Pain, Subluxation, and Chiropractic

According to a recent article on Yahoo News, individuals suffering from severe back pain or muscle pain are reportedly getting little relief from the drugs they take and are pretty much dissatisfied with the medical attention that they get.

The article focuses on a survey in which 96 percent said they suffered from some sort of severe pain, the most common of which was back pain. Survey respondents also complained of often suffering from muscle pain and headaches.

Of those surveyed, nearly 70 percent reported having visited a web site for more information regarding their condition. (Were they visiting your chiropractic web site?)

According to the survey, “Many Americans are suffering with severe pain and are frustrated with the care they are receiving from medical professionals.”

Reportedly, 53 percent of those surveyed claim to be dissatisfied with the care and support they received from health-care professionals. At least half reported dissatisfaction with the medications that they were provided to treat their conditions.

While patient dissatisfaction with drugs and medical methods of treatment is nothing new as far as news goes, some may wonder what the role of a chiropractor is in this situation.

Are chiropractors in the business of treating pain? Personally, I don’t think so. Chiropractors are in the business of correcting subluxations yet subluxations can and do cause pain. And pain, as we all have experienced, can make it more difficult for us to accomplish the task at hand. (The correction of those subluxations)

While it’s not about the headaches, it’s not about the back pain, it’s not even about the muscle aches, these things do exist. However, this does not mean that a therapeutic approach needs to be taken which is focused on treating symptoms and/or conditions.

It is crucial that folks understand our focus regarding the correction of vertebral subluxation. Yes, sometimes pain is involved, sometimes muscle aches or headaches are involved. These are part of the body’s natural processes and we need to respect those processes.

When the pain is gone the subluxation is not necessarily gone. When the muscle aches or headaches are gone, the subluxation is not necessarily gone. However, when the subluxation is gone, the body is better able to comprehend and adapt to its environment. This allows for a maximal expression of health and wellness.

That’s a correction of the cause, not a treatment of the condition. That’s without the use of drugs, and without the use of therapeutics. That’s chiropractic. And if your chiropractor is concerned with correcting your subluxations, you have gained a caring friend.

Yahoo News: Pain Sufferers Report Dissatisfaction with Care