Professionals....

Ok Family...I believe this month is simply testing my patience. I do not want to sound like someone that complains all the time. So today I am going to use my platform to remind myself and others, sort of a public service announcement, that professionals are referred by that monicker for a reason. I am not saying that these individuals are better people, but they are considered Subject Matter Experts (SME) in their fields and we as clients/patients rely on their knowledge as guides to help us make decisions.
A few times this month , patients have entered the office with their own self diagnosis of their condition and their own idea of how I need to treat that presenting condition. Now understand, I am in favor of anyone educating themselves on their body and how it is functioning. We have to remember that conditions, disease processes or dysfunction does not and has not read the book that you have. Many times signs and symptoms have over lapping presentations to more than one presenting condition or disease. As a guide I am here to help make that discernment, i.e. Differential Diagnosis. Due to a variety of variables, not everything is treated in the manner that is presented in the book or read literature. This is where expertise and experience plays a role.
Enclosing allow the professionals to offer any options to resolve the difficulties you could be experiencing. Their job is to help flush out the variables and narrow the defining condition for the best results. Sure it is not a perfect solution but I will say it is closer to the mark than just the information read in the book or online.    

Whose Health is It...

Ok sorry family... I had to take a moment to get myself together. As a healthcare provider, I think it is so important that patients have an idea of what to expect from their provider and how services are rendered. My mother had a great doctor that would hold her accountable for her responsibility to her health. He would not deny her treatment or advice, but he would let her know when she was not doing what was recommended or if she was "slackin" with her role in her own health care. This perspective was reinforced when I encountered a patient that was uneducated regarding the type of services provided in the office as well as the approach to how those services are determined (physical examination). Needless to say there were accusations (incorrect and without substance, might I add...) made regarding her examination and treatment. I believe it was a ploy of some kind to get some money. Of course my real saving grace outside of God's Will, was the video cameras in the office that clearly showed her story and accusations were bullshit and fraudulent in its intent. Now understand that I am not disparaging this woman nor do I want her to be placed in a bad light. The truth is her true intent or reasoning is of my own assumption and is not based in fact as to what her motives were...
As a patient seeking care from a provider, it is necessary to ask questions, i.e. How did you come to your assessment? What is your treatment recommendation? How is that treatment provided? and other questions you should know that will give you a clear sense of what to expect. If your provider is unwilling to answer any or all these questions than it is your responsibility to leave or seek care from another provider. If you feel uncomfortable or believe what is being done regarding your treatment is inappropriate then stop the treatment and ask for a chaperone or get clarity. I will never say all providers/doctors are right in what they do or how they do it. The good ones will have explained the majority of this information from the start as well as protect themselves by ensuring patient understanding.
Enclosing, we all have to remember that providers/doctors are guided that help us make the best decisions. The responsibility does not shift to them when it comes to knowing how comfortable or a patient feels regarding the care given. Communicate your concerns often and in a timely manner.

It is Your Life...

There has been a shift in our society that has permeated most aspects of our life. This shift is the idea of instant gratification. The idea of what we want right now verses the idea of working for it. I liken this to a microwave society where instead of cooking a healthy meal, we will search for the fastest food to suppress the hunger and not necessarily worry about the nutritional value of what we are consuming. We have meals that can be cooked within 30 minutes because we want to eat right away to move onto the next task in life. The worst part of this is that we are not really choosing to do this, as much as the fact that we are buying into the concept as part of normal behavior. So it is not the fact that it is convenient as much as it is what we do...it is normal.
This thought process permeates into our idea of health, health care and how we want our treatment plan to proceed. You have an individual that enters for treatment or pain relief and has had this pain for weeks or months if not longer and wants you to get rid of it in one or two sessions. For various reasons;
1. They do not want to pay alot of money.
2. They are traveling or have an activity that they may want to do.
3. Treatment provided may be the most convenient way to resolve the pain but not necessarily the cause.

Let make it clear, that you must be part of the solution when it come to your health. You can not simply rely on the provider to get rid of your ailments or resolve your conditions, as if it is a miracle. Your participation should come in several forms: 1. Lifestyle changes 2. Pro-active resolutions to health issues and 3. regular activity such as exercise and /or walking. I have told my students for years"Do not leave your successes to the mercies or graces of someone else." Be an active participant in all parts of your life including your health.

More than just "crackin my back"

In my several years of practice , I can not count how many times I have had a patient come into see me and tell me, "I just think I need my back cracked" or "just crack my back" or the worst  "pop my back." This is equivalent to going to the dentist and telling him/her "Just pull my tooth..." from a personal stand point, it is disrespectful to the art and science of what we do. If you just want your back 'popped" then save your money and bend over your bed at home or a sturdy table...secondly, there are specific protocol and reasons why we adjust where we do and how it is done to receive the best results. Chiropractors do not randomly just "push and wish" for the results we receive. So, if you think we just crack backs, then you may be amazed by what we are able to do and as to how we really affect the body.  

