles working optimally. It also optimizes the flow of information to and from your brain through the spinal cord and nerves.

As a chiropractor, I use a variety of methods to help get patients well and keep them that way. It is more than just "bone cracking." A lot more. The adjustment is the main method that I use. That is a quick push applied to a joint or joints to restore proper motion. An adjustment usually results in a popping sound, which is actually air in the joint, not a bone popping. This treatment is what most people think of when they think of chiropractic care. In addition to that, I use passive care such as muscle stimulation, traction and therapeutic ultrasound. Other treatments used include trigger point therapy, muscle massage, active and passive stretching and active exercise. At times I will use taping, bracing or orthotics to aid in care.

No two people are exactly the same and, therefore, neither are their needs when it comes to getting well. That is why there are so many different tools to use to get them where they want to be. Many people who come to my office just want to get out of pain. I will give them a much different plan than someone who comes to the office with chronic migraines. A patient with severe arthritis will need much different care than an injured teenage athlete. The key to being a good chiropractor is taking the time to find out what each person WANTS from care and then designing a plan to give them that result if at all possible. I hear a lot of people say that they don't like chiropractic because you have to keep going forever. To me, that is a clear case of the doctor not finding out what a patient wants and only trying to give them what they think a patient needs.

If you ask any chiropractor, they can tell you why it is a good idea to get regular chiropractic check-ups. However, I think that it is a mistake to assume that every patient is looking for a lifestyle change or a maintenance plan. Some docs would say that I am not being true to my profession by not recommending a maintenance plan to all of my patients. I prefer to see it as trying to give them what they want so that they will hopefully return if they need care in the future. Many people, after a few episodes of the same pain, will ask how they might prevent future episodes. That is a perfect example of someone who would benefit from a maintenance plan! Bottom line- pushing people into something they do not want or are not ready for will only drive them away. It is much better to take a minute to find out what they are looking for and try to give it to them. After all, health care is a SERVICE profession. That means we should be looking to please our customers, not change every one's way of thinking!