The concept of defining chiropractic by its objectives occasionally causes some confusion. If we define chiropractic by its objectives, straight chiropractic then consists of correcting vertebral subluxations so that the innate intelligence of the body is better able to express itself. Mixing chiropractic, on the other hand, consists of correcting subluxations and performing therapeutic procedures in an attempt to accomplish the therapeutic objective, that of treating disease and its accompanying symptoms.
The issue becomes a little sticky for many chiropractors when a question is raised, for example, concerning using modalities or massage to correct subluxations or to relax a patient in order to enable the chiropractor to adjust a subluxation. Often we are forced to sheepishly admit that if the procedure is done to correct a vertebral subluxation, then it must be straight chiropractic.
The issue, however, is one of mixing objectives. The medical, therapeutic objective is to bring about a physiological change in the body, conforming it to the practitioner’s idea of what it should be. The chiropractic objective is to introduce a force into the spine that the innate intelligence can use to normalize spinal integrity and as a result, normalize bodily function. Relaxing a muscle to facilitate an adjustment is accomplishing the medical, therapeutic objective in order to accomplish the chiropractic objective. That simply is mixing. It is not a matter of judging whether the procedure is right or wrong, dangerous or not. We do not make judgments as chiropractors that any medical procedure is right or wrong for any patient. We simply say that those procedures are not straight chiropractic.
The chiropractor is always confronted with the question of doing the wrong thing (practicing the medical objective) for the wrong reason, to make money, gain prestige, mimic medicine, etc. However, less frequently the chiropractor is faced with the temptation of doing the wrong thing (practicing the medical objective) for a humanitarian or right reason, that of giving a patient temporary relief. It remains mixing, perhaps sincere mixing, but mixing just the same and therefore wrong for the D.C.. Medicine is, after all, entitled to do some humanitarian acts. This is why the straight chiropractor tells the patient who wants or needs relief to seek it from the physician. The chiropractor is continuously faced with doing the right thing (giving a chiropractic adjustment) for the wrong reason (to relieve a symptom or treat a disease). We say that is mixing. Rarely, however, is the chiropractor faced with the issue of doing the wrong thing (practicing the medical objective) for the right reason, to better facilitate a chiropractic adjustment. It is undoubtedly the most noble of all reasons to mix, but it is mixing just the same. Every chiropractor must choose for himself whether he will mix for purposes of greed or practice straight; whether he will mix for humanitarian reasons or practice straight; and, lastly, whether he will mix for noble reason or practice straight.
As chiropractors, we must decide whether we will act on principle or act based on some other motivation. In straight chiropractic we have decided to act upon principle. If our principle is one of deduction then summing up the above is as follows:
Premise:
If it is right for a therapist to practice the therapeutic-medical objective of treating symptoms and straight chiropractors to practice the chiropractic objective, then a straight chiropractor practicing the medical objective is wrong. If you accept that premise, then, for the straight chiropractor, it follows that:
A wrong thing (treating symptoms) for the wrong reason (e.g. making money) is wrong. A right thing (chiropractic adjustment) for the wrong reason (to treat symptoms) is wrong. A wrong thing (treating symptoms) for the right reason (to facilitate an adjustment) is wrong. Only a right thing (chiropractic adjustment) for the right reason (chiropractic objective) is right. v6n3