The other day I asked a patient reluctant to see progress how he was doing. Big mistake!

 

He generally is negative person and tends to depress everyone with his gloomy attitude. “Nothing is better,” he said, in fact his right shoulder bothered him more since yesterday. After seeing patient after patient and feeling the power of healing, I wasn’t in the right mindset to be brought down with his doom and gloom. I reminded him of his spinal structural dilemma, his history of accidents, his visceral sensitivities and his subluxation complex from A-Z. I outlined how my objective findings have been less as well as his reduced subjective complaints. I was not in the mood to discuss this further or even see him again without some confirmation of agreement and appreciation of what has been accomplished.

 

I asked him point blank why he would want to continue care if he felt it was not accomplishing much.  In a defensive tone he told me he wasn't sure and didn't see how chiropractic could reduce nerve irritation and help with his muscle pain. Now that was fighting words especially after all the time I spent in previous visits with knee to knee education, review of his x-rays and attempting to have him see the big picture. I was ready to kick him to the curb. But, I stopped short of this and regrouped my thoughts and told him that is what chiropractors do and what I’ve been doing successfully for 42 years. I pointed towards wall charts filled with muscles and nerves. This now was a challenge for me, so prior to his leaving, I gave him a book, a booklet and some internet links to learn more about how our honored profession directly reduces nerve pressure, muscle tension and the reality of the subluxation with my last thought; “I hope to see you again.”

 

Well, who knew he was a rabid reader and just needed more validation and visualization to comprehend the global extent of the adjustment. He returned for his scheduled visit with a new attitude and a hunger to learn more. First thing he said to me was if he would have come earlier to a chiropractor he wouldn’t be in the pickle he was in now. He agreed that further care would be necessary and asked if his subluxations resulted in many of his complaints. The discussion moved to what physiologically happened after his many auto collisions and why proactive maintenance care made sense.

 

How many patients fit this description in your office? Don’t give up on them since their ignorance is a result of our inability to have them see the global picture of what we can, nay, what their body can accomplish with less nerve interference. Often this oversight is not your lack of trying but not finding and matching the proper tools to reach them

 

As Yoda would say: Reach them you must or they lose the global picture of chiropractic.