Popping Backs Right and Left

As we move further into the curriculum, the cumulative time spent adjusting each other adds up. Our confidence grows with our own motor control and the impulses become much more specific. At first, I felt quite awkward setting up any adjustment but now I feel the basics are getting mastered. For instance, today I focused on adjusting the thoracic spine into extension. My partner guided me and gave me feedback as I tried to find the right tissue tension. On the third try I got the response I was looking for. I visualized the biomechanics of the vertebra, set it up and gave a quick impulse. Surprisingly, I felt the upper vertebra drop a little and the one I was on sink in. It was the first time I was able to get a full-on extension adjustment to work in the supine position. I left feeling pretty good.

This quarter we are focused primarily on the lumbar spine. During most classes we rotate through the classroom working on different body types and after a few rotations, the backs start to ache a little. The moves are a bit complex this term because they are more compact and specific. They involve counter-rotations, hip flexion, specific tissue pulling and sometimes lateral flexion of the spine. This is quite a bit different than our pelvis course where we were adjusting only one joint, the SI joint. The idea is to increase range of motion in a specific, problematic area that lacks range of motion. Practicing setting up these moves helps us hone in on our specificity in a given spinal or pelvic segment. A sudden increase in range of motion allows a person to work on using that joint with its full range of motion to maximize gains in proprioception as well as flexibility. All in all, it's a good thing and quite safe.

Most classes add in a few older moves from thoracic to pelvis which allows us to revisit the terminology and regain some muscle memory with the adjustments. All in all, I am having fun with it and finally feel like things are really clicking. I see how it all will be incorporated in my future practice and I can't wait to get more clinical knowledge.

On a side note and in regards to my post on the philosophy forum, I have contacted Dr. Brimhall and we have started a dialogue about what can be done to increase awareness and positive vibes in regards to what we do as student DC's as well as chiropractic in general. He is receptive and interested in what I have to say and seems open to applying some grassroots effort in changing the dynamics of chiropractic from a stagnant negative state to one that is positive and full of prosperity.

I have always felt chiropractic is unique in it's approach to health care. Although, I have been somewhat resistant to commit to this path because I know public perception of chiropractic is skewed. My feeling is that I am not alone when I say I know these things. Some of us learned these things after traveling quite a distance to start this new path and learned this might not be what they thought it was.

I think it is time to stand up and start changing public perception of what chiropractic is all about, instead of sitting around beating the dead horse and sulking because we are looked down upon. The horse is dead, lets find something new to focus on besides whether or not we should be spine doctors. Education is the key to stamp out silly generalizations and misperceptions. We are more than just spinal specialists and that needs to be known. I for one, love knowing my education will be quite well-rounded. It is our duty to be positive spokespeople for the profession. We can't just twiddle our thumbs and not stand for anything because we do stand for something and our training/education is legit despite what others think.

I am meeting with Dr. Brimhall soon, so if you have anything you'd like to communicate, please send me what you've got or talk with me on campus.

All for now

Evidence Based Chiropractic

I am reading a book called, "Evidence Based Chiropractic" by Michael Haneline and it is great! It is a refresher of research principles and it was written specifically for chiropractors. I have enjoyed learning how to apply research to practice in this book as well as the course we are taking in EBP. In my opinion, these courses and books set the foundation for our development and acceptance in a medical practice. Even if we don't want to work with a team of physicians, we still must stay affluent in the literature pertaining to our therapies and treatments. Skills in EBC are critical for the profession to grow and prosper.

I enjoyed learning about why chiropractic has lacked in this area historically. A lack of money is the prime reason as well as the fear of medicine taking something away from chiropractic, such as manual medicine maneuvers. This fear has held the profession back in it's development and in a way has sort of pushed it in a corner. Now we are fighting tooth and nail to define what we do and how we are special compared to other professions. Many students I have talked with on campus believe it isn't their problem the profession is disengaged with itself and they so don't have an issue with technique system practices.

For example, a particular student told me today that it excites him to know a guy can just adjust the cervical vertebra for ANY condition. Not saying this person will do that in practice. This student likes the fact he will have the freedom to do anything he wants when he gets done and carve out a little niche. I am okay with this mentality but there has to be a point where ethics dictate this cookie cutter approach. I can't imagine how awful I'd feel if I took an acute low back pain person and adjusted their neck because that is all I do. Surprisingly, there are those who do this and carve out a niche doing it. How they sleep at night is beyond me.

