The Important people in our lives...

Quick! Think of the three most important people in your life! Have you got them? Good. Now look down your list of people...are you on there? OK, so that was kind of a trick question, but inevitably when I've asked people to do this, they are never on the list! So as we're coming into the holiday season and we're so busy thinking of others, take a few moments to consider yourself. Do you do enough for you? Do you give yourself and your health the same priority that you give to your spouse, significant other, parents, children, mailman??? For most of us, we spend so much time and energy on meeting the needs of others that we forget about ourselves. Now, I'm not saying ignore everyone else and become self- absorbed, but realize that if you're not taking care of yourself, you can't be giving your best to all those other important people in your life. Taking time for YOU and taking care of YOU should become a priority. Something as simple as spending 30 minutes a day doing something you enjoy (reading, exercising, baking me delicious Christmas cookies, etc.) can significantly lower your stress levels. A less stressed you means a person better equipped to deal with the tasks of daily life. So as you plow through the crowds of last minute Christmas shoppers, buying gifts for everyone on your list, feel free to add your name and pick out something special for yourself. You deserve it! Merry Christmas!

Can't we all just get along???

Think back to the time you were in a large group of unfamiliar people. Did you notice the people you gravitated towards were the ones you shared a common interest with? I know for me, when I'm in a new situation, nothing starts the conversation flowing better than finding that common ground. It can be sports, hobbies, just about anything. But as I enter my 7th year of practice, I have begun to notice that among health professionals, there is this innate distrust of one another. Almost like two dogs sniffing eachother, wagging their tails, but growling at the same time. We should be looking for the common ground (or as I like to think of it, the best interest of our patients) but time and time again, I'm amazed at the animosity that exists. So I have to wonder, can't we all just get along? Let's face it, as health professionals, our goal is to help people. We have very different approaches, but how can anything be accomplished when we're constantly criticizing each other? Wouldn't it be more productive to work together? Where's the harm in communicating with one another? I'm not saying as a chiropractor, I need to completely abandon my principles of health and start prescribing medication and recommending surgery, but I recognize that there is an appropriate time and place for medical intervention.Stating that could go a long way towards earning the trust of those patients who currently steer clear of my profession because of our sometimes overzealous  views of true health. Realistically, the majority of people in the world are not truly healthy, but it doesn't mean I can't help them. I may just need to soften the message of what I believe in. Would you seek the wisdom and expertise of someone who criticizes your choices? No. As humans, we gravitate towards those people who we share common ground with. So I shut down the lines of communication by chastising the patients whose health care decisions aren't in line with the chiropractic philosophy and pointing out the flaws in their "medical" diagnosis doesn't make me smarter or more qualified, it just causes more confusion for the patient. And medical doctors, who know very little about chiropractic, would benefit from spending some one-on-one time with one of us before making blanket statements discouraging patients from seeking chiropractic care. I dream of a world where medical doctors, orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors and physical therapists can co-exist and cross-refer peacefully because I honestly belive we all have a very important role in health care. Recognizing the positive attributes of each health profession and showing a little respect for one another and our individual areas of expertise would benefit those we want to help, the patients.

"Yikes! You're a what?!?"

As a chiropractor, I spend a lot of time talking with people about what chiropractors do. I was at an event last weekend, meeting and greeting a wide variety of people and I was amazed by a few common themes that came up when I told people I was a chiropractor. So I've decided to address these themes in an honest, and hopefully entertaining way. The most common response was a visible "Yikes!" face...you know, the scrunched up face you instinctively make when you hear something disturbing or find something unpleasant while changing the baby's diaper. This was usually followed by some story about a bad chiropractic experience, either their own personal story or a heresay story about someones aunt's best friend's daughter-in-law. It got me wondering why there was so much bad mojo associated with chiropractors. I look at myself, a fairly normal, unintimidating person, honestly trying to help people feel better, and wonder, what's going on in the world of chiropractic, that we've become deserving of the "Yikes!" face. After digging a little deeper, I found that the most disliked attribute of chiropractors is that they "make" you come and see them FOREVER! It's like we're a cult...once you're in, you're ours FOR LIFE!!! I say that jokingly, but really, that's the perception. Apparently, no chiropractor has explained that making appointments is a choice. You choose to go. Now, I know there are offices out there selling pre-paid, all or nothing contracts that you do have to sign on the dotted line before they will even CONSIDER accepting you as a patient, but me, I prefer to have my patients there willingly, because they see the value of what I do, not because I have locked them into a financially binding contract. Now, do you benefit from going to see a chiropractor on a maintenance basis? Yes, since it's no different than going to the gym...the more committed you are to the process, the more benefits you'll see. But I also know people who are perfectly happy working out once a year and calling it good. I'm happy to see my patients either way! Also, I heard stories of chiropractors making claims of impressive improvements, despite the patient not feeling any better and insisting they continue care. Now I will most likely be tarred and feathered by my colleagues for even mentioning the patient's perception of pain as an indication of improvement, but realistically speaking, are you going to trust the auto mechanic who tells you your car is definitely running smoother despite the fact that the loud, clunking noise you took it in for is still there? No. I do need to qualify my analogy with the disclaimer that the human body is NOT a mechanical machine like a car, so there is a "time" component to making actual improvements in pain and how you feel. Most of us are aware that cuts to the skin don't heal instantly and bruises don't disappear overnight, but they do improve over time, so I expect symptoms to improve over time. So at the risk of being disowned from my profession, I'm going to ask you if you're feeling better. If not and a reasonable amount of time has passed, I'm going to help you find someone who can help. I don't have all the answers, I can't solve all the problems of the world, but I can be an honest chiropractor and that's what I'm choosing to do. Wish me luck, and if you'll excuse me, the baby just woke up and it smells like time for me to go practice my "Yikes!" face.