Enlightened Understanding
I am writing this note in reference to a column written by Dr. David Seaman, DC, MS, DABCN, in the Dec. 17th issue concerning being fooled. I applaud this writer's tenacity in arguing the point that many of our colleagues are complacent about their place in the health care provider system and that many of them are not participating to their full potential in the proper studies that would not only support but enhance our standing in the eyes of other professionals.
I believe that many times colleagues become deceived by fraudulent claims instead of investigating and understanding a technique or product to its full extent on their own. Too many erroneous techniques and illogical therapies are being propagated as scientific study in our profession. It is nice to read a well though out, well indexed and informative column available in your publication. I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Seaman's opinion that we should be careful of what and who we endorse as a profession.
I look forward to reading any and all future publications regarding such enlightened and educated understanding.
James Haag, DC, DACAN
Suffield, Connecticut
Missing Dr. Barge Dear Editor:
Please reconsider and bring Fred H.E. Barge, DC, back on board. I truly enjoyed his column.
Hermann Diehl, DC
N. Bay Village, Florida
Communicating Via Computer Dear Editor:
If this has not been mentioned, it may be an item of interest to fellow DCs. There is a chiropractic forum in Compuserve, and it's free to those with Basic Compuserve.
Enter Go: Holistic and choose the chiropractic subsection.
Chiropractors may leave messages for each other, share their replies with others, as well as download chiropractic information. So sign on, it's been fun.
If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to call.
Joel F. Margolies, DC
Tucker, Georgia
Tele. (404) 491-3639
ChiropracTax Dear Editor:
I applaud you for your article and suggestion in the November 19th issue. If every chiropractor was taxed $40.00 per month to spread the word to the public, the message that we know, it would change the health picture for the better.
I would also suggest that we get off this kick about proving chiropractic scientifically. None of the users of drugs understand how the product is supposed to work but they are told often enough that it will, so they keep on using them.
I retired from practice 11 years ago and enjoy each issue of your paper.
Merv Speckman, DC
Litchfield, Minnesota
Revolutionary Thinking Dear Editor:
The article "Repetitive Posture Stress Patterns" represents revolutionary thinking. I have had some experience with the technique and I must admit, after initial skepticism due to the lack of complexity, I became a believer.
What never fails to amaze me is the speed, consistency, and staying power of the results. Even more satisfying is the feeling that I finally have a logical understanding of what it is I am trying to accomplish structurally.
Chiropractic should embrace this new thinking if it wants to stop the bickering over whether we should be treating symptoms or only adjusting the spine to remove subluxations.
Bruce Harris, DC
Inglewood, California
"RPSP has renewed my confidence ..."
Dear Editor:
RPSP has renewed my confidence in the chiropractic premise that abnormal structure plays the primary role in dysfunction.
Throughout my 17 years as a chiropractor there were many times when frustration, due to lack of results, caused me to question whether subluxation should be the primary focus with a particular patient. This question occurs much less frequently since learning RPSP and having it used on me and my family. When my children have a fever, I can now release their RPSP and confidently expect their temperature to drop to normal within a reasonable period, usually 24 hours.
The big difference is instead of searching for the mysterious subluxation, RPSP shows that releasing the normal imbalance in anyone's myofascial system will correct some of the existing subluxations for you and prepare the others to be corrected by an osseous adjustment. Vertebrae do not move out of alignment by themselves, they misalign as a result of normal unbalanced muscle used by the patient, and we must learn to use the patient's muscles to move them back into alignment.
Another source of confidence comes from the fact that I can now advise a patient how to make changes in posture that never fail to make a difference in their structural integrity.
Nancy Nolan, DC
San Clemente, California
Lumbosacral Supports Dear Editor:
Included herewith is a narrative report I sent to workmens' compensation insurance company. I took the opportunity to give them my opinion on lumbosacral structural supports.
As I'm sure you're aware, a lot of large employers, such as Sears, are mandating that their employees wear these belts as a safety and preventative measure. I have never been aware, as my report notes, that these belts are beneficial, except in emergency and back to work use.
Has MPI or any other group conducted studies on the efficacy of these devices? It seems to me some structural support manufacturers are doing a tremendous job. Unless I'm mistaken, that's all it is. And worse, I think they weaken a healthy back. Do you think this would be a worthwhile subject for the chiropractic profession to make a statement on? Of course, we would have to base it on a few studies and objective evidence. But it seems to me this would be a worthwhile project to pursue, and many employees who are obliged to wear these contraptions would thank us for it.
Conclusion: Mr. XX suffers from the effects of a severe lumbosacral strain and a right sacroiliac strain, with resulting sciatic nerve root irritation on the right side of his spine. It is possible that the lumbar structural support that he was obliged to wear contributed to his injury, restricting his normal movements and weakening the muscles of his lower back.
