Not Just Words, Words, Words

There is no reason for our existence without the subluxation and adjustment! To some members of the chiropractic profession these are words of endearment, which are held closely to their hearts and practiced every day in their clinics. To others, there appears to be an effort to change the very words that maintain a focused professional identity. Adjusting subluxations improves the quality of life for millions throughout our nation and the world everyday. So why is there an effort by some to want to change the words that are an integral part of chiropractic since its inception more than 100 years ago?

Now here’s a thought: if words are the currency of the mind, and we change those meaningful, descriptive words, is this not shortchanging the entire profession, and confusing to the very people we serve? Difference is not wrong, and we must protect that very difference we hold in serving the health care needs of people.

We are unique, and that is what makes the doctor of chiropractic delivering an adjustment to a subluxation of the spine stand out from other health care specialties. Otherwise, there would be no need for chiropractors because there would be a duplication of services in the eyes of some decision makers. Let us stand up and not let those who would destroy chiropractic achieve that goal.

It’s also a "me-too-ism" attitude that I have lectured on for years which appears to motivate some to want to change the chiropractic image by changing words that describe best what we do. This was noted by Al Ries and Jack Trout in in their book, Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, published 20 years ago.

Much of this me-too concept began in the early years of the chiropractic profession in an attempt to mimic the medical profession wearing the white coat. Therefore white coats became the order of the day in a clinic setting for many years. There have been some chiropractors who wanted to dispense drugs and be called chiropractic physicians. We must protect our descriptive language and unique methodology.

What does this have to do with the chiropractic subluxation and adjustment? It’s the attitude that many people have about wanting to be more like the medical model, rather than staying within the chiropractic model. Then there are insurance companies that control the dollars paid for services rendered to patients. The desire to be like the medical model and be paid for those services has caused rationalization by groups and individuals in creating changes in our terminology.

The language describing what we do and how we help people lead a more healthy lifestyle is very important. Keep in mind that the chiropractic subluxation and the correction achieved with the more precise adjusting methodology will improve the well-being of our patients. What we say and how we say it is just as important as the adjustment delivered to the patient, thereby maintaining a focused professional identity.

About the Author
Wayne Henry Zemelka, DC, operates the Zemelka Family Chiropractic Clinic in Davenport, Iowa, and teaches the Thompson Technique in seminars sponsored by the continuing education departments of various colleges and state organizations. He can be reached at 563-386-8585 or via email: drwayne@netins.net.