05/19/2021
Frustrations from a Chiropractor: I recently read on a social media post that someone was having trouble with a particular area of their spine. My heart really went out to them because I could really feel their frustration and aggravation as I continued to read how they tried this, and they tried that, and that they even tried Chiropractic, and yet nothing has helped them so far.
Reading a post like this really breaks my heart, but it also chaps me. On one hand I feel for them. I can feel the desperation coming from this person. But, at the same time I have had patients like this, and I know that Chiropractic likely didn't fail this person. The person failed Chiropractic.
How do I know this... Because when someone comes into my office as an example, after reviewing patient history, doing a proper examination, and then x-rays, I the doctor will lay out a treatment plan. That treatment plan is given for a reason. As Chiropractors we need the patient to be on board with our recommendations in order to help get them well.
But, when someone comes in to the office with a whole linty of excuses as to why they won't, or are unable to follow through with the prescribed outlined course of care, and they still expect to l receive the same results as if they were following through with my treatment plan, that is a recipe for failure.
If instead of doing my recommendations they decide to do their own thing, such as come and go as they please, skip visits, and/or come inconsistently, again it's almost guaranteed to fail. Then the question I have is, what is it that really failed? It's not Chiropractic in this case.
As the doctor we can only do so much. The rest is up to the patient to follow through with not only in office care, but also home care if prescribed. It breaks my heart when I hear that someone didn't get the results they were looking for. But, what makes me more upset is the knowing that it was due to a lack of patient compliance, and not because of Chiropractic did or didn't work for them.
