The Day Has Come

Today we were talking about the definition and principles of chiropractic in my chiropractic philosophy class and my professor proposed the idea that the some of the early ideas of D.D. Palmer (the founder of chiropractic) defining what chiropractic is, no longer hold up because of all the research that has been conducted. We were going through the reasons and I was following what he said and found it to be completely valid. (those reasons and discrepancies are beyond the scope of this discussion)

His answer to these out-of-date concepts was basically that chiropractic is not only about a subluxation causing a 'pinched nerve' but that more often than not a subluxation actually causes an irritation of a nerve that increases the nerve's excitement - which is a perfect explanation for why a muscle around the affected area becomes hypertoned, warm and sometimes even sweaty!...so, this is all well and good.

HOWEVER - many chiropractors today still describe what we do as correcting a 'pinched nerve' (to simplify it in order for the patient to understand - maybe more so because this is what is mainstream and it's hard to counteract that) - this is actually what most chiropractors are TAUGHT in school, Logan is one of the only schools that teaches contrary to that and discusses the idea that more subluxations cause never irritation and therefore excitement of the nerve - and so my professor even agreed that he understood why chiropractors did this and thought it was okay to tell this little white lie because sometimes it was just easier and when medical doctors and the general public have that idea anyway...then you might as well just go with it.

WHAT?!?!?!?

I was flabbergasted! - so I asked him - "It has been my experience that one of the greatest challenges of chiropractic is that it cannot be conclusively defined as to what it is that we 'do'. From one chiropractor to the next you may get a different definition. So, how do you, as a professor of what you are are - Chiropractic Principles - justify your acceptance of this 'lie' as it is this 'lie' that is perpetuating the misunderstanding that the general public has about chiropractic. Shouldn't we be taking a stand as a profession to go against this and break down the misunderstanding?"
His response: "I accept it and understand it because it is what medical doctors are telling people and what a lot of chiropractors are being taught. It's kind of hard to deny that. But I would like to see more chiropractors take on this view and really teach it to the public - that is my goal in this class."

I'm still upset though - it's like he's expecting someone to stand up....BUT...until that happens, whenever that happens...it's okay to just keep lying to people because it will make them happy for a little while and at least they will walk away 'thinking' they understand what is going on - even thought they are not getting the full picture.

I think this is going to do more harm than it will good for the profession in the long run, though! So - when we DO eventually get around to telling people the 'truth' and really educating them about what we 'do'...how are we going to be understood or listened to with any real confidence or appreciation?

Aren't we, by letting the medical profession and general ignorance run what we 'are', only diminishing the importance of what it is that we do?
Don't we want people to know? Be enlightened and UNDERSTAND completely what it is that a chiropractor is doing when he/she corrects a subluxation?

Unfortunately my question came at the end of the class and the professor was in a hurry to answer me and let everyone go - but you had better believe that it will not be the last time we have this discussion...i am getting to the bottom of this!

Afterall - it is exactly what my goal is for this profession - EDUCATE THE WORLD ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC!

Amen.