Position Paper #3 Mixing Chiropractic

From an Objective Straight Chiropractic standpoint, there are three aspects of what has historically been called mixing chiropractic that need to be addressed. 1. The Objective Aspect. Mixing chiropractic can be defined as combining any part of the chiropractic procedure (correcting vertebral
subluxation), with any objective other than enabling the innate intelligence of the body to be more fully expressed over the nerve system. The two most common forms of mixing are religious (using theological terms and concepts or having a religious objective) and medical, the latter being by far the most common. In this form, the chiropractor may use the correction of vertebral subluxation for the express purpose of affecting a disease or its cause. This has been referred to as conservative mixing. The chiropractor may also not address the spine in any way but perform clearly medical procedures under the professional designation of chiropractic. This has been referred to as liberal mixing. It should be noted that the term Traditional Straight Chiropractic has been coined to describe those chiropractors who refer to themselves as straight chiropractors but whose approach to the practice of chiropractic clearly relates to disease in one way or another. (See Position Paper #2) 2. The Legal Aspect. In its short history, the Objective Straight Chiropractic community has held to a live-and-let-live philosophy recognizing that any approach to the practice of chiropractic should be recognized as long as it does not violate the laws of the land. A chiropractor should be free to practice
as broadly as he chooses or as narrowly as he chooses within the bounds of the law. This recognition of the right of the mixer does not impact upon the philosophy despite the fact that its practice is in conflict with the Objective Straight Chiropractic philosophy. The recognition of the right to a mixer approach is in keeping with the broader ADIO philosophy to which the Objective Straight Chiropractor subscribes acknowledging individual rights and freedom. The ultimate desire of the Objective Straight Chiropractor would be to have a clear legal and descriptive separation between straight and mixing chiropractic with the Traditional Straight Chiropractor choosing to which approach he would subscribe. 3. The Philosophical spect. Mixing chiropractic has a different objective than straight chiropractic. It may be just as legal as straight chiropractic, but it has opposite philosophical intentions. The intention of medicine (and hence, mixing chiropractic) is to change the physiology/function of the body from what the doctor has determined is abnormal to what he determines is normal. His ultimate goal is to create a change in the matter. The intention of straight chiropractic is to enable the innate intelligence of the body to restore the innate forces within the body to normal. He does this by introducing a universal force which the innate intelligence will utilize (thereby making it an innate force) to correct a vertebral subluxation. The medical objective is to change the matter. It is the end unto itself. The Objective Straight Chiropractor may use changes in the matter as
an indication that the innate intelligence is trying to correct a vertebral subluxation or failing to correct a vertebral subluxation or that the innate intelligence has succeeded in making a correction. However, the matter changes that the Objective Straight Chiropractor utilizes are ordinarily not associated with disease or medical conditions or their alleviation. That is why symptoms are not an indicator to objective straight chiropractors nor are medical diagnostic or orthopedic tests. The Objective Straight Chiropractor may utilize skin temperature patterns or changes, so-called working muscles, short legs, and/or other non-medical evaluations. These material changes are only used for evaluation purposes and in no way are part of the correction process. The Objective Straight Chiropractor only introduces forces knowing that a subluxation is indicative of a lack of innate forces. He does not endeavor to determine what the condition of the matter should be. The medical approach assumes what the state of the matter should be and endeavors to have the body reach that predetermined state by whatever physical means he determines to be most effective.