 

Chiropractors are licensed practitioners who must complete an accredited post-graduate program after college. Chiropractors, like doctors, are board certified  and have the opportunity to extend their certifications into a number of specialty areas after additional training in these fields. In some specialties, a chiropractor can become certified as a Diplomate American Chiropractic Board (DACB) after becoming certified in a specialty. To take this certification test, the chiropractor must take additional classes, accumulate a certain number of work hours and pass the certification test. Prior to any certification, Chiropractors attend a chiropractic school, usually after obtaining a four-year college degree. A Doctor of Chiropractic degree,. Like medical school degree,  take four years to complete and emphasize two years of basic science and two years of clinical science. Chiropractors often learn hands-on skills in preceptor programs.

 

Currently, The American Chiropractic Association offers 10 certification DACB specialties; to include the following:

• Acupuncture,
• Diagnosis and Internal Disorders,
• Neurology,
• Nutrition,
•  Occupational Health,
• Orthopedics,
• Pediatric Chiropractic,
• Physiological Therapeutics and Rehabilitation,
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine.

The goal of most specialties is to expand the scope of chiropractic practice, not just musculoskeletal disorders.

Whether you have been in chiropractic practice for years or looking to change careers, The *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics have compiled a short list of alternatives careers. Although these jobs have their own unique education requirements, a chiropractor is educated and completely capable of practicing in some of the following career fields as well:

Job Title	Median Salary (2016)*	Job Growth (2014-2024)*
Massage Therapists	$39,860	22%
Podiatrists	$124,830	14%
Physical Therapists	$85,400	34%
Physicians and Surgeons	$208,000 or more	14%
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	$99,360	19%
Exercise Physiologists	$47,340	11%

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

In closing, the ability to tolerate and manage stress, increased immune response to localized illness and/or disease processes, increased flexibility and joint motion, improved neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, reduction in chronic pain and your improved overall health is more than just a back crack. Your Chiropractic Physician specializes in knowing how your body works and how to improve its function.

What is a subluxation, really?

As many times as we as practioners describe it throughout our careers, I wonder how many Chiropractic Physicians know what a "'subluxation" really is. We have said it time and time again as practioners of the art and the science. We have many times explained it to patients, in various ways, we have explained that the Nervous System controls and coordinates all the functions in the body. Due to Stress, physical dynamic or diet, each can manifest as an occlusion or blockage of the nervous system not allowing the bodies innate process to function at its optimal capacity.  As a patient attempting to understand my body, this is a great explanation due to it simplicity. Once I was asked by another health care professional (not a Chiropractor) the question; What is a subluxation? He goes on to say, "I get the idea that it is a dysfunction of the Nervous System, but in what manner?" I went on to explain, but it bought me to the question What is a subluxation, really?  I did not want to just consider it from a practioner's point of view talking to a patient but consider the concept from an anatomical and physiological point of view that is still simplistic in its understanding.

Based on the information compiled by Dr. Frank Painter, Author of Vertebral Subluxation Complex: An Integrative Perspective believes a subluxation complex is a traditional response of five components in response to traumatic change in homeostasis. These five integrative components include the following concepts:

Component #1 (Spinokinesiopathology) spinal pathomechanics, including alignment motion irregularities

Component #2 (Neuropathophysiology/Neuropathology) compressed or facilitated nerve tissue

Component #3 (Myopathology) muscle spasm, muscle weakness / atrophy

Component #4 (Histopathology) inflammation, edema (swelling) of tissue, usually local to traumatized area

Component #5 (Pathophysiology/Pathology) pathophysiologic and pathoanatomical changes due to the previous four components usually seen locally as degeneration, fibrous tissue and/or erosion locally and peripherally as a loss of global homeostasis

Studies by Holzer P. Herbert M.K. on Basic Mechanisms, Physiology and Pharmacology of Neurogenic Inflammation discusses the so-called flare response to noxious Stimuli.  These studies also show a subluxation complex is related to a neurogenic inflammatory response of the sensory fibers in the peripheral Nervous System (PNS). Activation of sensory unmyelinated neurons by stimuli (Toxins, trauma or stress) evoke the release of neuropeptides, such as Substance P and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptides (CGRP), from the peripheral nervous system (PNS) sensory nerve endings. This leads to a localized oedemic response, hyperemia and an erythema extending past the site of local stimulation. Functional integrity of the PNS sensory nerve fibers are the key to this response. The release of these peptides are seen as relevant to the physiological and pathological processes in mammals, to include humans. Maintaining this functional integrity is seen as a rationale for therapeutic options for various diseases in which neurogenic inflammation is involved.

In closing, even, mainstream medicine has a definition of vertebral subluxation complexes which basically refers to misalignment or displacement of a vertebra, joint or disc in the spine. The difference in the mainstream concept of subluxation complexes is their view of the concept is conditional. Causes can be attributed to traumatic injury or by age related degenerative spine conditions related to nerve compression producing symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness and muscle spasms. The chiropractic concept of subluxation complexes originates from a more wholistic view point. The founder and innovator of the chiropractic profession, Dr. D.D. Palmer and Dr. B.J. Palmer, respectively, supported the theory of an identifiable relationship between irregularities within the spine-and all diseases. This theory supported that 95 percent of diseases can be directly attributed to spinal irregularities, while the other 5 percent of disease could be blamed on displaced joints elsewhere in the body. The World Health Organization continues to tout, “Lack of empirical evidence” though there is a host of scientific research available to dispute the WHO’s claim. The idea that a vertebral subluxation complex can manifest itself as signs and symptoms of other conditions remain an overarching construct of the chiropractic profession.

