Pain vs. pathology in your ROF (part 2 of 3)

We have found 3 primary areas of focus to improve the Decompression ROF:

1. Making the patient aware there is a disc “lesion” likely creating the pain.
2. The lesion will benefit from the treatment modalities we offer because: “decompression (and Laser etc) enhances blood contact, reduces inflammation and can often reduce the size of the herniated or protruding portion. This reduction-phase of treatment will be followed by a stabilization and rehab phase necessary to reduce the likelihood of recurrence”.
3. Correlate the exam findings e.g. directional preference, pressure pain threshold, form closure/”stability”, location, intensity and disability profile with the disc lesion (and if an MRI report is available further validate it to those findings).

We always need to create a compelling story as to why accepting the recommended care is an imperative if the fullest relief is to be achieved.  However, don’t shy away from a “fall back” position (triage or a reduced number of treatments) when the full complement of care is simply not going to be accepted.

BJ Palmer first developed the idea that “pain” was the patients’ calling card, but “subluxation” must be the Chiropractors’ calling card. IF we take the focus off the spine “lesion” and place it squarely on the patient’s “pain” we dedicate ourselves to a false paradigm.

If you think about surgeons, their focus is on the structural stuff they are working on…IF the patient comes out pain-free so much the better…but the patients’ pain is in effect “peripheral” to the surgeons skill and focus.