The desire, historically, to take people away from the dangers and harshness of medical practice, caused the profession to begin to compare itself with medicine. Chiropractors received patients who were medical failures but as medicine had less failures (you had to know that eventually they would get better at treating diseases and will continue to) our pool of prospective patients lessened. Now as a profession we have a small sliver of the health care pie (musculoskeletal conditions). Some of us think it’s time to get a new pie. That pie we call non-therapeutic, objective straight chiropractic.
I do not agree that medicine has substantially improved at treating diseases (despite expansive resources and technology), nor do I believe that the pool of “sick”people has somehow dried up for chiropractors. Instead what has happened is that we, as a profession, have failed to define ourselves, thereby allowing the public’s perception of chiropractic to be limited to the treatment of simple musculoskeletal problems. When chiropractors can accurately convey what chiropractic is, we will once again find the fields white with harvest. Until such time, we will continue to fight over medical scraps.
I think we have to differentiate between treating disease and restoring health/harmony/EASE. The improvements in surgey alone in the last century bepeaks the improvements in medical practice. Of course, people are not any healthier, just thanks to medicine they do not know they are not. (Apparently they are not told that while you feel better if your diseased gall bladder is removed, you are not healthier). That’s what the treatment of disease largely is, making one think they are healthy, and they do that very well…temporarily. Medicine counts on the response by John Maynard Keynes when asked about his economic philosophy failing in the long run. He said that that “in the long run we’ll all be dead.” Medicine tries to keep people thinking/feeling healthy until they die and most people believe that’s good enough. We need to “define ourselves” as you say, only not in the same disease treatment/cause paradgm of “healthy” that medicine does. As long as we continue to try to define ourselves in the medical model, we’ll be on the losing end. I appreciate your thoughts and input, Dr. Bell.
Darren,
If you want to fight over medical scraps, go right ahead. Good luck. I like the taste of the new pie Joe mentions.
I do believe that there are many chiropractors who accurately convey what chiropractic is and that patient education is a big part of OSC’s offices, but until the chiropractor consistantly and congruently LIVES & PRACTICES the chiropratic philosophy,people can see through it.
I also believe that people will follow a leader that has something worth following. Until we radiate the “bigness of the chiropractic difference”, people will still see it as a musculo-skeletal fix.
Chiropractic education for the person is very important, but we are in the business of changing lives and that is a bigger job. I think that is one of the reasons that people are not breaking our doors down to get in. Lots of people are not ready to change their life. But if we can show them – with our life – then maybe we will have more followers.
“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking
is our preaching.” – Francis of Assisi
Terri, I agree with you! I was just writing a response that sounded something like your response and I threw it out after reading what you wrote. Some of us do clearly define what it is we do. I will add that people who decide to go to a chiropractor should interview the chiropractor (instead of the other way around). They should ask the DC why they get their spine checked and how often. The answer they receive will likely have the greatest impact on how they choose to use chiropractic. I have never hesitated to tell people I get my spine checked at least weekly and check my wife and kids every week too. And I tell them why I do it. It’s up to them, from that point onward. As Joe said in other posts, it boils down to how we think. How we think can have the best influence on others – thus, your “leader” comment comes into play here.
Terri, could you give us some practical examples of how a chiropractor”congruently LIVES and PRACTICIES the chiropractic philosophy, how we “radiate the ‘bigness of the chiropractic difference’…” . Thanks.
Joe, in answer to your question (I just now turned on the computer-I just did a career session for Sherman today & got in the office late).
I find myself drawn and listening to people who do not try to sound convincing all the time or “preachy.” I found that I would get very dominant in a conversation that revolved around health & that my chiropractic knowledge would come out in a “pushy-you need to do this” kind of way. Now instead of being so intent on verbally giving them chiro philosophy 101 – I AM JUST MORE CONFIDENT THAT THE “BIG IDEA” IS THE TRUTH and my attitude is one of more understanding of where they are coming from, and realizing that
they need to be listened to and loved for what they know up to this point. Because I can be confident in the bigness of the chiropractic difference and KNOW THAT I KNOW, I do not have to be desparate in relating it to them. Because I was lucky enough to be given the chiropractic philosophy in 1st quarter and throughout my chiropractic education, I am grounded in something that does not change.
Supplements, weight loss methods, exercise equipment, pain relief drugs all change with time. I can see the role these things have in a person’s quest for a better life and I am happy when they choose these things to help them BUT since I know the importance of the solid foundation of having a good nerve supply to the body why would I not want to share that with as many people as possible??
By having this great blog, Dr. Strauss, and being able to discuss chiropractic can only make me more confident and that comes out in my living – not just my saying. By being reinforced in the philosophy, I find I can really care more about people since I know it is something that is good universally for all living creatures. That makes me feel good and people notice that more than giving them facts.
Right on Terri! You are right when you say : “I am grounded in something that does not change”. I maintain that the WHAT of chiropractic will never change. Not mixed, not straight, not objective, not pure, not non therapeutic…it simply cannot….
what chiropractic is, is WHAT chiropractic is and always will be. It’s always going to be ABOVE-DOWN-INSIDE-OUT no matter what evolutionary processes the educated mind and the world go through.
It’s the WHO that changes or not. We’re talking about people including chiropractors. Yes, you are blessed to have “gotten” the ADIO view point at Sherman…. Many were CALLED in those days and were trained the way you were. Few answered the call. Your truth continues to be expressed through YOU as you stated: …”and throughout my chiropractic education”… truth being that we MUST have what I call a “beginner’s mind”, to be an eternal student of ADIO and to live it as expression of ourselves. And yes, to sit and listen to those people who are marginalized and excluded from our view point, is to be INCLUSIVE of all… since everyone deserve chiropractic care.
Chiropractic is dead…Long live Chiropractic Onward and Upward
Dr Sid Williams said ” when subluxation is as much a household word as cavity, we will enjoy the same business as the dentist” Truly not every one goes to the dentist regularly but almost ever one knows what a cavity is and where to go to deal with it. Dad used to say “people will spend thousands of dollars to straighten their teeth, but I’ve never heard of anyone dieing of crooked teeth” The dental industry has done an amazing job educating the public, now it’s our turn.
As to the comments above,(Teri and Bob) your right. Leading by example is always best, would you go to a dentist with nasty teeth?