My point with this post is that books like Evidence Based Chiropractic help the profession grow in ways it hasn't in the past. It helps us understand what happens when we adjust someone and it guides us in our clinical decision making. If we haven't learned the human element is complex yet, we don't belong here, in my opinion. And if we are against applying research to practice, we are making a clear statement of arrogance and ignorance.

On a positive note, there is a nice vibe on campus this week. It feels like everyone is clicking and there is more brotherly behavior among the student body. How sweet. I feel things are calming down at WSCC or we've simply accepted one another a bit further.

All for now

Filosophy Phorum...

Today was interesting. The claws were out in regards to the stagnant fight about what defines chiropractic. Was anything accomplished? No.

It amazes me how the faculty and staff of our lovely college sort of thrive on the controversy within our profession. They'd rather sit around and discuss how there is no defining theme to what we do instead of taking action in the community to show others what we do. Ever since I started at WSCC, I have seen a lot of talking and not whole lot of walking. Everyone carries on with their day as if they are working toward some common goal but when probed, the truth comes out and a clear separation forms. It is pretty clear there is no consensus as to what it is we are working so hard to achieve. Beyond personal goals, the profession gives new students no reason to be proud of the rigorous training they are desperately trying to master. It is the exact inverse. Every time I leave a forum like this I feel like I made a horrible mistake taking this path in life. I am certain there are plenty of others who feel the same as I and if it weren't for my clear personal goals, the work would be pointless.

It comes down to either a lack of talent or pure laziness on behalf of the spokespeople of our profession. What is the school doing to spread the word about what we are doing at WSCC? They bring in speakers trying to sell us their "special" way of treating patients versus experts in the field and expect us to not take it offensively. There is no opportunity to just learn or collaborate with other professional students besides classroom instruction. When we get done, we are facing a huge burden in that the public is resistant to use our approach to health care. There are reasons for this that I personally see quite clearly. One of which is how DC's still market, sell and use pseudoscientific methodologies. AK is a great example of that and there are plenty of others out there lacking integrity. Why on Earth is this allowed in the profession and how is it sold if there are regulations in place? The public loves to generalize concepts. If one DC does something dumb, the word spreads that DC's are ALL quacks. It is quite unfortunate but a very real problem.

Another reason the public is resistant to DC's is due to the "straight" and "mixer" idea. One believes a straight spine leads to optimal health and the mixer's adhere to evidence more so or are open to other reasons for disease. What we are talking about here is trust. "To do no harm" is what is being questioned here. Ignoring germ theory is in a way causing harm especially if another theory is "sold" to a patient. Ignoring nutritional insufficiency is also a way of causing harm which is practiced daily in medicine. There has to be a middle ground we can fill. It is obvious we can't compete against medicine by treating the same disease "conservatively", but we can compete with them if we treat holistically.

I'd say many of us chose this path because it will give us a clearer understanding of the human element. When we leave, we'll have a big toolbox to use that is far heavier and more versatile than other health providers, like personal trainers, coaches and to some extent PT's. I don't think we should have a narrow approach or laws keeping us from diagnosing everyday problems because we then become technicians. I am not saying I will be diagnosing every condition that walks in my business but I know I will understand that person better with extra training beyond musculoskeletal problems. The goal isn't to be equals with MD's or DO's, it is to be competent in what I do.

If we were smart, which we are, we'd each personally take bits and pieces from the many professions out there and put together a nice ethical approach to health care. What are PT's doing that is bringing them success? How about personal trainers? What are they doing that allows them to hold onto their clientele so well? What about dentists? How do they gain that trust and spread the word so elegantly and ethically? It comes down to removing the blinders and seeing the world as it really is. Learn from the best in every field, build relationships and partnerships with trusted individuals in the community. Be a hero to your patients. Do something special with your life and inspire others to do the same. We aren't here just for us and we should start acting this way or the burdens I spoke of previously will haunt us the length of our careers.

All for now

Book Report

"Eat, Drink and Be Healthy" by Walter Willett, MD, is a great read. I found that reading the first four chapters didn't help me much on the exam but being that I spent last week recovering more or less from viral bronchitis and missing the first week of school, it is expected. Since we are past the first exam, I will go through a little of what the book is about and how it is right on the mark.

Our society is based on trust. It used to be, that is. The consumer is getting more and more knowledgeable, at least I think they are, which is pushing big box businesses to bring on products that meet the demand. I find this to be a very interesting social movement. Movies like, "Food Inc." are coming out educating consumers about the food producer's motives and the poor quality goods they strive to make all at our expense. My hope is that through going to DC school and pushing forward these alternative views I too can be involved in the movement toward a prevention and wellness based health care system.

