When one of the lights on the car dashboard goes on, it does not necessarily indicate an actual problem. It may be that it’s time to have your brakes checked or time to change the oil, or it may be that the light is malfunctioning. But it does mean we need to address a cause.
Hey Joe,
Love and use this example often. I tell them the light is like a symptom. I ask the patient, if you were driving to Florida and your oil light comes on, would you cover it with a band-aid and keep driving? They almost always laugh and say no. Would you reach under the dash and pluck out the little red bulb? Of course they say no. Or, would you lift the hood, check the oil and if it is low add more oil? When they say yes, I ask what happens to the light. They say it goes out . I ask why, they usually say, because it is not needed anymore. OK, I ask them to think about this, covering the light with a band-aid is like taking an aspirin for headache, doesn’t fix anything you just don’t feel it anymore. Plucking the bulb is like removing the tonsils, doesn’t fix the problem either. In Chiropractic, we lift the hood and find the problem. correct that and the light (symptom) goes out because it is not needed anymore.
In Chiropractic, we lift the hood and find the problem. correct that and the light (symptom) goes out because it is not needed anymore.
Careful with that analogy Steve, you’re dangerously close to saying the adjustment cures all ills and or symptoms. Symptoms can be a sign that something is seriously wrong and requires immediate medical attention (ie an impending heart attack, in which case you removing the symptom are just covering up the body screaming it needs help) or it just may be a sign of normal physiology.
I agree with Tom on this one. We can never know if what the body is undergoing is a normal adaptive process or something else (e.g disease). Saying that chiropractors correct the problem and the symptoms “goes out” because it isn’t needed anymore would imply that the subluxation was the cause of the symptom.
This doesn’t seem to be in line with NTOSC (maybe TSC ??)
Lastly, although symptoms MAY “go out” with the correction of subluxation, does it always? If it doesn’t, do we then go into an explanation of limitations of time and matter? I always found this a difficult position to be in.
Thankfully, NTOSC sees the the objective of the naming of a group of signs and symptoms (diagnosis) and the treatment of symptoms as the realm of medicine and not chiropractic. Chiropractic is nothing other than the LACVS for the full expression of the innate forces of the innate intelligence of the body.
This was the most difficult, part to wrap my mind around however it does clearly and irrefutably define our profession as distinct and non-duplicative.
Hey Tom and Don,
The purpose of the analogy is to separate cause and effect. Yes, as you so graciously pointed out, it does smack of traditional chiropractic and I thank you for that. I will have to include the phrase, it may or may not be related. The natural tendency for the patient (and Dr.) is to focus on symptoms and this explanation encourages wider thinking. I understand OSC is not about symptoms but by the same token, I don’t “treat” subluxations, I adjust people. One out of a hundred new patients knows what a subluxation is and we have to start somewhere. This is only the first step in disassociating symptoms/effects from what we do.
I am curious now. Is there anybody out there that does not discuss the patients symptoms on the first visit (case history, consultation, exam findings included)? Anybody except Claude that is, his patients have all been pre-schooled (3-4 orientations) and probably know better.
Steve,
I want people like Dr. Lessard’s…thought…maybe I should not discuss the patients symptoms on the first visit.
Thanks for the thought Steve!
Btw what does pre-schooled (3-4 orientations) mean?
Hey Don,
If I am not mistaken I believe I read (in this blog or in his book) Claude’s PMs must go through orientation before they become “members”. Is this correct Claude or am I mistaken?
Steve,
I refer you back to my last blog about Joe Flesia that I wrote this morning. I am not the originator of the “Pre-Care-Lecture. Reggie Gold IS the originator and Joe picked it up! –
In Philosophy 801, Reg said that: “WHEN people come to my office for the first time, I ask WHY they are here. Then they proceed to tell me and I have a pad and I write WHAT they say which is their symptoms. Then I ask if there is anything else they want to tell me. When and ONLY when they say no, I tear the paper off the pad and I throw it in the garbage can and tell them that it is USELESS to me (the look on their face is ‘ you just threw MY symptoms in the waste basket?”). Then I proceed to orient them into what I do. That’s HOW to do it. It’s the ONLY way it works! Otherwise they will lead you on with more of their symptoms. This way they will not mention it again! If they do, I take my pad, I write on it and throw it away again. Eventually they get it.” –
– It is me WHO choose to attest and confirm the FACT of its truth.
Pre-care orientation has been part of MY way for 40 years now. –
– “Let us carry on the work. ADIO”.
Claude, you forgot the second part of the Reggie story that after the person walked out on him, Reggie pulled the pieces out of the garbage and taped them back together just to protect his butt legally! 😉
I’ve heard him tell that story a few times. Takes a certain type of personality to pull that off I think! 🙂 Evidently he softened up a little in his approach later on as in spinology we were told that after we took the Safety Profile, we were to say to the recipient (pm), Ok, I understand why you are here. Let me now explain why I am here and how I feel my services can help you. As that is being said the Safety Profile is being turned face down and put to the side.
When discussing symptoms I believe we have to remember first and foremost our goal, the correction of vs to allow the ii of the body to better express itself across all levels of human performance. The only reference I will make to symptoms is that there is no relationship between a symptom and the absence or presence of a vs. They may occur together, they may occur separately in the absence or presence of the other. That’s it initially. Anything more will drag you away from your objective, and more importantly continue the confusion in the pm’s mind that chiropractic is about bad backs, stiff necks etc. etc., iow, symptoms, or the correction, alleviation etc of symptoms. I think an in depth discussion of symptoms belongs in a continuing education program. People very often make the mistake of trying to teach everything from a-z on the first visit and they wonder why the person “just didn’t get it”! The first visit is an INTRODUCTION to chiropractic. Get them to understand the basics and get them started receiving chiropractic.
Thanks Steve and Claude.
I never heard that before. I absolutely love it! Throwing away the symptoms.
Dr. Lessard, do you literally write and throw it out for them to see? Would love to hear what the range of reactions have been.
I imagine not everyone would like this but the fact that you do not treat symptoms definitely would not be forgotten by the person 🙂
I also there is alot of paper going into the trash.
Don,
It is for you to find out… if and ONLY if it is WHO you choose to be. Choose well! 😉
There never is an easy answer is there Dr. Lessard?
Well, I am willing to give it a try and find out. 😉
Tried it. I could tell from the body language that the person did not like it.
I might try the “softer” approach that Tom suggested above next time.
Turning the paper versus crumpling it up (which I did) is a major difference if you are on the other end. Works for some and not for everyone. It is all about perception I guess.
My suggestion, don’t listen to me…try it if you are on the fence and find out.