Here’s a question we get asked more and more often, and it seems to be getting more difficult to answer. Yesterday the questioner asked how to choose a good chiropractor. Usually it’s for a family member or friend living far from here. When I’m trying to help with a referral, I usually consult directories to check on the credentials of the doctor, then I will generally call their office and find out what methods and procedures are being used before referring someone. In this case, however, the person wanted to know how to find someone on their own. Probably the best way to answer is to go back to the basics.
The chiropractic profession was founded in 1895 after Dr. D.D. Palmer discovered the answer for a man who had been deaf for seventeen years. Many doctors had treated Harvey Lillard’s ears over the years, but nothing they did helped him. It turns out that Mr. Lillard had a neck vertebra out of position insulting his spinal cord.
Dr. D.D. Palmer
When Dr. Palmer identified the problem with Harvey’s vertebra he reasoned that correcting the misaligned vertebra might take the pressure off of his nerve system. They decided to try something to realign the spinal bone, and that effort became the first chiropractic adjustment in history. The man quickly regained his hearing and the chiropractic profession grew rapidly as other people received spinal adjustments improving their lives in many different ways.
The scientific term for when a misaligned vertebra is insulting the nerve system is “vertebral subluxation.” Since that humble experiment chiropractic has grown by correcting vertebral subluxations on millions of people.
The key point is that if you want to find a good chiropractor, you need to find one who is competent to precisely analyze and adjust vertebral subluxations.
If you go to the website of a chiropractic office, look for evidence that the practice is centered on finding and correcting vertebral subluxations.
Upper neck subluxation
Many practices focus on less relevant services like decompression, pain treatment, physical therapy, massage, laser therapy, acupuncture, etc. While those services may or may not provide benefits, they have no relevance to chiropractic. Beyond that, it may indicate that the doctor is not centered on what matters most, finding and correcting vertebral subluxations. A precise spinal analysis requires high levels of training and care, requiring a doctor’s full attention. When looking at websites or speaking with office personnel, try to find out if the practice is centered on vertebral subluxations. If it isn’t, then my advice is to keep looking.
Also, don’t hesitate to contact me, and I’ll be glad to try to help you find a good chiropractor for the person you care about.