The purpose of words is to communicate thoughts and ideas. The big idea or
one of the big ideas of objective straight chiropractic is that it is not medicine.
Chiropractic is unique. Further, as objective straight chiropractors we
endeavor to distance ourselves from the medical/therapeutic model as much
as possible. It is the belief of objective straight chiropractors that every other
approach to chiropractic is moving the profession closer to the medical model,
either knowingly or unknowingly, and ultimately to absorption and extinction. To
this end, some chiropractors cannot understand our seeming preoccupation
with specific and unique terminology. We want the public to clearly understand
that chiropractic is not a substitute or an alternative to medical care. It is a
unique service that everyone needs regardless of the presence or absence of
medical conditions. Consequently, we try to use terms that are unique to us.
Sometimes we do it because it purposely sounds non-medical. The term “non
therapeutic” fits into this category. A therapy as commonly understood is
directed toward a medical entity. The subluxation as we describe it, relating a
misaligned bone to interference with the full expression of the innate
intelligence of the body, is not recognized as a medical entity by the medical
profession or by us. Sometimes we make up unique terms because one does
not exist that adequately describes the chiropractic concept. Innate intelligence
is such a term. It is neither a scientific nor a theological concept. It has never
been exactly described (with any other term/s) the way we describe it. Some
unique objective straight chiropractic terms fit into both the above categories.
They are non-medical and also describe the difference of the chiropractic
approach. For example, we use the term adjustment rather than treatment.
Therapeutic approaches treat, chiropractic adjusts. To adjust means to “bring
into right relationship.” The chiropractor is bringing into right relationship two
adjacent bones of the spine, as well as the spine and nerve system, and from
a philosophical standpoint the intelligence and the matter of the body. Words
and their meanings change over time. The objective straight chiropractor
endeavors to look at the meaning of words as the general public perceives
them. Our intention is to make the objective and philosophy as clear to the
public as possible so that they might avail themselves of objective straight
chiropractic care for its true purpose and understand its philosophy to express
a fuller life. In making the objective and philosophy as clear as possible we
also reduce the probability that the public will have any unfulfilled expectations
from their chiropractic care. Because of these concerns and because of the
changing meanings of words from time to time, the objective straight
chiropractic community changes its terminology to more clearly present our
objective. As we evolve further and further away from the medical model, we
are and we will undoubtedly continue to add and delete terms from the
objective straight chiropractic lexicon. This requires that we learn and teach a
new vocabulary to the public and other professionals both in and out of
chiropractic. Since old habits are difficult to set aside, you may occasionally
hear an objective straight chiropractor or one becoming an objective straight
chiropractor use words that have been deleted from the objective straight
chiropractic vocabulary. Hopefully, this does not confuse or detract from the
message of objective straight chiropractic.