The book, "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy" contributes toward this movement. It analyzes the old USDA food guide pyramid that we all were educated with in the 90's and tears into the new pyramid plaguing people's eyes today. What I found most interesting is how much lobbying took place to form the pyramids. In my undergraduate program at Boise State University, I took a nutrition course that supported the food guide pyramid. My professor had us use their program to design a diet plan and completely ignored the New Healthy Eating Pyramid which was available at the time. The fact that a university is using a heavily lobbied for program is quite concerning. Now that I am in alternative medicine, the ideas seem to be a bit more flexible and focused on a new way of thinking.

Food politics are really annoying but interesting when you take a step back and look at the health of our society. Willett analyzed this topic deeply in chapter one of his book and provided eye-opening insight into what goes on behind the seen to make a dietary guidance pyramid. The fact that millions use these types of web-based resources is the main concern because it practically supports people in their unhealthy eating habits. It comes down to money and who has the most. Those who have the power get what they want. For instance, the pyramid was marketed by a company, Porter-Novelli, who markets for McDonald's and Krispy Kreme. What does that say about the pyramid, particularly when the focus on dietary guidance supports unhealthy eating patterns? The lesson I learned from this is we have to be conscientious in our consumer choices because every businesses motivation is to be profitable.

There is hope, thank God. The new healthy eating pyramid was designed based on the most up-to-date nutrition science available. It's focus is on plant oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and whole grains. Vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes are recommended low on the pyramid, which is a good thing because this emphasizes the "eat in abundance" idea from being so close to the base. Red meat, butter, white rice, white bread, white pasta, potatoes, soda and sweets are at the tip and advised to "use sparingly". The difference here is recognizing the difference in fats and carbohydrates, something the USDA's pyramid ignored. The USDA advised to eat half of your carbs from whole grain sources, implying the other half can be sugary sources. This is not good because suggestions like these allow people to feel safe in buying whatever sugary food they want. And the epidemic of obesity continues to rise.

We can't blame a food pyramid for obesity. We can blame big business for targeting people's weaknesses and emotional tendencies to eat food's that satisfy the palate immediately. Another interesting thing Willett wrote about was trans fat. Trans fat is added to products in place of unsaturated fats to increase shelf life of products. Many food producers use this product and many more preservatives to sell more products. The longer a product sits on the shelf, the higher the possibility it will be picked up by a shopper. Most of the processed baked goods have this fat in them as well as huge amounts of sugar and salt. These products are made to target our taste buds and create an emotional response. This way when we have a bad day we open the wrapper and chow down the food soaked in all the tasty goodness they focus so intently on providing.

I had a client that was a former food scientist who told me once that she worked for 2 full years on a product that would have a long shelf life, taste good to all ages and cost virtually pennies to produce. She had no problem with this because she's a chemist and this kind of work was satisfying for her intellectually and financially. However, she was a personal training client of mine and had been "using" these products for years based on her obesity and other health concerns.

To learn more about the "good" fats was inspiring for me. Until this recently, I had no clue what an anti-inflammatory diet was. Most of the pathologies we are learning in school can be stamped out with nutrition. As we have learned, many of the pathologies are from excessive inflammation or the tendency to head in that direction. The food choices that support these tendencies are the ones talked about above that are richly soaked in palatable goodness but high in molecules that support health problems.

Interestingly, trans fats cause LDL cholesterol (the bad) to go up and good cholesterol, HDL to go down. This is different than saturated fat, in that saturated fat increases both. Sugar increases triglycerides (VLDL's) and decreases HDL's. All this information clearly suggests it is our foods that make or break us. Unsaturated fats protect us by giving our body what it needs to function optimally. Every cell in our body is built with phospholipids which are a combo of fats but primarily unsaturated fats. When we don't eat these essential fats our body must remove them from cell walls. Learning what fats are inflammatory precursors and which are anti-inflammatory can be significantly useful in preventing many health problems beyond the major killers. I find it incredibly inspirational that we have the power to prevent disease.

We mustn't be gluttons and act as if our food choices do not affect our health. Once the cycle starts it is hard to break it and undo the damage done. It is never to late to start though.

Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

I removed my last post because I thought it was a waste of a read for most of you all. Those who did read it, I hope you enjoyed it and understand where I am coming from. Nothing I say or do will ever change the dynamics of our unique and sometimes challenging class. With that, I am taking a new spin on things with the blog by discussing the book, "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy" by Walter C. Willett, MD. I have found this book incredibly useful and quite different from any of the nutrition books I have read and I feel it is worth discussing it in detail.

Much of my blog has been involved more or less with the social dynamics of chiropractic school and the obstacles we face. I am getting quite bored writing about this and have been lacking motivation to stir the proverbial pot. My opinion gets me nowhere these days and if anything, it gets me into trouble. I don't agree with the actions of many of my fellow students but it isn't my burden to try and combat things. And I am pretty sure I can't change anyone at this school. So, when the opportunity arises, which it will, I will deal with the issue then. Until then, I intend on spinning things differently on the blog and discuss only the information we are learning. I will try to stay out of the mental waste I have written about previously and perhaps more people will post their opinions about the things I discuss.

If anything, I will formulate my thoughts about the information being given in massive loads at school. Posting writings here and there about the science we are mastering will show those who wish to go to DC school it is legitimate and worth the effort. And perhaps, sharing this might show other health professions we have more in common than once thought.

For now, I will put together a post in regards to chapter's 1-4 in the book, "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy" and work toward subject driven entries from here on out.

Cheers

Politics

Our president just received the Nobel Peace Prize. As stated on the Nobel Prize website Obama will be awarded the prize, "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".

As the day grew on yesterday, I noticed more and more negative comments on Facebook. Many believed he didn't earn it and judged him for not following through with his pre-presidential promises. It was as if the jealousy harvested deep inside some people bubbled to the surface and all they could do is take turns beating him up with their words. Instead of being proud of our president or nation, they turn their backs on him. In all honesty, I don't think people can be happy with the government after 8 years of Bush.

Maybe we are in recovery as a nation and this is how people heal. I don't know. I do know that Obama is an inspiration to many people at home and in countries as far as Kenya. Being the first president of color, Obama opens doors that were once closed by our historically white leadership. And the doors that were once only opened due to fear of the US are being closed and reopened again with a new voice of partnership and compassion. We've been bully's too long and it is refreshing to see the power being used for the good of all people and not just our selfish American interests.

This experience got me thinking about chiropractic a little. I have always wondered why conservative people are drawn to chiropractic. When you look at it from afar, the profession is quite liberal in that the approach is quite controversial and misunderstood. Some believe there are forces only chiropractors are trained to see and feel and many shy away from Westernized medicine entirely. How is this conservative? It is confusing for me to try and figure this out because I have always felt conservative people followed the rules closer. With virtually no evidence to back our skeletal adjustments it makes me wonder how a conservative person could be okay with this approach.

There will always be opinions that don't mesh together on any subject. Politics is one subject that seems to be a breeding ground for opinions.

Mr. Obama is making history. I don't think we should rush the process and judge him unfairly for not getting things done faster. The issues are complex and the baggage left for him by the previous administration must be slowly cleaned up over the term. If he was given a fresh canvas without Texas crayon artwork drawn all over it, he would be further ahead than he is.

I am proud of Obama for being the only black president and one of only 4 presidents of the USA who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Swine Flu?

What a nice way to break in the new quarter by contracting a nice virus. I am not sure my Dx is correct because no blood was taken, no sputum, no nothing. I left with a Rx for cough medicine laced with Codeine. Currently, I feel better than ever having just eaten Thai food and an enormous multivitamin. The MD told me if it was bacterial I would be constantly fever ridden. But since my fever came and passed he thinks it is viral. So, I opted out of antibiotics. He didn't say for certain I had viral bronchitis he just gave me cough medicine and suggested this "could" be my problem.

The experience at the medical clinic was quite annoying. I get there at 10 am, they tell me I can see a doctor at 11 am, I fill out all my paperwork, they have me sit in waiting room near the doctors office and I wait until 11:30 am before I get in to see him. What kind of customer service is that? And, I sit in the exam room and wait until 11:40 am for him to come in! He comes in, asks me if I use drugs recreationally, if I smoke, if I drink (I said no... just kidding) etc., etc., and asks me about chiropractic school. His interest focused on that and not me and he continued to ask questions about it. How much does it cost to go there, how long is the program, how large is your class size? He formed a differential list and picked the possible diseases off and left the room by 11:50 am! I spent 10 minutes with him and was charged $190.

