We start with a thorough history of the complaint or problem area and ask questions about where, when and how, and what makes it better or worse. We try to gather as much information from the patient, as much as they feel that is important to know about them, their condition and where it began.
Secondly, we do an examination that is relevant and pertinent to the history information. We know that the whole spine functions together as a system of interdependent levers and fulcrums, from the top to the bottom, so we are interested in the health of the whole spine, not just the targeted painful area of the moment. We diagnose and examine the whole spine making notes about other areas of problems or disfunction and compile a comprehensive approach to improving the health of the whole spine.
Third, we take digital x-rays of the areas of involvement to see and know what the structure is doing so that we are not guessing with our treatment. We then know what we are working with and what we should expect for a long term prognosis and outcome.
Finally, we customize our approach to treating and managing a condition based on history, the examination, the x-ray, the diagnosis and what the patient wants to accomplish long term.
A long term plan is prescribed. Chronic conditions require chronic solutions. Acute or recent problems take less time to stabilize.
We embrace the Serenity Prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change:
Courage to change the things I can:
and wisdom to know the difference.
This is a fitting analogy with chiropractic care because we have to know what we can effectively change long term, change to a degree long term, and what we might have to accept as something that is chronic and needs to be reasonably managed. This is referring to genetically inherited spinal imperfections, old injuries where your body has compensated and adapted over time and we can’t make it brand new again.
We strive to have the wisdom to know the things we can change and the things we can not.
Drugs and Surgery
We support knowing what you are up against. A clear, definitive diagnosis is so key. If you do procedures, whether it’s drugs or surgery, to chase symptoms, you are going to be hit and miss. If you choose to correct the cause of the problem on a structural basis, generally you have a lot better outcome and you avoid the drugs that tend to mask problems and surgery that often doesn’t address the structural problem at all.
Chiropractic applies structural remedies which are the most conservative and least invasive form of treatment. Drugs and surgery should be last choices after structural therapy of chiropractic and physical therapy have been thoroughly explored.