Chiropractic has been around since the late 19th century and its founding principles really haven’t changed much since the early part of the 20th century – in fact one might argue that chiropractic philosophy has devolved from some of the dizzy heights reached by some of the early chiropractic authors. The science of Physics was going through a quantum shift during this same era, evolving from Newtonian Physics to what is now commonly called Quantum Physics. In chiropractic we often talk about paradigm shifts and this is often in the context of everyone else needing to have one in order to catch up to our principles of health and illness.
But maybe we too need a paradigm shift? Let’s take a look at the shift that occurred in Physics as a metaphor or simile to the paradigm shift that the chiropractic profession needs to make if it is to climb up to its perceived position of superiority on the wellness ladder.
Newtonian Physics was man’s logical attempts to make the universe fit into his objective and mechanistic model of how the world works: Based on the observation that big complex things are made up of lots of little simple things that combine numerically to produce basically a big machine with small moving parts. And as this domineering science invented lots of really cool machines based on this principle, and as they discovered smaller and smaller components that appeared to follow the same principles, the belief system was self-justified.
Within this model matter was made up of particles which behaved in predictable ways, while energy was seen as a separate and distinct component of nature, and this consisted of wave forms: Substances whether organic or inorganic are composed of atoms which are themselves made from smaller particles of electrons, protons and neutrons; while energy forms like light and sound are produced by different spectrums for vibratory frequencies.
But there came a point along the Newtonian quest to find the smallest particle and to better understand more about how these particles behave where this separation started to dissolve. As Physicists studied the behaviour of electrons in different environments they found that sometimes electrons behaved like particles and sometimes they behaved like energy!
This lead to enormous friction within the scientific community and pushed supposedly intelligent men to the point of irrational argument, name calling and sledging. Till finally one man, a school dropout came up with a formula that made sense of it all: E = MC2. That man was Einstein and while the understanding and the application of this seemingly simple formula has progressed with succeeding physicists, they themselves cite this “shift” as the pivotal breakthrough.
Most people can quote the E = MC2 formula as belonging to that cute and cheeky looking silver haired king of the geeks. Many can even translate it as energy equals mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. But let’s take a closer look at what this really means? Let’s forget the constant in the formula for a moment – take out the C2 and you are left with E = M! That’s the breakthrough people – energy and matter are actually different manifestations of the same thing. In other words matter is just stored energy, and energy is matter in its higher forms of existence.
We can see this transition in its simpler forms when we do our most basic high school chemistry experiments of heating ice, which becomes water, which becomes steam – they are all still water, but at different states of their energetic existence. But E = MC2 is a much bigger picture than this.
Many modern physicists are still more comfortable referring to matter and energy as almost distinct phenomena, and take solace in the fact that it takes the speed of light squared to make the change between being in a matter state versus being in an energetic state. The speed of light is basically the biggest number scientists can think of, so they argue the formula is saying that it takes something huge to shift energy into becoming matter.
Einstein actually originally proposed the formula as M = E/C2 – that matter was really just another form of energy. And this is what quantum physics is really all about – that matter is really just what we observe when energy is being pooled or stored – but it is really still just energy!
So this is where quantum physics and chiropractic could meet – if chiropractic is ready to make the same paradigm shift. I believe that some of the earlier chiropractic philosophers made this shift at about the same time as the physicists did. But unlike the Physics profession that got to the point of accepting the new idea, the chiropractic profession successfully suppressed and circumvented the shift.
RW Stephenson authored the 33 principles in 1927, and this could perhaps be the analogous shift in understanding the human state as E = MC2. Stephenson talks of the three components of our formula as force, matter and intelligence: This is the chiropractic equivalent of E = MC2! Force equals energy, matter equals mass, and intelligence is the hugest constant that we can possibly think of. Maybe our formula could read as F = MI2.
So why am I saying that the chiropractic profession missed this shift? Firstly the self-proclaimed intelligentsia and political leadership have quite successfully removed the constant from the formula. It has been successfully argued that intelligence is not required to practice chiropractic! And what I really mean by this is that concepts such as innate intelligence and the mental impulse have been denigrated as being pseudo-religious nonsense. When in fact intelligence is the missing piece that makes matter possible!
Secondly chiropractic has been successfully reduced to matter therapy – bones, muscles, ligaments, alignment and manipulation. It is becoming rare to see any reference to the nervous system when reading articles written by chiropractic publishers – but the nervous system connection is the connection between our matter and our force – our energy. And this capability is the ultimate representation of intelligence.
