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Structural Vs. Traditional Chiropractic
Jimmy Wang • February 25, 2020
Learn about what we can do for you at Advanced Chiropractic.
Let me start off by saying, not all chiropractors are alike. Although they go by the same name, chiropractors today differ greatly in technique and philosophy. To sum it up, there are two main types of chiropractors:
The first type of chiropractor is the conventional chiropractor; they focus on 3 things: increasing range of motion, decreasing muscle spasm/tension, and reducing pain temporarily. They do a great job at spinal manipulation and some people get good results from that. But, there are some people who sees a crack in the wall and they putty it up. People who do what I do - and there aren’t many of us - focus on Structural Correction. We look behind the wall; we look at the structure; we look at the beams and the foundation first, then we fix the other stuff, or the other stuff often fixes itself. Some people want a bandage, while others need the stitches because they don’t want to keep putting the bandage on.
In our practice, we are looking for structural abnormalities. A structural abnormality is a Structural Shift. More specifically, the (structural) shift I work with is called, Atlas Displacement Complex, or (ADC). So, if you have an ADC, it is typically the underlying cause of your secondary conditions.
As a result of an ADC, one can also expect to see an Anterior Head Syndrome, which can lead to a number of other secondary conditions. In short, a Secondary Condition cannot be soothed or even removed UNTIL the Primary Condition is fully addressed – the structural shift.
A Structural Shift can happen from any number of injuries. It can be from accidents or just living life, but the structure has shifted from its normal place. If it’s shifted just a little bit, you’re not broken. In other words, if you’re a little bit off, no big deal. But, if there’s a moderate shift, then it’s a serious issue, and this must be addressed.
Now, the way we determine that is, we will perform 4 main Objective tests to determine the presence of a structural shift. We use: 1) Structural Corrective Radiographs, otherwise known as Cone Beam CT scans, 2) Structural Analysis using our Multi-Axial Structural Analysis Machine, 3) Digital Structural Analysis, 4) Structural Thermographic Reading. Lastly, we will perform a series of Neurological and Orthopedic tests. If we find one or more indicators that tell us that you have a Structural Shift/ADC, then we will be recommending a very specific plan of care to address it.
Before we get into that, if you have a Structural Shift, typically your family Medical Doctor will recommend the use of some pain killers, at first. If you’re not having a lot of success, there might be some cortisone shots. That’s when they inject an acid into the joint to reduce the inflammation. Unfortunately, a byproduct of that is the degradation of the cartilage around the joint. But this is what they do. Sometimes they will recommend physical therapy as well. However, that’s working the muscles, and if you do have a structural condition, that’s not going to help it. But, that’s what they do, and I’m not saying that it’s bad, you’ll probably even get a little relief.
Here at Advanced Chiropractic, we create a plan of care to really make some inroads and correct your Structural Shift. So, if we find that you have a Structural Shift, we are going to recommend an initial phase of care. We are going to check and adjust you, if necessary, each visit followed by structural rehabilitation exercises.
And then, we will do a progress examination towards the end of your initial phase of care, and then we’ll go from there. So, once we get to that point, I am going to show you a way to protect the work that you just achieved with us. In other words, once we correct this, we want to make sure that we don’t revisit this with the same intensity again. You will be given the option to go on a protection plan. The protection plan is not a requirement; it is simply your option to protect your investment, should you choose to.
So, here is how my solution is going to correct your Structural Shift. As we are correcting your Structural Shifts (and stabilize your atlas), the nerves that are being compressed are going to basically come to life again. Like a foot coming off a hose. And, that’s going to allow for the nerves to do what they do - that’s going to remove the constriction. As a result, that’s going to allow your body to start healing again. That’s how it works! By doing this, the nerves that are going around the blood vessels are going to get a chance to function correctly. And, by doing THAT, that will give proper communication within the blood vessels. That will very likely reduce and/or eliminate you Secondary Conditions.
It is important to understand, if you are looking for chiropractic care, you must ask yourself first, what type of treatment are you looking for and what are your health goals? Do you want temporarily relief? Or are you interested in fixing the underlying problem to prevent reoccurrence of the same problem?
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Organic farming is better for the environment 4. Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics or growth hormones 5. GMO-Free Intaking GMO’s and pesticides daily can have varying health implications, especially to mental and emotional health. GMO’s and Pesticides GMO’s, known as Genetically Modified Organisms, are engineered to make food crops resistant to the herbicide Roundup. Roundup is used to prevent the weeds from damaging the products. The problem here is two-fold: One, we are eating foods that are genetically modified. Secondly, because the crops are resistant to herbicides, we are consuming the herbicides/pesticides. Can you imagine every time you eat a GMO or non-organic food product; you are ingesting pesticides a little at a time? Here is a list of some of the food items that GMO’s are commonly found in: - Corn/Corn Syrup - Soybean - Squash - Zucchini - Canola - All Processed foods This is just a short list of many GMO products. Risks of Pesticide Consumption Most of us will have a build up of pesticides that we have consumed and accumulated over years of exposure. The chemicals impact on our bodies can lead to health issues, such as, headaches, birth defects, or added strain on weakened immune systems. Even at low exposure, there have been studies published indicating this could increase the risk of certain cancers. Additionally, pregnant women, fetuses, and children are among the most vulnerable to pesticide exposure. During pregnancy, pesticides can be passed from mother to child in the womb, and then again in breast milk. As immune systems in children are still developing, early exposure to pesticides can cause developmental delays, behavioral disorders, or motor dysfunction. The Dirty Dozen (Produce only) Often times, it is difficult to know what we should buy organic or not. The general rule of thumb is: if it is something that you can peel away and do not eat, you can get away with it not being organic. In other words, these food items will have minimal or no amounts of pesticides in them. They are also GMO-free products. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the list of the 12 dirtiest food items, as of 2020 are: 1. Strawberries 7. Peaches 2. Spinach 8. Cherries 3. Kale 9. Pears 4. Nectarines 10. Tomatoes 5. Apples 11. Celery 6. Grapes 12. Potatoes The Clean Fifteen As mentioned before, there are some food items where we peel away the skin and do not eat it – these tend to be the cleanest ones and safe to consume non-organically. They include: 1. Avocados 8. Asparagus 2. Sweet Corn 9. Cauliflower 3. Pineapple 10. Cantaloupes 4. Onions 11. Broccoli 5. Papaya 12. Mushrooms 6. Sweet Peas 13. Cabbage (frozen) 14. Honeydew Melon 7. Eggplant 15. Kiwi I understand some of the items above do not have skins to peel away, such as, cauliflower or broccoli. These items typically have the lowest amount of pesticide residue. To be clear, if you cannot find the organic items from the Dirty Dozen list, it is still better to just consume these non-organically, than it is to avoid them altogether. At least you would still get some nutrients from these produces than not. What about Cows, Chickens, or Pigs? In addition to fruits and vegetables, it is just as important to buy organic meat, eggs, and dairy if it is within your budget. Industrially raised animals are typically fed corn, grains, antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, and sewage sludge. These will have health consequences for the animals, and in turn, we are consuming those unhealthy animals. As humans, we are essentially eating what the animals are being fed. 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