Your Chiropractor is masking your symptoms and not treating the true cause of

your painjust like his medical counterparts.

Within the scope of my practice, chiropractors are capable of specializing in a
vast array of disciplines, such as Neurology or Internal Medicine. However, for the
sake of this essay, I am restricting my views to those who predominantly practice in
the field of neuromusculoskeletal medicine. I am speaking of the typical
chiropractor who treats pain-related complaints stemming from orthopedic
conditions. The argument regarding the true origin of neuromusculoskeletal
dysfunction (e.g. the cause of your symptoms) has been settled: abnormal
movement patterns are ultimately the underlying cause of most orthopedic
conditions.
The story goes like thisthe brain and spinal cord regulate all muscle function and
posture, which means that whenever any type of action is elicited, your brain
sends specific signals to particular muscles, which in turn, not only create
movement, but also provide the brain and spinal cord with a sense of position and
posture of all the corresponding joints which is necessary for proper stabilization.
So, when I want to reach into a cabinet to lift a plate, there is a sequence of
events in the brain and spinal cord that send signals to your shoulder, neck and
arm musculature (as well as other core musculature) in order to allow you to
properly lift that plate.
In order to more fully understand this concept, you must also see that not only will
the brain be telling certain muscles to shorten and contract, but other muscles will
be told to elongate and contract, while still other muscles will be stimulated to
maintain their length while contracting. This coordination of muscle function also
coincides with proper posturing of all the joints related to the movement, which is
a direct result of muscular and cartilagenous sensation surrounding those joints
that are constantly informing our brains about the movement. This sensorial
feedback system is constantly telling our brain and spinal cord about the relative
position and posture of all involved muscles and joints, and the brain responds by
positioning those joints and activating those muscles in the most advantageous
way. This specific joint position and muscle tone is deemed ideal because our

body can adequately respond to the forces created from the movement without
causing pain or injury.
As we just described, all movements are a result of motor programs initiated in the
brain and spinal cord, and these motor programs provide our bodies with precise
instructions on how to control, regulate, and perform a task. The problem occurs
when people consistently use sub-optimal or non-ideal motor programs to
perform their tasks. Although I am oversimplifying an extremely complex process,
a person may have become habituated to a movement pattern that is not ideal,
which means that every time they perform that action, they are using their muscles
incorrectly, they are allowing abnormal forces to enter their joints, and as a result,
the patient will begin to experience painful symptoms. These symptoms can come
in a variety of forms, such as muscle spasm, poor posture, aching, sensations of
instability, or sharp pain.
Having understood this process, what should be the chiropractors ultimate
purpose in treatmentshould we stretch tight muscles, should we manipulate
restricted joints, should we jam our thumbs into spasmodic tissue, should we
prescribe anti-inflammatories, should we perform acupuncture? While some or all
of the above suggestions may provide a brief relief of symptoms, the chiropractor
must teach a patient how to move properly if they are to retrain their brains and
engrain normal movement patterns. As you can see, the true cause of
dysfunction does not lie solely in the muscle or the joint, but in the motor program
that controls those structures, therefore one has to address how a patient moves in
order to be able to say you are not just masking symptoms, but treating the true
cause of the problem. Chiropractic adjustments and manual therapy techniques
do not retrain motor programs. So please ask yourself, how long does your
Chiropractor spend teaching you how to move?


While their treatment methods may be more natural, the majority of chiropractors
are essentially masking the same symptoms as their medical counterparts.

The quality of care that you receive in my office is unparalleled in the Chiropractic
profession. An established patient can expect to receive 45-60 minutes of
personalized, hands-on care, where the entire visit is spent with me, the doctor. I
do not utilize modalities such as Ultrasound or Electric Stimulation, where patients
are left wasting time in rooms by themselves. I do not have assistants that perform
examinations, provide treatments, or guide therapy. The adjustment is not the
primary mode of treatment. All care will be administered by myself, where the

necessary time is taken to properly examine, treat, and educate my patients. My
aim is to create a relationship where the patient takes an active role in his or her
own healthcare, and where the elimination of pain while restoring function using
natural, effective methods is my mission. As a patient of mine, you can expect the
majority of each visit to be dedicated to teaching you natural stabilization and
movement patterns. Awareness of how you are moving is essential to this process.

So, now that I have demonstrated to you that movement is the underlying cause
of your symptoms, ask yourself once again, how much time does your chiropractor
spend teaching you how to move?



William Tortoriello, D.C.