First, while the pregnant mom is laying face down on the pregnancy pillow(s), the trained chiropractor is finds the side of the sacrum that is “rocked” back more on one side verses the other and adjusts that side either with a drop table, activator (clicker), or by mobilizing it. Then gently massaging the piriformis muscles on both sides helps the sacrum and the tail bone to relax even more. From here the doctor will palpate to find the tight sacrotuberous ligament and apply pressure on it to help it to relax as well. 

The patient is then brought to lay on her back and if there is any pubic symphasis pain, a gentle adjustment may occur, otherwise the practitioner will find which psoas muscle is tight and work to pin and stretch it to help it to relax. The psoas muscles go from the lower back and go in front of the pelvis to insert into the femur bone. This allows the legs to move up in front of you and if it’s tight, it can put tension on the uterus. Then the tight round ligament is identified and light pressure is applied to it till it relaxes. There you go! That’s the Webster Technique! Other chiropractors may add other adjustments according to the needs and wants of the patient, but that is the gist of the technique.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

Many women receive a large variety of complications during pregnancy. This can range from low back pain, pelvic pain, sciatic pain, numbness, high blood pressure, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, difficulty sleeping and the list goes on. Can chiropractic care help with pelvic and low back pain during pregnancy? Yes! The Webster Technique was specifically designed to make sure that the pelvis is moving properly. If the pelvis is moving properly, then we can know that there is optimal space for the uterus and baby to move as well.

The Webster technique provides an adjustment to the sacrum, relief to the muscles in the gluteal region and relieves tension with the associated ligaments around the pelvis and uterus. 

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

If a doctor does a thorough evaluation of the patient, and if there were no traumas in the patients past, then an X-ray of the affected area is often unnecessary. “Well, how would you know what segments to adjust if you can’t ‘see’ the misalignment?” Chiropractors are trained to palpate the spine and muscles. Let them use those skills. They ought to be able to feel with their hands a joint that is “displaced,” “stuck” or “out of place.”

With a proper new patient intake form, and a thorough evaluation of the patients past, and physical state, it is pretty easily discernible whether or not they need an X-ray. Often if physical trauma is present, then an X-ray is most likely recommended. Otherwise, the chiropractor can use critical thinking skills given their training to know a good course of action on their new patients treatment plan.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

Another con towards receiving very frequent chiropractic adjustments is in developing joint laxity. Over time of repeated adjustments to the same joints, the joints can become hyper-mobile, and become unstable. Well, what about the better posture part of this plan? Yes, you can receive better posture, but are you changing your lifestyle choices? Maybe your forward head posture is due to looking down at your phone for hours each day without exercising the muscles that work to support your head. It is just as important to make lifestyle changes when it comes to having good posture.

When making a decision on whether or not to follow through with this treatment plan, ask yourself, “If I choose to do this, am I choosing it out of fear? Or am I choosing it because I feel within my heart that it is right and that I should do it?” If you feel at peace with yourself about choosing this treatment plan, then by all means you should do it! If, however, you feel afraid that you’re going to die due to disc degeneration or suffer horrible arthritis if you don’t go through with this, then I might consider getting another opinion or re-evaluate what it is you get to do. In any sense, feel RIGHT about your decision.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

Yes, there are benefits to seeing a chiropractor! That much has been observed. Although, to what point? If a patient goes through with the previous blog posts’ treatment plan, they will see improved range of motion. They will see a positive change in the curvature in their spine with the post treatment X-ray. They will most likely see better improvement in their posture as well.

One of the cons to this treatment model is that each person has their own variations in their anatomy than that of anyone else on the planet. To say that they are dysfunctional and broken by comparing them to someone else, is putting the patient down. Should we be comparing ourselves with anyone else other than ourselves from our past? When we start comparing ourselves to others we will always be disappointment in ourself. Why? Because we will always find someone better than us. Someone with a larger curve in their spine, or someone else with a younger and healthier back. 

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

Many new patients go into a chiropractic clinic because their back hurts or neck hurts. Often the patient is led to an X-ray room and receives 3 or so X-rays of the affected area. Many times the patient is told to return home for a day or two so that the Doctor can review the X-rays and “see” what’s really going on with the spine. Upon the next visit the chiropractor may show the misaligned spine, or a deviation of curvature that should be there, to the patient. Then possibly a series of other x-rays taken of someone who “continued to have poor posture and misalignment” until the joints became arthritic and deformed.

