Episode #13 | Chiropractic Subluxations

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Episode Summary

This episode explores the concept of subluxation philosophy and routine chiropractic adjustments, which are heavily debated within the chiropractic community. The traditional belief that spinal misalignments cause disease is not supported by current scientific evidence. Chiropractors struggle to reliably identify subluxations, and there is no strong evidence to support the effectiveness of routine chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors could play a role in healthcare by taking thorough health histories, performing effective physical exams, and providing patient-centered care. The use of consensus and subjective assessments in chiropractic practice raises concerns about informed consent and patient dependency.

Key Takeaways

Subluxation philosophy and routine chiropractic adjustments are heavily debated within the chiropractic community and not well accepted outside of it.
The traditional belief that spinal misalignments cause disease is not supported by current scientific evidence.
Chiropractors struggle to reliably identify subluxations, and there is no strong evidence to support the effectiveness of routine chiropractic adjustments.
Chiropractors could play a role in healthcare by taking thorough health histories, performing effective physical exams, and providing patient-centered care.
The use of consensus and subjective assessments in chiropractic practice raises concerns about informed consent and patient dependency.

Episode Chapters

00:00 The Benefits and Limitations of Chiropractic Adjustments

01:37 The Importance of Physical Activity, Strength Training, and Cardio

02:14 The Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Mental Health in Pain Management

02:41 Chiropractic: Beyond Adjustments

02:50 Misleading Terminology in Chiropractic

02:51 Chiropractic Subluxation Theory

03:48 Routine Spinal Adjustments and Organ Health

04:03 The Role of Scientific Evidence in Understanding the Human Body

04:33 The Importance of Keeping an Open Mind

04:46 Issues with the Chiropractic Philosophy of Spinal Misalignment

05:21 The False Sense of Dependency Created by the Belief in Realignment

05:49 The Potential Medical Emergency of Spinal Instability

06:02 The Poor Correlation Between Imaging Findings and Pain

06:31 Misalignments on X-rays: Not Always Indicative of a Problem

06:59 The Design of the Spine: Twist and Tilt with Stability

07:29 The Value of Imaging for Medical Interventions

07:54 When Imaging May Not Be Necessary

08:02 The Relevance of Spinal Misalignment

08:30 Differentiating Structural Problems

08:38 Differing Opinions on Spinal Dysfunction

09:07 The Lack of Evidence for Chiropractic Subluxations

09:31 The Definition of Chiropractic Subluxation

09:58 Abandoning the Bone Out of Place Narrative

10:27 Potential Changes to the Model

10:53 The Challenge of Reliably Identifying Subluxations

11:48 Methods Used to Locate Subluxations

13:46 The Reliability Issue with Chiropractic Assessments

14:44 Questioning the Effectiveness of Subluxation-Based Chiropractic

16:42 The Dilemma of Maintenance Chiropractic Adjustments

17:48 Understanding Chiropractic Subluxations

18:48 Reliability of Clinical Tests for Subluxation Location

19:46 Lack of Reliable Tests for Subluxation Existence and Clearance

20:05 The Assumptions in the Process of Subluxation Adjustment

20:22 The Role of Scientific Evidence in Chiropractic Adjustments

21:05 Effectiveness of Chiropractic Adjustments for Low Back Pain

21:51 Lack of Research on Chiropractic Maintenance Care

22:19 Chiropractic Adjustments for Headaches Related to Neck Pain

23:17 Questioning the Concept of Subluxation

23:19 Understanding Chiropractic

23:49 Comprehensive Approach

24:27 Challenges with Chiropractic Adjustments

24:40 The Impact of Chiropractic Adjustments on Clinical Outcomes

24:57 Reducing Opioid Use with Chiropractic Care

25:26 The Need for Further Research in Chiropractic Care

25:28 Addressing Patient Concerns and Ruling Out Scary Things

26:50 Considering Factors Influencing Pain and Treatment Options

27:40 Explaining Prognosis and Setting Realistic Expectations

28:31 Teaching Patients to Not Need Chiropractors

28:45 Different Approaches in Chiropractic Clinics

29:07 The Need for Informed Consent and Transparency

31:03 Avoiding Unsupported Claims and Adjusting the Narrative

31:48 The Role of Research in Chiropractic

33:03 Addressing Negative Stereotypes in Chiropractic

33:22 The Founders' Vision for Change

33:49 Romanticizing the Past

Sound Bites

"The profession was founded by people who wanted to change."

"Is there a body of scientific evidence demonstrating that people who receive more chiropractic adjustments suffer from less pain than people who don't?"

"Subluxation theory originated in the late 1800s, and based on the limited info available at that time, this concept was justifiable."

References

Palmer College of Chiropractic Continuing Education - Care Plans, Maintenance Care, and the Reliability of Methods for Detecting Subluxations

Palmer College of Chiropractic Continuing Education - 6 Myths About Back Pain

Key Facts and Figures About the Chiropractic Profession (American Chiropractic Association)

Everything you need to know about chiropractic (Medical News Today)