Hence, the current chiropractic formula looks more like “M = M”…
I was listening to one quantum physicist speak and he made the statement that the only place we really see Quantum Physics at work is in space. And then I had the revelation that he was SO WRONG. You see, most living biological organisms are classic examples of quantum converters. And the human being is the best example of a system that is able to use intelligence to continuously convert matter to energy, and energy to matter!
Now let’s get back to the paradigm shift that could happen, which would position chiropractic as the quantum shift in the healing arts: If matter is energy in a different state, then a subluxation is a person’s matter in a different energetic state. In other words a subluxation is not a physical state, it is an energetic state – it has less to do with what the particles of the body are up to, and more to do with what the wave forms of the body are up to.
Wave forms in the human body are represented by frequencies, so a Subluxation could be defined as an abnormal frequency pattern. There appears to be a movement in the chiropractic profession that dislikes the term subluxation because of its medical definition – “less than a dislocation”, which has obvious shortcomings as a clinical description, and at the same time they dislike what they see as almost esoteric connotations of the word to Chiropractors. The problem that results though – is that the offered alternative terms are almost universally less encompassing and in the context of this discussion grossly inadequate: spinal joint dysfunction, biomechanical lesion, mechanical back pain.
So let’s take a fresh look at the word subluxation:
Sub = Below; under; beneath; less than completely or normally.
Lux = A basic unit of illumination
Ation = The act of; the condition of being; the result of
So why couldn’t we redefine the term Subluxation as something like “the condition of less than normal energy transmission”. If you wish to be more philosophically correct you might adapt this to “less than normal intelligence transmission” (Intelligence being the chiropractic equivalent to light).
If we can grow up enough to jettison the Newtonian model of subluxation description, and accept that Quantum Physics has filled the knowledge void, and that our definitions of chiropractic must evolve to a similar level, then we might even find that chiropractic makes more than a paradigm shift – it could make a quantum leap into the hearts, minds and bodies of the community.
How? If Chiropractic persists with its Newtonian descriptions of what it is about then it will continue to receive a Newtonian response from the public – “spine doctor”, “back cracker”, “bone cruncher”. But if the profession shifts to the quantum model, and effectively communicates this shift, then the connection between what we do and the nervous system is completed, the relationship between an adjustment and someone’s quality of life is restored, and the explanations of how chiropractic relates to issues like emotions, human potential and wellness become logical.
Torque Release Technique training provides you with the Science, Art and Philiosophy of how to make this Quantum Leap: Check it out at this link: http://www.torquerelease.com.au/TRT-Seminar.htm
Whether a person chooses to continue or discontinue chiropractic care depends upon how much the person values the care when compared with how much they feel it is costing them.
If the value appears greater than the cost the patient will continue care. If the cost appears to become more than the value they will discontinue treatment. The more we can increase the perceived value the less we need to worry about the cost!
VALUE INCREASERS:
1) Experiencing benefits from chiropractic care. Especially if those benefits are over and above the initial complaint or the benefits expected.
2) Increased education and understanding about chiropractic.
3) Third parties (family and friends) experiencing benefits: Another great reason to stimulate referrals quickly.
4) A “paradigm shift”: Changing people’s attitudes from “don’t fix it till it’s broke”, to one of maintenance, prevention and/or preferably wellness. That is “getting the BIG idea”!
COST INCREASERS:
1) Financial constraints: The amazing thing about this factor is that the more you can increase perceived value the less important this becomes. If you want it then you will find a way to pay. However cost is one of the main reasons people discontinue.
2) Time constraints: The old saying is that “time is money”. If it takes a person more than 20 minutes to drive to your practice; then they sit in your waiting room for 20 minutes; then it takes 15 minutes to get adjusted; then it takes 5 minutes to pay and reschedule – that’s 80 minutes out of their life. And then you tell them you want to see them 3 times a week? Big cost.
VALUE DECREASERS:
1) No or slow perceived response to treatment.
2) A reaction to an adjustment.
3) ‘Chiropractic consultants’: Rumor, opinion and hearsay can always affect the attitude of a new member of the chiropractic “family”.
4) Our attitude towards chiropractic: It ‘rubs off’ you know!
5) “The law of diminishing intent”: Ever made a new year’s resolution; then a few weeks later it just doesn’t seem that important any more? Day to day stresses and commitments and the distractions of “life” seem to get in the way. That is – the original commitment gradually becomes diluted to the point of becoming unimportant:
If we constantly feed, reinforce and nurture our goals and resolutions there is less chance of them fading and getting lost in this way. It is never safe to think that a patient has got “the big idea” now, and will hence have it forever – they need constant feeding, reinforcement and nurturing of their goals and resolutions.
