Hear me out on this! Hopefully we can make sense out of this so that it actually helps you with caring for your body.
We live in a culture that has clearly taught us that symptoms are bad and the objective of care is to eliminate or reduce the symptoms. Sound familiar? That’s all well and good if the symptoms we are experiencing are the cause of our problems and eliminating them will correct the problem.
Not only is that not true but in many cases the opposite is true. If all we do is eliminate the symptoms, often the real problem only worsens over time. Let’s look at a few examples of this:
- When someone is experiencing a heart attack one of the common symptoms is pain radiating into the left arm. There is no problem with the arm and any attempt to just eliminate the arm pain could allow the heart attack to do more damage.
- Sciatica is pain radiating down the leg due to irritation and inflammation of the Sciatic Nerve. The problem is rarely if ever with the sciatic nerve. The problem is something is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve.
- A gentleman just left my office, Life Chiropractic. He came in with complaints of numbness and tingling into the fingers of his right hand. The problem has nothing to do with his arm or hand. It all has to do with an irritation of the nerves leaving his neck and going down his arm.
- Headaches are another great example. Headaches often have nothing to do with the head. Something is irritated causing pain to be perceived in the head.
The Symptom is NOT the Problem
Symptoms are an indication that something is out of balance. This is the most common reason for chronic or recurrent symptoms. Sometimes symptoms are a sign of injury or damage in the acute state.
But, either way the symptoms are an indication of an imbalance and the problem itself. Yet, what is the focus of our healthcare system and most of us? Eradicate those symptoms at any cost with little attention focused on the underlying reason why we are experiencing the symptoms in the first place.
Acid Reflux, also called GERD is a great example of this. The medications like Prilosec, called Proton Pump Inhibitors were originally intended to be taken for a short period of time. Yet, many people are on these medications for years. By reducing stomach acid with these medications they are interfering with digestion and the absorption of nutrients.
If the Symptoms Are Not the Problem, What Is?
This is the crux of the problem right here. Without knowing and understanding the cause of your symptoms you stand little chance of correcting the underlying problem. Sometimes that doesn’t cause a problem, but many times this is the cause of many long term chronic conditions.
In my office, Life Chiropractic, I see a fair number of people experiencing sciatica. This is pain radiating down the leg. The problem has nothing to do with the leg. Most of the time medication is not very helpful but even if it were it wouldn’t address the real problem.
The problem is an irritation and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Unless you address and correct the cause of the irritation it often eventually leads to a much worse condition like:
- Disc bulge
- Degenerative Arthritis
- Chronic Pain
So, what’s the point of all this?
Be your own advocate when it comes to your health. If a doctor wants to prescribe medication or do something ask them a couple of questions:
- What is causing my symptoms? If they don’t know, ask what they are going to do to try and figure it out.
- If they do have an answer, ask what likely caused that.
- What are you going to do to address the cause of the problem?
- With any medication or treatment ask how it works and what the possible adverse reactions are.
We are an overmedicated society. NBC news did a story titled America: The Land of the Medicated that discusses how the US population is overmedicated.
Chiropractic offers a natural and safe approach to helping the body heal from injuries and correct the cause of many painful conditions.
If you would like to schedule a visit to Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley you can use this link: Schedule Here.
About Dr. Berkowitz
Dr. Bill Berkowitz is a dedicated chiropractor who brings reliability and depth to his practice at Life Chiropractic in western Nevada County. Focused on addressing chronic issues like low back pain, headaches, and anxiety, Dr. Berkowitz delivers patient-centered care rooted in proven methods without unnecessary extras.
Life Chiropractic, founded by Dr. Bill Berkowitz, offers reliable and results-driven chiropractic care for residents of western Nevada County. With a focus on foundational health solutions, the practice prioritizes quality and effectiveness to help clients achieve relief from chronic issues without unnecessary add-ons.
Schedule your first visit here: Schedule Here