Wellness and Preventative Care, A Paradigm Shift

In today’s model of healthcare, it seems to be more of a sick care model. Until recently, we really haven’t promoted wellness or preventative types of care. Patients go to the doctor and automatically expect to be prescribed a slew of medications. Most people happily oblige and head straight to the pharmacy. As a practitioner, I am starting to see a shift in paradigm with my patients. They would rather get to the root of their problems and also take preventative measures to make sure they don’t regress or have a flair up.

We see many different conditions walk into our Chiropractic office, from back pain, neck pain, headaches, the dreaded sciatica, and even sprain & strain type of injuries. We also see people seeking wellness or preventative care. With the opioid epidemic, more and more patients are looking for alternatives to their back pain treatment. They don’t want to be in a comatose state while they wait for their pain to pass. They want to take an active role in their healthcare treatment. They want to be able to function without having to rely on medications to deal with their pain.

What is wellness? Meridel Gatterman describes it as the following in his book Chiropractic, Health Promotion, and Wellness as a process of optimal functioning and creative adaptation involving all aspects of your life. He goes on to state that it’s an enjoyable approach to living that emphasizes the importance of achieving harmony in all aspects of your mind, body, and spirit.

I try to educate my patients on the importance of spinal health, just like a dentist emphasize the importance of good dental hygiene. I tell all my patients that joints are meant to move and when they stop moving, the degenerative process can take hold. We will all deal with degenerative changes throughout our lives, it really depends on how we want to prevent and or deal with these processes. Taking an active role in your healthcare is the most vitial and important step. If we eat healthy, exercise regularly, and incorporate different conservative treatments, we are more likely to achieve that wellness state that Dr. Gatterman describes in his book.

The big misconception in Chiropractic treatment is that we pop bones back in place. They is far from the truth. I educate all my patients that I work on joint mobility and health. I also try to educate them on the importance of taking an active role in their recovery. If and when a patient does this, they will truly be a part of the wellness and preventative model of healthcare. They will no longer rely on opioids and other harsh drugs to deal with their pain.

If you are in the search of a Wellness Doctor and Practitioner, give Dr. Gibson at RTP Chiropractic in Morrisville NC a call. We have developed a different and unique approach to healthcare. We promote wellness care, not sick care.