by Bill Decken, DC, LCP

Author Margaret Manning writes about the things that make people peculiar in A Slice of Infinity. The past several years in our culture it has not been uncommon to see young males walking around with their pants seeming to be falling off their backsides. A wide variety of body piercing and tattoos are also observable in males and females in a variety of age groups. To some generations this is peculiar. It would also be peculiar to find a blond hair blue eyed Chinese person. Similarly, the public schools where I live will be experimenting with a school dress code to see if it has a positive effect on learning in the inner city schools. The kids, of course, think that will make them peculiar.

Peculiarities make us unique. We can also discuss the qualities and characteristics that make a chiropractor or a chiropractic patient unique. When a behavior/style/language is considered to be peculiar it is often associated with being bad, but this does not have to be the case. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary the word peculiar is derived from the Latin word meaning private property. To be peculiar is to be exclusive, particular or special. This is definitely the case with chiropractic.

Chiropractic was born in the heartland of America in 1895. While modern medicine appeared to be moving more in the direction of drugs and surgery, the founder of the chiropractic profession was interested more in the innate, biological ability of the body to heal itself. The word chiropractic, meaning practiced by hand, was selected to set this healing art apart from medicine and all other healing arts. The chiropractic adjustment is given to assist the body in its striving to restore and maintain the highest levels of health. The name and the underlying philosophy (natural, innate healing) made chiropractic peculiar.

Chiropractic was not intended to be a treatment for low back pain or any other ailment. It was intended to help the people function better. However, many people who receive a chiropractic adjustment notice symptomatic improvements in a wide variety of ailments. This has caused some in both the public and the profession of chiropractic to adopt a more medical, treatment-oriented mindset of chiropractic. This is not necessarily a negative but it does not enhance the position of chiropractic as being exclusive, particular or special.

The result of this type of thinking is that many folks do not seek the services of a chiropractor to help them achieve and maintain the highest levels of wellness they could be enjoying. The peculiar chiropractor educates the public differently, giving them the information they need to make life enhancing choices.

The peculiar health care consumer is looking for an approach to their health and the health of their family that does not involve waiting until something “falls apart” or “breaks down”.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1993-the most comprehensive published study of alternative therapies-reported that 34 percent of adults had used alternative therapies in 1990. However, about 72 percent of these users did not inform their physician that they used such therapies. Altogether, the amount spent on alternative therapies totaled $13.7 billion in 1990, with $10.3 billion of that amount spent out-of-pocket. Moreover, in 1994, there were 59,000 licensed alternative medicine practitioners in chiropractic, oriental medicine (acupuncture and herbal medicine), and naturopathy. About 50,000 of these providers were practicing in chiropractic.

The health care consumers referenced in this study were peculiar. They stepped outside the box and many looked at the value of a chiropractic adjustment. The alternative aspect of chiropractic care goes further than merely getting adjusted until one feels better. Chiropractic, and the peculiar chiropractor, offers an alternative viewpoint on health and healing. If an improved nerve supply can help a body heal, the same reasoning can be applied to proactive health care. Having the spine checked on a regular basis ensures proper function of the nerve system and hence the body.

If you are a peculiar health care consumer and you have found a chiropractor that thinks like you, consider yourself blessed. If not, consider challenging your chiropractor to provide you with regular spinal check-ups with adjustments as needed for a lifetime of chiropractic care.

If you are a peculiar chiropractor who sees the benefit of regular, lifetime chiropractic care for the people you serve, congratulations on seeing the original intent of the chiropractic profession. You offer an exclusive service that is not duplicated by any other health care professional.