Over my more than 35 years of chiropractic practice I’ve observed a dramatic increase in the acceptance of chiropractic. Unfortunately, most people do not understand the potential benefits chiropractic can offer them.

Most people view chiropractic as a commodity and that’s unfortunate. They view all chiropractors as offering the same service with the same skill set and often make their decision based on convenience and cost. 

The majority of the public views chiropractors as back doctors and while I understand that and for some chiropractors it is true, the real benefits of chiropractic are realized with a chiropractor with a different approach. Chiropractic is much more about the nervous system than the spine. There is an intimate relationship between the two and the spine offers access to the nervous system. 

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Nervous System is Key

Your body is amazing. It is continually monitoring thousands upon thousands of functions, adjusting and regulating those functions, and repairing and healing itself. Every loss of health and vitality from pain to heart disease is accompanied by some disturbance in the ability of the brain and nervous system to do its job. 

Our medical system seeks to control and manipulate body function. The focus is all too often limited to the symptoms and the goal is to reduce and eliminate the unwanted symptoms. The problem is that this rarely corrects the underlying problem and creates its own set of problems. We like to call these problems side effects but there are no side effects, only cause and effect. Unfortunately, this approach consistently results in unwanted effects. 

So, how do you go about selecting a chiropractor you can trust to provide the quality care you deserve?

Let’s explore that. I am going to offer you what I consider the top 5 criteria to select the best chiropractor. Use these criteria when asking friends and colleagues for a referral, when viewing a chiropractor’s website, and when interviewing a chiropractor.

Top 5 Criteria to Select the Best Chiropractor

I’m always taken aback when I ask clients about their other healthcare providers. Far too often they will reply that they don’t really like them or trust them, that they don’t listen to them, or that they prescribe treatment they don’t want or don’t understand. 

I suggest that you remember that every healthcare provider you use is working for you. Think of them as your employees. It is critical that you trust them. It might not matter much with a minor issue but if you ever experience something more serious it’s essential that you work with someone you can trust. You should trust their skill and knowledge and that they have your best interests in mind. 

According to the prestigious Johns Hopkins medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US. Pretty amazing and scary isn’t that?

While chiropractic is exceedingly safe that doesn’t mean you should approach selecting a chiropractor without serious deliberation.

Criteria #1: Focus on Correction and Balancing. Far too many chiropractors offer a series of visits that all look the same. The same areas are addressed in the same ways from visit to visit. If problems are getting corrected then your care and your experience should be continually evolving. If you get a referral to a chiropractor ask if they seem to get the same treatments each and every visit. This might offer short term relief but it will not correct the underlying imbalances. 

Criteria #2: Brain and Nervous System Focus. Any pain you might be experiencing and any health challenge is either caused by or perpetuated by some interference in your nervous system’s ability to function properly. All pain is experienced through your nervous system. You want a chiropractor whose focus is restoring balance to the nervous system.

Criteria #3: Variety of Techniques. A very different approach should be used with an infant, a child, a young adult, or someone in their seventies or beyond. Seek out a chiropractor with a variety of approaches who can match the amount of force and the technique to each individual on each visit. 

Criteria #4: Autonomic Nervous System Balancing. All chronic pain as well as all health challenges are accompanied by an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Stress and pain activate the Sympathetic ‘Fight-or-Flight’ Nervous System (SNS). This creates an environment for the perpetuation of pain by increasing muscle tension and spasm, increasing inflammation, and disturbing sleep and healing. In addition to specific balancing approaches with a focus on the upper cervical spine and pelvis you should look for help in increasing the tone of the Vagus Nerve of the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).

Criteria #5: Anti-gravity Muscle Activation. When it comes to back pain and structural imbalances that drive nerve interference there is always an imbalance and loss of function of the critical muscles whose job is to hold you up against gravity. You can see how critical these muscles are by observing older people are bent over and seem to be looking at the ground as they move. Activation and balancing of these muscles are key to long term balance and correction.

Chiropractic is exceedingly safe but like any other discipline the benefits you experience are greatly dependent on the focus, intent, experience, and skill level of the practitioner. Take time to carefully consider what’s important to you when selecting a chiropractor to be part of your health development team. 

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