Let's remember our profession's home is Iowa. Our profession took root in places peopled by honest, hard-working country folks. Farmers, who were under the rigors of the elements and who had to meet the demands of the schedule of their work, were our first research laboratories. Our methods developed as we kept dairy ranchers and pig farmers working.
Our patients were salt-of-the-earth, and so were we; that's why we got along, survived, and prospered. This is in the basic character of our profession.
In the country, people value doing what's right by your neighbor. They name what's real, but their words are sparse. They deal with troubles by making best use of limited resources. They have fortitude. They seem to take things in stride, and don't get stressed out.
There's a special way country people cultivate honesty, respect, and basic trust among themselves. They can pull together to meet the challenges of living. We can be like that.
I treasure my memories of the time I spent with country chiropractors who had small town practices. Their waiting rooms were filled with people who cared for, were grateful to, and respected their doctor. Doctors earned those feelings from patients by their down-to-earth, honest, generous, caring way.
If you're not familiar with the feelings, get to know chiropractors who are like that. Read about it. Think about it. Talk about it.
Our centennial celebration is a time to look at our roots as a profession. During special times of memory, we can sift through everything that has occurred, both the good and the bad. We can let the bad pass by, and let go of it. We reach out once again and grasp what is valuable to us.
These are not the 1890s. We've got to adopt to stresses and demands that our country chiropractor forefathers were spared. We have to be busy, urbane, sophisticated, technological, and professional. We have to fight for our place in the changing health care delivery system in ways that take their toll on us.
That's why it's especially important to connect with our basic character, our basic down-home goodness. It can be a source of much needed inspiration. It is possible to create the spirit of the best things about a small, country town in your life right now.
The words and melody of a country-western song have been on my mind recently. Sung by Waylon Jennings, the song cheers me as I'm moving along the way to being happier.
Some of the words to the song are: "Let's go to Lukenbach, Texas ... This successful life we're livin' got us feudin' like the Hatfields and McCoys ... Maybe it's time we got back to the basics -- of love."
Linda Elyad, DC
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
