The Evolution Has Begun

Have you ever gotten out of bed in the morning after a sleepless night with extra pep in your step? I know, this sounds absurd, but it describes me today. It might sound overly dramatic to say that today is the first day of the rest of my professional career, but it is what I believe. Let me explain:

I feel privileged to have helped so many people recover from their aches and pains in the first five years of my practice. I've helped acute and chronic back and neck pain sufferers, those with rotator cuff strains/tears and other sorts of sprains and strains throughout the body. I hope and plan to continue to offer my current and future patients the same level of commitment to injury recovery.

However, I think, and have come to know, that I can do more. Perhaps I have not been communicating the right message to my family, friends, and patients. Evidently I have been sending the message that pain relief is what Dr. me is all about. This is part of what I am about, but the evolved message resonates with me much louder: Dr. me will help you attain a higher level of wellness. In doing so, old, current, and future injuries will be helped and prevented. A wise friend and colleague helped me learn that, as a chiropractor, I can do so much more to help my patients by putting more emphasis on spinal health. Read on to learn why.

A question I am often asked by new patients is: "What is the difference between a chiropractor and a physiotherapist?" My answer often depends on the patient who has asked the question, but it usually sounds something like: "Well, there is not much of a difference. We both will treat your current injury with manual medicine, modalities, and exercise to ensure you get relief and correction of your injury." I will go on to explain that chiropractors are trained as spine specialists and therefore have the extra skill set of manipulating the spine for quicker and more sustainable relief of spine related injuries - which there are many. This answer sounds more and more incorrect to me with every passing moment of my life. Let me rephrase my answer with the correct emphasis on what chiropractors really specialize in:

Chiropractic works because you are a self-healing, self-regulating organism controlled by your nervous system. Millions of instructions flow from your brain, down the spinal cord, and out to every organ and tissue. Signals sent back to the brain confirm if your body is working right. Improper motion or position of the moving bones of the spine called a "subluxation" can interfere with this vital exchange by irritating nerves and compromising the function of affected organs and tissues. Specific spinal adjustments can help improve mind/body communications. Health often returns with improved nervous system control of the body.

And where do these "subluxations" come from? Generally speaking, they come from the physical, chemical, and emotional stress of our day-to-day lives. More specifically, these subluxations comes from poor posture, repetitive strain on the core of the body, chemical stress in the form of pollution, junk food, smoke, drugs, and emotional stresses of family, job, money, etc., etc.

What does this revitalized commitment to chiropractic mean for me and my patients? It means that I am even more committed to the health and well being of my patients. I will continue to welcome patients with all sorts of aches, pains, and health concerns. I will continue to provide injury relief, exercise instruction, and orthopedic support. But, my commitment will not end there. When willing, I hope to engage my patients in a lifelong journey of spinal health for the ultimate purpose of increased energy, efficiency, and self-healing. This is what true wellness is all about. It is not merely the absence of disease. It is the pursuit of optimal living.