TWO WAYS TO GET PEOPLE TO DO THINGS:
1) Control and manipulate: This is like trying to get a donkey to move by putting a carrot in front of its nose or hitting it from behind with a big stick. The problem with these techniques is that the reward or the punishments need to be continually increased to receive the same response over a long period of time.
In our health care setting this would take claiming bigger and bigger benefits to our patients as they feel better (the carrot), or convincing people that if they don’t continue to see us something terrible will happen to them (the stick). At some point in time the carrot and the stick will not be big enough!
2) Build relationships and teach by example: This is not about getting people to do what we want them to do: It is about showing people how they can get what they want – by following our example!
There is compelling scientific evidence that what people know about diet and how they eat are in many cases two different issues? I’m sure you have observed that this void between knowing and doing crosses over into all health behaviours?
1) The acute antalgic low back or torticollis crisis patient who promises you that they will keep seeing you forever for maintenance care if you can only help them get out of agony; who then discontinue somewhere between visit two and six because “they are fine now and will ring if they have any further problems”.
2) The reactivating patient that confesses that they were feeling great while they were doing the exercises that you taught them, but then they just forgot about them because they didn’t have any pain. And then they ask you “why does this problem keep coming back?”
3) The osteo-arthritic retiree that starts complaining of increased aching and stiffness, and when you ask them if they are still taking their Glucosamine, they respond “Oh I finished the bottle and thought I’d see how I’d go without them for a while”.
4) You meet an old regular practice member who discontinued 1-2 years ago, and when you ask them how they are going they give you the long list of ailments, diagnoses and prescriptions that they now take, and then pass comment “you know when I used to see you I didn’t have any of these problems”.
There’s a push in our profession right now to adapt us into risk-factor screening machines, who then pass appropriate educational brochures to those at risk, and warn them of the dangers of not changing their ways. Think about this: Most people who are overweight already know they are overweight; most people who are unfit already experience the effects of it; most people experiencing symptoms of Diabetes are aware of the symptoms… They don’t need you to identify the symptoms of their condition. They need help closing the void between their awareness and their behaviour!
If you want to be a wellness practitioner let me tell you a major paradigm shift you are going to have to make - It’s not about you, it’s about them. Wellness is a personal journey of lifestyle choices leading towards better life and health outcomes. You can’t make the decisions for them - if you try to then its not wellness - it’s medicine.
Here’s four questions that you must ask your practice members to make massive changes in your wellness relationship:
1) “What is your biggest health priority right now?” Their choice not yours.
2) “What are three things you think you could do to improve this area of your life?” Their choice, not yours. But this may be the point where they ask you for your educated opinion.
3) “What information do you think you need to help you make this change?” This is the point where they will most likely give you permission to feed them with resources.
4) “What would you like me to do to make sure you follow through on your plan?” This is where you help them to make some commitments, set some goals for them to achieve, define some measures for monitoring their progress, and set a time-line for review.
Through the mid-nineties pivotal chiropractic research was conducted and was published at the beginning of the 21st Century, and yet a large segment of the profession missed it! Why?
1) The findings weren’t published in a peer-reviewed chiropractic journal – they were actually published in two major psychiatric journals; the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry (published by Nature) and the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: No chiropractor would have received these journals in their post-box.
2) The research involved a patient population commonly ignored by comfortable middle-class chiropractors, namely an addicted population. But this study population was chosen for very specific scientific reasons – they biogenetically possess an inability to achieve a state of wellbeing.
Why was this research potentially so paradigm shifting for the chiropractic profession?
1) The design of the study was overseen by a leading medical biostatistician from the University of Miami, School of Medicine: Nothing was included in the study unless it stood up to his rigorous statistical and evidence-based standards.
2) The study involved randomization, and all of the scientific design expected of longitudinal clinical research, and, three-arms – not just active treatment and control groups, but also a placebo-control group.
3) The acceptance and rejection of various chiropractic examination procedures which lead to a short-list of evidence-based indicators of Subluxation, ultimately synthesizing a technique for analyzing and differentially diagnosing a Primary Subluxation.
4) The need to design an adjusting instrument that provided true reproducibility of the adjustive thrust and the vectors of the classic chiropractic adjustment – the Toggle Recoil.
