Two Types of Chiropractors: Symptom Relief vs. Traditional Chiropractor

Not all chiropractors are alike. Although  they go by the same name, chiropractors  today differ greatly in technique and  philosophy. The traditional philosophy that  chiropractic was based on has never  changed, but for social acceptance, some  chiropractors have. As a result, when patients go to different  chiropractors they get different opinions,  treatments and results, not to mention  costs. This can be both confusing and  frustrating to the patient. If expectations aren’t met, patients stop  chiropractic care, and never get to  experience the great results chiropractic  care can give them.

There are basically two types of  chiropractors Limited Scope chiropractors who work on symptoms and  relief and the Full Spectrum (Traditional)  chiropractors who work on subluxation  and structural correction. Let’s look at the two types of chiropractors so you can choose the one  that best suits your needs.

THE SYMPTOM RELIEF  CHIROPRACTOR

Like the typical Physician, this type of  chiropractor primarily focuses on relief of  symptoms (for example, back pain neck  pain, and headaches). Manipulations are  done to the spine to decompress the  joints, free fixations and reduce pain. In  addition, electro therapies such as  diathermy, electro stimulation, tens units  and laser acupuncture are often used. In  the United States, these chiropractors are  even trying to expand their scope of  practice to prescribe drugs. Length of treatment and frequency of  adjustments are usually dictated by the  patient’s symptoms, or insurance  coverage. 

Monitoring patient’s progress by  symptoms and insurance coverage  usually means shorter overall treatment  time, but still leaves the patient far short  of correcting the cause of their problem. 

The patient may feel better temporarily,  but since the spine remains structurally  misaligned, it degenerates silently and  results in damage and malfunction at  whatever part of the body the nerve  supplies. 

Robert C. Atkins, M.D. Health  Revolution, states “Orthodox  medicine tends to treat the  symptom, and once it has made  the symptom go away, it tells the  patient that his or her condition is  cured or at least controlled.  Actually in most cases, the  disease hasn't been treated at all.  Its symptoms have been masked  or obliterated, but in due time the  disease may well assert itself in  another direction.”

Many experts see little value and even  harm in simply treating symptoms. The bottoms line is that treating only  symptoms still leaves the cause  uncorrected. 

THE TRADITIONAL CHIROPRACTOR 

This type of chiropractor practices the  traditional philosophy of chiropractic  which is subluxation and structural  correction of the spine. A vertebral  subluxation interferes with nerve  impulses. A nerve impulse is the  electrical message from the brain that  

regulates all functions of the body and  keeps us alive. 

Although the traditional or Full Spectrum  chiropractor wants their patients to feel  better, their primary focus is removing the  nerve interference (subluxation) and  restructuring the spine to it’s most stable  biomechanical position. This is done through a program of  specific adjustments and exercise to be  used to stabilize and strengthen. The length of correction and frequency of  adjustments is determined by the severity  of the patient’s subluxations, structural  alignment, X-ray information, SEMG and Thermography results, etc., not  symptoms! 

Symptoms may be gone long before the  spine is at its maximum correction so  adjustment schedules may be kept  intense to allow structural correction in  the shortest amount of time. The patient is then closely monitored by  postural patterns, X-rays and spinal  electro myograms until the subluxations  pattern are corrected and the spine is in  its proper alignment and function. 

Dr. Arpad DeNagy of the  Rockefeller Institute, states,  “Interference to the nervous  system results in permanent  damage in a short period of  time and therefore, chiropractic  care should begin at birth on a  preventative basis.”

By reviewing these before and after  studies with the doctor the patient  actually sees the results.  

Since subluxations are silent, and  research shows they can begin at birth  resulting in dysfunction and dis-ease, the  traditional chiropractor recommends  families to be checked, especially  children. 

Because of this, the traditional  chiropractor will work out fair and  equitable payment plans so families can  afford care, regardless of insurance  coverage. So remember, when choosing a chiropractor, choose based on your  health goals - either temporary relief or  maximum correction and Wellness! 

The choice is yours!!!