Mar 20 2014
Dare to Compare
Chiropractic has always seen things differently than the medical profession. I will never try to convince or argue with anyone that chiropractic is better, never. Rather I will simply explain the chiropractic viewpoint vs the medical viewpoint and let you decide. In any situation it is a mistake to pass judgment on a situation without all the information. All too often people will have a general opinion on something without basing it on anything. I think that happens with chiropractic. The survey to the left of 1009 US adults in 2006 by Gallup supports this idea.
Why are we rated so low? There may be several reasons, but in my mind it is likely due to the unknown. Chiropractors are interested in keeping their patients healthy and preventing illness. This is typically not what medical doctors focus on. They will manage illness and disease. Since it is uncommon to find a doctor of any discipline promoting wellness, the public finds this as odd or suspicious.
Thus the lack of trust. Remember it is far easier to STAY healthy than to battle disease. Below I have included a table which shows the major differences between medical doctors and chiropractors. Something to think about and consider. If you have more questions about this topic and how chiropractic care can help keep you healthy, talk to Dr. Lance Casazza.
Health Topic | Chiropractic | Western Medicine |
Base Strategy | Proactive: stay healthy. | Reactive: symptom, pain based. |
Care Strategy | Whole body approach. | Focal illness approach. |
Philosophy | Body is self-healing with innate intelligence. | Body is machine, needs help to be fixed. |
Flu Vaccine | No. Build natural healthy immunity to fight flu bug. | Yes. Use vaccine to build anti-bodies to fight flu bug. |
Pharmaceuticals | No. Find natural ways to get healthy and stay healthy. Against toxins in the body. | Yes. Use chemistry to aid body function. Systems are weakened need assistance. |
Drug Side Effects | Concerned, find alternative. | Minimizes. Feel reward over rides risk of side effects. |
Surgery | No. Explore chiropractic option first. | Yes. Often seen as best option. |
May 28 2014
No Pain? Then why go to a Chiropractor?
A common question I get from patients is why should I go to a chiropractor when I have no pain or symptoms? Or in other words why should I get adjusted all the time? So the question really is what are the benefits of chiropractic care BESIDES pain relief.
If we are talking about an injury, the false assumption is that the injury is healed once the pain is gone. That doesn’t make any sense. Think about a broken bone. A fracture hurts like crazy for a few days and then it gets placed in a cast and it doesn’t hurt, but it still takes several weeks to heal. That is also true for soft tissue/joint injuries. Consider a sprained ankle. Hurts like crazy and then it may never heal properly, but again it doesn’t hurt. DC’s are “rehabing” injuries to restore proper function versus just pain relief.
Chiropractors want to maintain and maximize your health, NOT wait until you are SO sick, ill or injured that it becomes difficult, if not impossible to regain your health. Just think of working out, dental care or car tune-ups, we all know we shouldn’t wait until we’re 20lbs overweight, until our teeth fall out or until our engine seizes. The answer to health is to be proactive, not reactive. Chiropractic works the same way.
So how can I tell if I am getting any benefit if I don’t have any pain?
Fair enough. So let’s take a look at what kind of changes most patients experience or can expect with CONSISTENT & REGULAR chiropractic care. Results will vary based on the starting point of an individual’s health. With that said here are some things we CAN measure.
Check these after each adjustment, weekly or monthly.
Pain level (decreased pain & reoccurrence of pain)
Range of motion of your neck, rib cage and low back. (you should notice better, pain free motion)
Posture (use your camera/phone to take a pre & post picture)
Breathing (use your camera/phone to take a pre & post video)
Blood pressure (check after each visit and long term)
Sleep patterns (length of time you sleep & more restful)
Stress level drops
Diet, exercise & weight changes (changing your awareness of health often motivates patients to make healthier choices)
Fewer colds (as your immune system functions better, you should get sick less often)
Fewer headaches
Decrease need for pharmaceutical drugs
Possibly avoid surgery
Increased energy level
Overall just feel better!
So if you are interested in all of these health benefits chiropractic care is an excellent choice.
If you have more questions about this topic and how chiropractic care can keep you healthy, talk to Dr. Lance Casazza.
By Dr. Lance Casazza • Chiropractic Treatments, Health and Wellness • Tags: Blood pressure, chiropractic, Health, Injury, Pain, Pain Management, Range of motion