My insurance will pay for it but that is ludicrous! The experience taught me a great lesson about customer service. Never have your patients wait 30 minutes for their appointment. When you say 10 am, you better have them in the exam room at 10 am. Spend some time getting to know the patient and don't treat them like a lab animal. Show compassion for their injury or disease and make them know you care.

I strongly feel the medical community is spoiled rotten. They treat you like shit, they make you wait, charge the hell out of you and they don't get busted by the Better Business Bureau. He gave me no nutritional advice or therapeutic options I could do at home. Next time I am going to a naturopath.

Time for bed!

Day One - A Welcome Committee

The first day of school is always a weird day, to say the least. In a program like this where the volume of information they give us is incredibly dense and overwhelming, there is a delicate balance between respect and getting the job done. This goes for both ends of the program, student and professor. We have to overcome the obstacles placed before us or we do not get to play the DC game. The lead up to the obstacles (i.e., exams and assignments) must be explained well or else the balance I spoke of earlier gets upset and tempers flare. I and many others witnessed this in our pathology class today.

I understand the feelings of being mislead by our instructor and how this can cause anger because we do bust our booty's to get things done. When the assignment is not clear or the expectations are unclear, then assumptions are made as to what is expected. What we experienced was a severe lack of communication. The professor wanted to win us over and give us "the keys to the farm", so to speak. As the previous course went on, he started seeing some things he didn't expect to see like; cheating, demands, constant talking among some of the students and a lack of motivation which was essentially created by the instructor. I think of it like this, when you are training a dog you can't allow any bad behavior or else the dog pushes the boundary to "get away" with what he/she wants to get away with. Unless the leader, the owner or class instructor, defines what is expected, then chaos may erupt and disrespect begins on both ends.

I hope this doesn't happen again because it ended badly today. Regardless, I think those who were upset were offered a chance to talk with him behind closed doors. I for one believe I earned my grade which was an 83%. However, if there were better instructions in the beginning and a consistent level of professional communication I think I could have earned that A.

Now that he has heard what people think, I honestly think we'll go into this second quarter with more motivation to learn the material versus waiting for the review to study the answers to his exam questions. Studying for answers will not make us competent even though we do have to do this at times. I wish there was a perfect way to learn this material but as we are finding out there isn't one and it is entirely up to us as to how well we learn the material.

All for now.

Quarter Number Five

The break is over. The two weeks flew by and now reality is changing back to the demands of 37 hours of pure classroom joy. Before long, we'll be studying our butts off and learning to diagnose musculoskeletal and other diseases straight from memory. When I think about the work which needs to be done to get there, I cringe and wish it was going to be easier. The further we go the more immune you become to the demands of the program. Although, the curriculum is quite difficult and is similar to primary care training, if that equilibrates it at all. They emphasize the "doctor" knowledge more so in our school because the powers to be recognized the profession lacked evidence and was producing incompetent DC's. For years the assumption that impinged nerve flow causes disease has produced a stereotype many DC's would like to avoid. Schools produced students to find the subluxation before ruling out other serious diseases. Those days are over as today our training consists of a strong focus on evidence-based practices. It will be interesting to transition out of the busy work of the basic sciences and enter the clinic. Only 2 quarters remain and that will be the new reality.

Enjoy the break and get rested up because the academic war is about to begin!

Boise and the Future

I just returned from Boise Idaho after a short 4 day adventure. It didn't feel like four days, it felt like one long day packed with a ton of stuff to do. All in all, the trip was great! I was able to see my brothers, my mamma, my papa and my grandmamma and grandpapa! An overall good time.

Over the past few years I have had my eyes set on a space in the foothills of Boise for a future chiropractic, massage and personal training clinic. The buildings are all brand new and ready to be built custom to my needs. They are all brick and concrete and quite classy. There is a garden center in the same complex as well as a busy dentist office. The site isn't complete yet but is planned to be complete in the next couple years. However, the offices and the surrounding premises are finished and ready to be constructed.

One problem I have is the lack of money. You need to show a cash base allowing the bills to be paid just in case you don't grow as fast as anticipated. I know there are companies who fund startup businesses like these but I haven't found the source yet. The man I spoke with told me the SBA program LOVES dentists, doctors and chiropractors due to their history of success. This is good news for all of us chiropractors!

I am trying to find a way to get funds to launch the fitness and massage program roughly a year prior to me starting my chiropractic services. If I can pull this off, I will graduate with a business ready for me to integrate in to.

It excites me to think I am so close to achieving this!

Keep dreaming...