With this idea, that something is horribly wrong in their body – that they’re broken, the chiropractor proceeds to inform the new patient that they are in the right place; that through their chiropractic care, they can restore normal curvature in the spine and reverse degeneration of the joints. Then, the patient is given a care package or a treatment plan that includes coming in for adjustments 2-3 times per week, for 2-4 weeks, then 1-2 times for another 2-4 weeks, then 1 time per week for another 2-4 weeks. The patient is again taken to the X-ray room and the chiropractor shows the progress that they made with curvature of the spine, increased range of motion in the joints and so on. After which the patient is possibly told to come back about 1 time per month for maintenance.

This is a common scare tactic that many doctors use – that something is horribly wrong with the patient, and that the doctor is here to save them from their inevitable future debilitation. Is this a good business model? Are there benefits in going to the chiropractor for that many treatments? Are there cons to going to the chiropractor that often? These are questions that we will look into in our next blog posts.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

“Life is but the expression of spirit through matter. To make life manifest requires the union of spirit and body.” 

~ Daniel D. Palmer

This is often talked about in casual conversations with others. People say to “follow your heart” or “get out of your head” somewhat frequently. Well, what does that mean? The “…union of spirit and body…” spoken about by Dr. Palmer is just that – to follow your heart. Spiritual things that are good often come through our hearts and, if followed, our spirituality increases regardless of what faith or religion you may be in.

Often times we get thoughts coming to our minds to do something that might help somebody else, or promote something good. Do we then have the courage to do that good thing? Our hearts are telling us to do it. Will we choose to do it? If we do, we often feel lighter and better inside that we just served somebody or ourselves and a feeling of satisfaction comes into our being. If we choose not to follow those feelings from our heart, it becomes harder to feel them again when they come. If not followed time and time again, then over the course of years and decades we begin to lose sight of what our hearts are speaking to us.

To keep the sanctity of life and to receive more life and health, why not unify our spirit and body and listen to our hearts? What is the worst thing that can happen when doing something good?

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson

…

A large part of my practice can be echoed further with what Dr. D.D. Palmer said:

“I feel it my bounden duty to not only replace displaced bones, but also teach others, so that the physical and spiritual may enjoy health, happiness and the full fruition of our earthly lives.” 

~ Daniel D. Palmer

This is also what the word “doctor” means; to teach! I feel that if a doctor isn’t teaching, he or she is missing something in their practice. A great part of healing comes from the knowledge of how or why things are working the way they are. It can also be said that this life is all about chasing our ignorance – to be rid of it! If we have a problem or an issue in our life, then there is ignorance involved with it. Whether it’s not knowing what to do, or struggling to listen to that inner voice, or a lack of understanding; in all cases, there is a lack of knowledge.

As a wholistic practitioner, I desire and feel that it’s vitally important for all people to receive knowledge, and from that knowledge receive greater capacity to heal and live a better more fulfilling life.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

This innate intelligence spoken of before also goes through the nervous system; bringing information and instructions to all parts of our body. The original thought of an adjustment was to move the partially dislocated joint, or subluxation, and thereby freeing the innate intelligence to communicate without interference to the affected area. From this, healing can occur, mobility can be restored, and a patients overall health can be greatly helped!

Some Chiropractors and Medical Doctors alike often try to scare a patient into buying into the idea that they are broken and that their body is going to be crippled down the road if they don’t get treatment from them. This is not the basis or the original idea of why chiropractic or traditional medicine began. It was meant to help others to heal. The body knows how to heal, and we can find it within us! Sometimes we do need a little nudge with the help of nutritional or herbal supplements or even pharmaceuticals if necessary. However, we can manipulate that light energy within us to also receive great healing and enlarge our capacities for good in all areas of our life.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

One of the foundational beliefs embedded in chiropractic care is the idea that we all have innate intelligence. This innate intelligence knows how to keep things functioning within the body. These things, for example, can be heart rate, hormone regulation, fear responses, and experiencing love. 

Daniel D. Palmer was very metaphysical in his beliefs behind him finding Chiropractic as a profession. In his belief he stated: 

“That which I named ‘innate’ is a segment of that intelligence which fills the universe.” 

~ Daniel D. Palmer

He goes on to say: 

“The philosophy of chiropractic is founded upon the knowledge of the manner in which vital functions are performed by innate in health and disease. When the controlling intelligence is able to transmit mental impulses to all parts of the body, free and unobstructed, we have normal action which is health.” 

~ Daniel D. Palmer

Whether it’s innate intelligence, light, energy body, chi, ki, or life-force energy, we all know that something else is at work other than our physical body. There is a noticeable temperature change in the body when a person passes away, so something leaves us! That something is what gives us life and “intelligence.” I think D.D. Palmer had some truth in what he claimed.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…