Welcome...

Thank you family for your support... I am re-purposing the blog. I have always wanted this blog to be something that is transformative and impactful to those that take the time to read the blog and to those that gleam information that can be useful to what one is trying to accomplish. In an effort to meet this renewed sense of purpose I had to decide how do you impact others in our field.

I learned a lesson while listening to sermon by Dr.Willie Rockward, an Associate Professor of Physics and the Research Director of the Micro/Nano Optics Research & Engineering (MORE) Laboratory at Morehouse College and Associate Minister at Antioch Baptist Church North, Atlanta GA.

     he said, "...In order to be blessed by God, you have to be a conduit for blessing others..."

I understood this quote to say: In order to be blessed you have to be a blessing... so I have taken his words to heart and have asked myself how can i be a blessing to others in the field of Chiropractic, Health and Education. I have to do this while keeping my lane when it comes to working in my strength and understanding... a tough order to fill, especially when your interest lie in many areas.

Now it is important to maintain your attention as readers of this blog so I do not want to rant on and on ... what I want to do is provide is a brief understanding of what to expect in the year 2019 as it relates to the official blog of Dr. Che Joplin.

I have decided the best way I can be a blessing to someone in the field of healthcare is to create a platform where they can express their own ideas and understand of Chiropractic, Health and Healthcare to others. This will be done by written conversation with experienced (veterans of the Chiropractic field) What a win-win situation when we are able to gleam more than just what to do for our health, but to energize our thought process in our approach and understanding. Perspective will be the key. What better way than to provide a diverse view of the Chiropractic field and of healthcare. I will invite Doctors in the field of healthcare, this will include Chiropractic and other Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, Allopathic Medical, Dentistry, technology and philosophy. The goal will be to leave our readers jewels of advice, guidance, inspiration and wisdom on approaches and expectations when it comes to health and the cultures that are affected. We want each professional to answer seven questions that we believe can and will transform your way of thinking and approach to healthcare...

I am very excited about this new approach to understanding and I pray each person will be a blessing to you .

"Is Your Fortess Made of Milestones"

As I set the tone for this blog site... We all remember some of our first accomplishments. First date with that girl or guy, First kiss and how scary and exciting it was at the same time. And many others that you have experienced and some that you will experience sooner or later in life. These idea create the framework for our lives. They can tell the chronological story of who we are and in some case shape our future plans and what we as individuals want to accomplish in our life. These first experiences have the ability to impact each of us to our core, and they can shape our ideas.

As a ninth grader I liked to play basketball. I played high school and city league basketball. I wasn't the best at the game but I always gave my best even when I knew I wasn't as good as some of the others on the teams... I had one my most impactful milestone when I was playing park and recreational basketball  in ninth grade. I was playing against one of my best friends and he was doing great that game. Even for a 9th grader he was really accurate with the deep corner shot. I was a center because I was bulky and somewhat tall. My milestone was scripted like the pages of a book or a feel good movie. I caught the ball and took the shot with only a few seconds left on the clock and we won the game. This win allowed us to play in the city championship game where we were handed our butts by the opposing team. The point of this story is not the fact of making the winning basket so that we could play in the final game. This milestone was impactful because it told me a few things about myself that at that time I could not/or would not ever had believed. That moment into that night and everyday after that moment. I never again doubted myself as an athlete, as a student  and as a person. I actually realized that I had goals that I could achieve if I had a few things I my corner: a good support, a good plan and mental toughness. Now these ideas have morphed  over the years, but the basis of the idea remains elementary and unforgettable.

Good support: whether it is a coach family or a friend that brings out the competition and drive to be better. a good support will always see your real effort. they will be helpful and not critical, suggestive and not bossy and make fun of you after they have helped you to become better.

Good plan: whether it is ideas scribbled on paper or a step by step checklist of events situations or tools needed, a good plan is necessary. You have to know where you are going and sometimes we need a good map to get us there...your plan for success is like your road map. Doesn't have to be completely accurate , but it has to take you somewhere or someplace different than where you are.

Mental toughness: Not allowing the negative thoughts of other and their opinions to direct or misguide us from our goals. A lot of time we share our goals with those we think we trust and their response is: "Why do you want to do that , or that is stupid"... I can go on. "Why not try this instead" this allows them to claim your success as theirs or keeps you from wanting that success because they do not have the support, plan, or mental toughness to make it happen for themselves.  You have to see beyond your critics...

In closing, make your milestones in life impactful and valuable...use them to create the fortress of success you have always dreamed of having for yourself. What are some of your milestones you have achieved?