Discussion: Chiropractic as a Health Care Profession

Position: If the vertebral subluxation is an anatomical and physiological abnormality and anatomical and physiological abnormalities are the domain of a health care profession then chiropractic is a health care profession.
Response: What makes chiropractic unique and arguably places it outside the so-called health care professions is the fact that a metaphysical aberration,in the form of an interference with the transmission of metaphysical, mental impulses (the 4th criteria of Palmer’s definition of vertebral subluxation) is part of the profession’s objective. That is not only not part of “health care’s” professional objective, for the most part they ridicule that objective. Focusing on the anatomical and physiological aspects and ignoring the metaphysical aspect destroys the uniqueness of chiropractic. There is nothing wrong with chiropractic being part of the health care professions as long as those other professions are willing to agree that just addressing the physical for the purpose of changing the physical and doing that to meet the desires of a profession’s objective solely in the physical realm is not all there is to health care. Your thoughts?

14 thoughts on “Discussion: Chiropractic as a Health Care Profession”

  1. Hey Joe,
    In my view, we have a large circle with a small circle inside it. Everything in the large circle is Universal Intelligence. The small circle within contains the aspects of UI concerning life, Innate Intelligence. With Chiropractic we have a large circle. The small circle within the large Chiropractic circle is healthcare. If you would like to extend the analogy, all Chiropractors are a large circle, the small circle inside this one is OSCors. How large or small the circles are depends upon your point of view.

    Reply
      • Joseph,

        The professional objective of the health care professions is the treatment and cure of diseases. –

        – The professional objective of chiropractic is the LACVS for a full expression of the innate FORCES of the innate intelligence of the living body. PERIOD!

        – WHAT is the question?

        Reply
        • Can we observe, TOGETHER WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, that in the 1920’s, chiropractors were fighting for the right to exist as a profession? Chiropractors were regularly accused of practicing medicine and were jailed for it. Chiropractors went to court and took the position that chiropractic was not medicine, that it was separate and distinct and that it provided a service that medicine did not. Therefore, chiropractors were recognized for separate licensure by the courts of the United States and were protected by the law like medical doctors.

          After BJ’s death, the objectives of many chiropractors became less distinct and look much like the practice of medicine. Can we observe, TOGETHER WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, that the chiropractic profession was granted the right to licensure, SPECIFICALLY… because it took the position of being separate and distinct from the practice of medicine? Now the profession of chiropractic turns around and says: “We are an alternative care to the medical profession. We do the same thing they do without drugs and surgery to accomplish the medical objective.”

          WHO do you choose to be in relationship with those facts?

          Reply
          • Can we observe TOGETHER WITHOUT JUDGMENT that the legalization of chiropractic opened the door to a myriad of people WHO wished to become “doctors” without understanding WHAT chiropractic was at the first place, only that those WHO practice chiropractic were legislated under the title “Doctor of Chiropractic”? Look at the elected representatives of our profession WHO are lobbying on Capitol Hill… Can you see the conflicts that exist? WHAT does being accepted under the law really means? Can we, TOGETHER, look at the real problem?

            – WHAT is required for a radical transformation to take place?

  2. Hey Claude,
    If a term is no longer descriptive or has been bastardized it should be forsaken. One way to extricate ourselves from “healthcare” would be to abandon the title Dr.. I however, don’t know that my ego would allow it. Part of me says we are more “doctors” than they are, but they just got there first. I would be very happy to be called Chiropractor Jones, at least for the time being. That moniker too may be tarnished beyond repair soon. So where does that leave us?

    Reply
    • Let us look, TOGETHER WITHOUT JUDGMENT, at what is ACTUALLY in place within the profession. Look at the requirements of the colleges and universities. Look at the parts of the National Board. Look at CCE requirements. Look at the State’s requirements. Look at the National and States Associations. Look at our leaders. –

      – Can we,TOGETHER WITHOUT JUDGMENT, observe WHAT is ACTUALLY going on? Titles… Words… Regulations… Laws… Statutes… Requirements… More titles… More words… More regulations… More laws… More statutes… More requirements… –

      – Here is the question: WHO is REALLY being served by all these things? –

      Reply
  3. Claude: what exactly do U mean to observe w/o judgement? My observation is the Chiropractic profession diagnoses and treats symptoms and diseases, does nutritional counseling, weight loss programs, cellulite treatments, permanent make-up, manipulation of the spine, extremities, and joints, manipulation under anesthesia, acupuncture, electric stim face-lifts…….No judgement here!

    Reply
    • Richie,

      To observe without judgement means to simply observe WHAT IS going on outside of yourself and WHAT IS going on inside of yourself. Together, we are observing WHAT is going on with the Chiropractic profession. As we point out what’s going on about the chiropractic profession, let us see if we can identify the CAUSE of what is going on. And a good way to start, is to observe, WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, what is going on inside ourselves as a result of our observation. –

      – WHAT is required for a radical transformation to take place within the Chiropractic profession?

      Reply
      • Claude, do you think that any observation demands some sort of judgement, in the sense of discernment? Do you see a difference between judgement/discernment (Richie’s point) and condemnation, in this case mixing, which I believe was your point and something only NTOSC appears to be willing to avoid, that is judge what is chiropractic and what is not(discernment) without condemnation (of the therapeutic approach)? I think we can and should judge for ourselves as you so succinctly put it,” WHO” we are without condemning those who “CHOOSE” to be somethig else. Isn’t that what this blog is all about?

        Reply
        • Joseph and Richie,

          Thanks to you both for clarifying. Yes, I see the distinction between judgement and condemnation. Thank you for pointing that out. The word condemnation express with clarity what I wanted to convey. –

          – Can YOU see WHAT is required for a radical transformation within the chiropractic profession?

          Reply
          • Hey Claude,
            I see philosophy as the Innate Intelligence of the profession, therefore a strong infusion of philosophy might help. What type of adjustment do you think the profession requires?

  4. Steve,

    A king had a major problem in his kingdom. You see, the king’s kingdom had a lot of thieves and this was creating a lack of order. So the king went to Confucius for advice. Confucius said to the king: “If you sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal”. –

    – This advice carries with it a huge responsibility on those WHO are enjoying the profits of the rules and creates a notion that we, TOGETHER WITHOUT CONDEMNATION, should observe the problems of the Chiropractic profession as inside ourselves and not outside. –

    – Our world viewpoint is ADIO. The transformation happen inside myself, not outside myself. –

    – As Joseph mentioned before, it is the person reading this blog WHO is free to choose WHO it is she wants to BE in relationship to the objective of chiropractic and the 33 principles that are the foundation of the philosophy.

    Reply

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