The Secret in “Health”Care

In America, we pride ourselves on having one of the largest healthcare systems in the world. On one hand, we believe our healthcare system is growing a healthy nation. On the other hand, we have some of the sickest, most obese, and over-medicated children as compared to any other country.

Parents are becoming more and more aware of health statistics and want to take the right steps for their children’s health. Parents don’t just want their children to not be sick, they want them to be truly WELL!  

Where do YOU turn when you and/or your child is sick?

So let’s take a look into the medical and the chiropractic model of care so that YOU can make the best choices for you and your family when it comes to health. 

The medical paradigm is usually the go-to model for parents due to a belief system held in our culture. This makes sense since we have grown up in a country where medical campaigns flood our TV screens, social media advertisements, and are even posted on the walls of our Chicago CTA trains/buses!

The medical world determines health by whether or not you have symptoms. If symptoms arise, outside help in the form of medications and/or procedures are, most of the time, deemed necessary. Once these outside options rid the symptoms then the medical world believes the patient has returned back to health. We call this belief system the “OUTSIDE→IN” paradigm. Meaning that a source from outside of the body (i.e. medication and procedures) enters in the body to aid the body in returning to health. 

The chiropractic paradigm follows a different belief system when compared to the medical model. In fact, chiropractors LIKE to see symptoms arise and don’t necessarily view them as bad.  To chiropractors, symptoms are merely the body’s attempt to self-heal through its innate intelligence. A symptom is present when your body acknowledges something is wrong. For example: A burning sensation occurs when your hand brushes against a hot stove. If you did not feel the burning pain (aka symptom), then your body would not know to pull your hand away and decrease further damage.

That being said, we call chiropractic care an “INSIDE→OUT” paradigm. Chiropractors know that the central nervous system (aka the brain and the spinal cord) run the ENTIRE human body, and all the systems within. According to Gray’s Anatomy, 29th ed., “The nervous system controls and coordinates all organs and structures of the human body.” The human body is a self-healing, self-regulating system that does not need help from an artificial outside source except in an emergency situation.

[Let’s check out an example to compare the two!]
Kate’s son came down with a fever, runny nose, and cough over night and now this concerned mother doesn’t know what to do!

Scenario 1: Kate brings her son to the medical doctor.

The medical doctor examines the child, determines the child is has a bacterial respiratory infection. He may prescribe/advise Tylenol to break the fever, an antibiotic to help rid the runny nose, and throat lozenges for the sore throat as a result of the persistent cough. Mother and son are sent home and requested to return to the doctor’s office only if symptoms persist longer than 1 week or if symptoms suddenly worsen.

Scenario 2: Kate brings her son to a pediatric chiropractor.

The chiropractor examines the child’s nervous system through a specific analysis to locate subluxations (aka nerve interferences). He then completes a chiropractic adjustment to remove the interference(s). The chiropractor will also educate the mother that the fever, runny nose, and cough are GOOD and prove that the body is attempting to RID the bacteria by itself! Mother and son are signed up for a care plan in order to keep the nervous system functioning at its best, continue to strengthen the child's immune system, and prevent further illness from occurring! 

What kind of care would you choose for you child?