I am not aware of any literature or studies that have been done to prove that wearing a lumbar structural support prevents back injuries. For the 30 years that I've been in practice, it has been one of our objectives to get injured individuals out of those harnesses as soon a possible. When one has a healthy back, restricting it certainly doesn't make it stronger and usually weakens it. Once the lumbar spine has been injured there are cases where wearing a support will enable a person to return to work sooner. It is worn only for a short period of time. The exception would be where a person with a weak back, with several previous injuries and having to work physically hard, would benefit from the added support. I suspect that lumbar structural support manufacturers have done a terrific sales job on a lot of employers.
Marc E. Chasse, DC
Fort Kent, Maine
Chinese Customs: A Different Perspective Dear Editor:
I recently read Dr. John Amaro's article, "Asian Etiquette," and find it very interesting. After graduating Northwestern Chiropractic College I went on to graduate from San Francisco College of Oriental Medicine and then to China where I did an internship at Anhui College of Traditional Oriental Medicine. While there I married one of their doctors, who had just completed her master's degree in acupuncture. I lived and worked in China for almost nine months. For most of that time I lived with a Chinese family in their home and all of my friends were Chinese professionals. My wife took me to many of the famous cities and we always stayed with friends of hers in their homes.
The Chinese do have a unique way of relating, however Dr. Amaro has made many mistakes in his description of Chinese etiquette. No one bows in China. The Chinese do not bow among themselves. Perhaps they do to impress foreigners at tourist hotels but I never saw it. They don't bow anymore and they don't wear pigtails.
I did not attend many formal dinners but at those that I did people were interested in getting one of my business cards. If I had any I would just hand it to them like I would to anyone in this country. If I did a formal bow and presented it with both hands outstretched my wife would have berated me for acting so ridiculous. However, I do feel that they do appreciate having one side of a business card written in Chinese, this shows respect. My business cards were printed and written only in English. As far as I know, no one was ever offended by my cards. My wedding party was a formal party at a Chinese home. Everyone talked, it's a party, everyone had a good time.
My wife told me she never heard of the superstition mentioned by Dr. Amaro involving placing chopsticks upright in a rice bowl. I know that I never saw it. The Chinese are actually pretty informal when it comes to dinner parties in their own homes. Serving a foreign guest is considered an honor and they go all out. They constantly ask if you want more, in fact, they insist you keep eating. Chinese will keep offering the food again and again. It is a matter of custom and shows appreciation to your guests. They do the same with gifts. It is expected that you refuse a few times and your host keeps pleading with you until you accept. It is difficult not to accept a present or an offering of food.
Chinese hospitals are serious places. They are not theaters for entertainment; no one applauds. If you were sick, would you want a group of rich foreigners coming in and applauding? I doubt it. Why would the Chinese? My wife is pregnant and we are having midwife deliver the baby. We were asked if we would mind if an intern helped with my wife's case. My wife said of course they can help but only up to a point. After all they have to learn if they are going to help others. As an intern in a Chinese hospital, I was treated the same way. They were very proud that people would travel around the world just to learn their medicine. All the doctors in my hospital were very professional and most were very friendly. My Chinese associates were very proud of their skills. Their patients appreciated the care. These are real hospitals and real patients with real problems.
My wife, a master acupuncturist, worked six days a week and earned the U.S. equivalent of $30 a month plus room and a discount card for meals. My wife wants me to tell you that things are changing. If she was still living in China she would earning about $100 a month now.
Most of my time was spent in Hefei, China, the capital of Anhui province. Many of the professionals in Hefei and other major cities read English. Those that have studied English in school really want to speak to you. Most of them have never actually spoken it to anyone whose native language is English. English is necessary for reading international technical journals and working with computers. Having the opportunity to actually speak a language that they have studied for years is obviously a real treat for them.
My wife says New York City reminds her of Shanghai. Everyone squeezes past each other. Everyone is packed close together. In tourist books for Chinese they tell them that Americans don't like it if you stand too close to them. They are right; it took me a while to get used to people pushing and shoving whenever I went downtown.
Chinese point just like we do, with their index finger. When I was in China, children and occasionally adults would point at me and exclaim, "Lon Way" (foreigner). In major cities like Shanghai or Beijing this did not happen but I spent most of my time in smaller less populated cities.
My wife never heard of refraining from touching children on their heads because the spirit resides there. I have played with Chinese children. I even wrestled with them just for fun. Their parents would not do this but they accepted this as a normal cultural difference. The kids were great.
Chinese people often shout and argue, thought, like us, in formal settings it is certainly inappropriate. Many Chinese are extremely demonstrative in their behavior. One time when I was bicycling to a lake during the summer, a man tried to pull me off the bike so he could talk to me. People would stick their heads out of buses just to wave and shout hello. Many people would just come up to me and say hello. They did not know me. They could not speak English. They just wanted me to respond in English. I found that the Chinese people were almost always friendly.
My wife believes that Doctor Amaro spent all his time with Chinese officials and translators, or how else could he get such ideas?
Eric Lisbin, DC, Dipl.Ac.
Hyde Park, Pennsylvania
