LiveWell Chiropractic

Witch Doctor?

A few months ago I was sitting on a neighbor’s deck enjoying good company and good conversation. Like many conversations I’m involved in, the topic of chiropractic came up. As we were discussing a certain case that my friends were interested in, a gentlemen I’d never met joined us and started listening to our conversation. He quickly interrupted saying, “I can’t believe you are talking about those WITCH doctors.” Needless to say, I was taken back by the comment because he had no idea who I was or what I did for a living. I asked the gentlemen what he did for a living and he responded that he was an orthopedic surgeon resident. I never told him what I did, because I was never asked, and listened to his rant for about five minutes and then excused myself from the conversation.

You are probably wondering why I didn’t counter his arguments and educate him on chiropractic care. To be honest, when I found out what his career was and that he was still in school I was very saddened to hear that those beliefs are still around. If he feels this way, what do his colleges think? And worse, what will he teach his patients? I’ve always heard that it is the older generation of health care professionals that are skeptical about chiropractic, and times have changed. But I was quickly awakened to reality.

Now, I don’t want this to sound like a bashing of medical professionals, because I know there are more people and professions out there that feel this way. I guess I was surprised and frustrated because I feel that the new generation of docs should be more on the same page. Why are we still battling this stigma that has been around for over one hundred years? I believe it has to do with ego and money more than results.

EGO.
I will be the first to admit that healthcare professionals may not agree on everything that should be done for an illness, disease, or certain type of pain. But I believe we want the same result: a patient who is fully recovered without side effects. Chiropractors approach this goal with a different method than medical doctors that deals with the nervous system directly. (I have provided a link below to a video that will give a great explanation of this.) The ego causes doctors to behave as if their methods are the only way to help the patient. But the truth is that each case is unique, and there is a place for both medicine AND chiropractic.

YOU are in control of your health and you should choose the method that you feel is right. I do not think all medicine and medical practices are bad for the patient, in fact if it were not for modern medicine my mother would not have survived an aneurysm almost six years ago. However, I do think pharmaceutical drugs have been over utilized, and research supports this. According to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which collects economic statistics on its 30 member countries, the U.S. spends more money on healthcare and have the shortest lifespan than any other country in the world. The future isn’t looking any brighter, either. Autism, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and learning disabilities are among the conditions on the rise. It’s time that we as physicians change the status, start communicating with each other, and put our patients before ourselves. We each have a role, and it’s time to put aside our egos and work together. There is scientific research to support chiropractic and its effect with certain conditions of the body, and each month more and more comes out to support us.

MONEY.
This may be a touchy one, but I believe it’s a major factor in the medical field shunning the chiropractic field. The pharmaceutical industry does not benefit from people finding relief and healing through chiropractic care. There is a lot of money spent on “educating” the public how to self-medicate every discomfort, and about new ailments they didn’t even know they had. Unfortunately, not all of the education you are receiving is in your best interest. America is one of only a couple countries that allow pharmaceutical ads to be aired on television. I will let you ponder the reason for that.

There is hope, though. One example is The Biggest Loser television show. They teach exercise, nutrition, and getting off of pharmaceuticals to become healthier. As I mentioned earlier, you alone are responsible for your health and what you do or don’t do for it. Let me ask this question, “If your medicine cabinet at home is full, do you consider yourself healthy or unhealthy?”

RESULTS.
It comes down to results. Chiropractic is not a faith-based system of health care. If I drop a pencil from my hand, do you know it will drop, or do you think it will to drop? You know it is going to drop because of the law of gravity. The same applies to nerve interference. Science shows us that if you have hindrance on a nerve or in its transmission, it will affect the area of the body that nerve is in communication with. Chiropractors are board certified both nationally and by the state, are held to the same standard as medical doctors, and are accepted by most major insurance providers.

Chiropractors are not focused only on the spine. We are educated in biochemistry, gross anatomy, spinal anatomy, neuroanatomy, microbiology, neurophysiology, embryology, endocrinology, cellular physiology, immunology, organ histology, pathology, CVP physiology, renal physiology, radiology, nutrition, public health, case studies, physical examination and neuromusculosketal examination. It is our duty to understand exactly what may or may not be going on in a patient’s body, and what those symptoms may be manifesting from. For example, if a patient of mine comes in with major headaches, and ends up having a brain tumor, I would not say, “I am just a chiropractor and my responsibility is only the spine.” Chiropractic doctors use their broad knowledge to assess the total health of the body. If it is warranted, we will refer our patients to a specialist, such as a neurologist, neurosurgeon, cardiologist, optomologist, orthopedic surgeon, family doctor, or pediatrician. By working in together with medical doctors, we can help the patient receive the absolute best care for their needs.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois did a study in which they positioned the chiropractor as a primary care doctor, and the results were a 60.2% decrease in hospital visits, 59% decrease in sick days, 62% decrease in outpatient surgies and procedures, and 85% decrease in pharmaceutical cost. These results show, without a doubt, that chiropractic care is an asset to a patient’s health care needs and belongs among the respected field of healthcare professionals.
The time has come for a change in our attitude toward healthcare. Let’s stop worrying about the WITCH doctor, and worry about WHICH doctor has your health care needs at the top of their priorities.

Click here to see the video.