5) Acceptance of the research results by peer review panels far more rigorous and skeptical than normal chiropractic peer review.
6) A documentary featured on Discovery Health Channel highlighting the findings of the research and giving chiropractic a glowing review.
What was so impressive about the results? To understand this we need to tell you a little about the clients accepted into the trial: These were recovering addicts with many substance-abusing habits, who were undergoing normal 30-day withdrawal in an in-patient facility… Nasty stuff: Major withdrawals, cravings, severe physical and mental symptoms, abstinence-based challenges… all going on at the same time. What happened when they received specific chiropractic adjustments?
1) They finished the program: The gold-standard of recovery is how many clients make it to the end of the thirty days? Good rehab facilities achieve somewhere around 70% retention. When they were adjusted as well, the retention rate increased to 100%… That’s right no-one left! In recovery circles it is common knowledge that if someone drops out of care it isn’t because they’ve started a new job, or had a miraculous healing and didn’t need to hang around. No, they’ll usually be back in their old haunts doing the same old stuff. This finding is huge – if they stayed they must have been doing really well.
2) Their anxiety levels dropped dramatically: This research project didn’t just measure one outcome, it also utilized internationally accepted state of wellbeing questionnaires: When the clients were adjusted the Spielberger’s State of Anxiety Test scores dropped the same amount that it normally takes six months of standard care to achieve.
3) Their depression levels dropped markedly. When the clients were adjusted the Beck’s depression inventory scores dropped the same amount that it normally takes twelve months of standard care to achieve.
4) They didn’t need the usual nursing and first-aid measures demanded by this population. Nursing station visits are actually the biggest overheads in running a rehab facility: When the clients were adjusted only 9% needed to make any nursing station visits – the placebo and normal care groups made visits in 56% and 48% of cases respectively (that’s right the placebo group was more miserable than the normal care group – so much for the argument that chiropractic is a good placebo – this suggest it’s actually a “nocebo”!)
Now wait a minute I hear many of you saying – “I have no interest in treating drug addicts in my practice, so why would I want to learn a technique to treat them?”
Here is the point… the CHIROPRACTIC IN THIS STUDY DID NOT TREAT ADDICTION, IT ADJUSTED SUBLUXATIONS. The in-patient program treated the addiction with the normal abstinence strategies, group therapy, counseling etc. The chiropractic produced massive increases in state of wellbeing, helping the recovery to be more effective. You need to learn how to produce such massive increases in state of wellbeing to, in all of your practice members…
Isn’t this what great chiropractic is about? We don’t fix them, but when we adjust them their body’s healing and recuperative processes are exponentially released to fulfill their true potential – great chiropractic that is…
So why would you learn Torque Release Technique the chiropractic model that evolved through this scientific process?
1) Wouldn’t you love your client retention to reach record proportions? There’s only one thing that really increases retention – RESULTS. You might be a great salesperson and be able to coerce people into hanging around, but when they FEEL the benefits they don’t need any convincing.
2) No-one refers like an excited customer: Do you think that massive changes in emotional and mental status would excite your clients? When their back pain’s gone they quickly forget why they are coming to see you: But when the lights get turned on every adjustment, you’ll be impressed when they start to ask if it is alright for them to regularly come back for more, and and can they bring someone else with them?
3) If we are truly a wellness profession, then our clients’ dependence on symptomatic and crisis care should start to vanish. How thankful do you think your clients will be when they notice how they aren’t spending so much on panadol, panadeine and nurofen, and they no longer have to spend ages sitting in the MD’s waiting room with all those miserably infectious people? How much easier will your practice hours be when no-one is winging and whining about their latest ache?
4) Wouldn’t you like to get to the end of the day after having seen more clients than ever before, and not be emotionally and physically spent? With TRT you can speed up your decision making, reduce the number of adjustments per visit, and minimise all the extra stuff you do trying to hit the right spot.
5) So you can be sure you are using the most evidence-based technique ever available to the chiropractic profession. Make sure you have total proficiency in the procedures accepted by one of medicine’s top biostatisticians – discover if you’re wasting your time doing stuff that was rejected?
6) So you can access the Integrator Adjusting Instrument, the only instrument with pre-loading, recoil, torque, stunningly high speed (1/10,000 sec), low force, and neurologically-based impulse frequency.
7) To be trained in the technique that provides you with the vitalistic, tonal, non-linear, neurologically-based adjusting technique to go hand-in-hand with your vitalistic chiropractic philosophy – Leave behind the mechanistic methods that have held back chiropractic practice in the twentieth century.