Two types of Chiropractors in Denver
Not all Chiropractors are alike. Although they go by the same name, Chiropractors today differ greatly in technique and philosophy. Today, there are two types of chiropractors in Denver.
The traditional philosophy that Chiropractic was based on has never changed, but for social acceptance, on a cultural level 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. The musculoskeletal Chiropractors who focus on symptom relief and the traditional wellness Chiropractors who work on subluxations and structural correction. Lets look at the two types of Chiropractors so you can choose one.
The Symptom Relief Chiropractors
Like the typical M.D. this type of Chiropractor primarily focuses on relief of symptoms (back pain and headaches). Manipulations are done to the spine to decompress the joints, free fixations and reduce pain. In addition, electrotherapies such as ultrasound, diathermy, e+lectrostimulation, tens units and laser acupuncture, are often used. In some states 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. Degrading treatment schedules like 3 to 2 to 1 per week are often used because this is all insurance will pay for. 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 the symptom. The patient may feel better temporarily, but since the spine remains structurally misaligned, it degenerates silently and results in damage and dysfunction to discs, joints, and to the part of the body the nerve supplies.
Also, this “multi-therapy symptom relief” approach results in high insurance billing from the doctor and forces the insurance companies into cost containment procedures, escalating insurance premiums and limited care programs like HMO‘s and PPO‘s.
Currently many medical experts see little value and even harm in simply treating symptoms.
Robert Becker, M.D., research expert on the effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body commented on electrotherapy in his book Cross Currents. “It should be apparent that electrical currents administered to the body have purely physical side effects of an undesirable nature. Most people who employ or promote electrical currents are either unaware of these effects or choose to ignore them.”
Robert C.Atkins, M.D., Health Revolution “Orthodox medical tends to treat the symptom, and once it has this 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.”
The bottom line is treating only symptoms still leaves that cause uncorrected.
The Traditional / Wellness Chiropractor
This type of Chiropractor practices the traditional wellness philosophy of Chiropractic which is subluaxtions and structural correction of the spine. Modern technology has treatment faster and more effective than it was even 10 years ago. That‘s why we have the most up-to date techniques and methods available. Simply put, a subluxation is a misaligned vertebrae which interferes with nerve impulses. Nerve impulse is the electrical impulse from the brain that regulates all function of the body and keeps us alive.
Although the traditional / wellness Chiropractor wants his patients to “feel better.” His primary focus is removing the nerve interference (subluxation) and restructuring the spine and posture to it‘s most stable biomechanical position. By maximizing the integrity of the discs, joints and nerves through spinal adjustments and postural correction, the body‘s wellness i.e. health potential and ability to function improves. This is done through a rehabilitation program of adjustment and spinal exercises.
The length of correction and frequency of adjustment is determined by the severity of the patient‘s subluxations and structural alignment.
Symptoms may be gone long before the spine is at its maximum corrected position, so adjustment schedules are kept intense to allow structural correction in the shortest amount of time.
“Posture affects and moderates every physiological function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture. The corollary of these observations is that many symptoms, including pain, may be moderate or eliminated by improved posture”
-AJPM, Vol.1 No.1 Jan 1994 Posture and Respiratory Modulation of Autonomic Function, Pain and Health. J. Lennon, BM, MM, C, Norman Shealy, MD., Roger K. Cady, M.D.
The patient is then closely monitored by postural patterns, x-rays and spine reading until the subluxations are corrected and the spine is in proper alignment.
By reviewing these before and after studies with the doctor, the patient will automatically see the results. You will see your results (in black and white) on follow-up x-rays rather than just monitoring you by your surface symptoms and know your spine is in it‘s normal position.
Since subluxations are silent and research shows they begin at birth resulting in dysfunction and dis-ease, the traditional Chiropractor recommends families to be checked, especially children.
Because of this, the traditional / wellness Chiropractor will work out fair equitable payment plans so families can afford care, regardless of insurance coverage.
Karl Lewitt, M.D., Dsc, a Czech neurologist prominent in manual medicine in Europe argues: “In principle, everyone should have preventative care to locate and treat ‘joint or segmental movement restrictions‘ (subluxations) because we are convinced that they are a potential source of trouble and because they can be quickly and safely diagnosed as well as treated by manipulation.”
So remember, when choosing a Chiropractor, choose based on your health care philosophy and goals. If your philosophy is to only treat symptoms and conditions when they arise and not worry about the cause, choose the symptom relief Chiropractor.
On the other hand, if your health philosophy is wellness, which means maintaining optimum health potential to prevent dysfunction and disease, choose the traditional / wellness Chiropractor for maximum correction and maintenance of your spine and health.
The choice is yours.
Call our Chiropractic clinic for a Free Consultation to see if our clinic is right for you.