t is not getting them to understand chiropractic that is the problem, its getting them to comply with your advice. Everyone knows exercise is good for them but they are not committed and do not keep it up for whatever reason.Chiropractic has the same problem. it is not difficult convincing someone that spinal joints need to move and subluxations will effect optimal function. However like with the exercise when there is no obvious reason for going, people priorities change.
Then you have the problem where there are chiropractors who use fear to get compliance to the wellness model, or use it to get a lot of money out of people. Which makes those of us who put a lot of effort into it easy targets. I am far from what is called a high volume practice, yet many put me into that catagory because they dont know what they are talking about.
Of course my ego loves to have someone crawl to the office in agony, do a lumbar roll and they run out. You also can get instances where people see chiropractic as part as their wellness plan and they get acute event of symptoms and get dramatic results.
I would present as an example my own three children who recently had whooping cough including our 4 week infant. The Doctors said little the journals stated theat there was a high probability that Eloise could die as a result. There was nothing the doctors could do to help. With the two older ones there was a number of things we could try with chiropractic but with Eloise who was being exclusively breast fed there was only chiropractic. Four weeks later the worst has passed and if we had not had the diagnosis I would have thought it was a slight cold she had had. Wellness care did not prevent the whooping cough. The question is did chiropractic care help them deal with it better, I have no doubt it did and I would advise any child with respiratory problems to try chiropractic.
One particular acute case with a child sticks in my head it happened about six years ago. I had been providing care to this premi baby for his first six months. The mother had not taken him in for a few months. We get a call, the mother was in the GPs the baby had had a bad asthma attack and the doctor wanted her to take the boy to A&E. The mother wants me to have look at him, because I had helped him so much before. I did not want to interfere, but as she would pass my practice on the way to the hospital, I said she could come in. I was in with another patient when she arrived the baby was crying and gasping for breath. I left the patient I was with and went out to the reception.
Now I was trying to be helpful and did not want to cause unnecessary delay to their journey to the hospital. The baby would not let me check him. I looked at my notes and saw the side I had adjusted on the previous visit. I remember thinking would’nt it be great if I had the type of response you hear many of these evangelical chiropractors talking about. I was not expecting much, and wanted them on their way.
I adjusted the boy, almost immediately he stopped crying and appeared to be still. I sxxt myself. The mother goes its a miracle I am trying to stay calm like I know what is going on. The mother goes look he is sleeping, I put my hand on his chest and feel the movement, relieved, I do the Fonze "HEY" as if it happened all the time.
She goes to the hospital lets the boy sleep in the car for three hours he wakes fine and they take him home. I get flowers the next day. Some would say I took advantage of a desperate mother, in fact I never charged her. My partner is always going on at me to check the girls spines because she knows chiropractic works. Helping a child is the best feeling I know. I would say to any mother with a child, have you been to a chiropractor?
