Douglas R. Briggs, DC, Dipl. Ac. (IAMA), DAAPM, EMT

Dr. Douglas R. Briggs is the senior associate at First State Health and Wellness in Wilmington, Del. A graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, he has been a regular contributor to this publication since 2005, writing on the topic of "Things I Have Learned." Dr. Briggs has earned diplomate certification through the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and is also credentialed as a diplomate in pain management through the American Academy of Pain Management. He has written and contributed to several articles and books on the topics of chiropractic, acupuncture, and natural healing, including the chapter on chiropractic and acupuncture in the legal nursing text Medical Legal Aspects of Medical Records.

Previous Articles

Screening for Vertebral Compression Injury
July 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 07)
Myofascial Cupping – A New Spin on an Old Modality
February 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 02)
Documenting Pain Can Be a Pain - It's Time to Do It Right
November 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 11)
I'm Back From Washington, D.C., and NCLC: Now What?
March 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 03)
Quick SI Assessment: 8 Tests
January 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 01)
It's Time for a Functional Approach to Chronic Illness
July 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 07)
A Functional Approach to Reversing Type 2 Diabetes
February 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 02)
Functional Capacity Testing
December 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 12)
Testing for Nerve Tension: 8 Key Tests to Perform
September 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 09)
Time for a Little You Time
Chiropractic and Nutrition Go Hand in Hand
Time to Fight for Your Medicare Right
October 1, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 16)
The Clinical Value of the Pertinent Negative
June 1, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 11)
The Rest of the Story: Let the Patient Tell Their Story (Part 2)
April 1, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 07)
Embrace the Power of Change
September 1, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 17)
Pain Is Only a Piece of the Puzzle
April 1, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 07)
Three for One: The Cervical Distraction Test
January 15, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 02)
The Death of the Travel Card
December 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 23)
Let the Patient Tell Their Story
October 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 20)
Physical Exam 101: The Hands
August 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 16)
Don't Trust What Your Patients Say
July 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 14)
How Much Is Enough? Chiropractic Philosophy in the "New" Health Care
June 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 11)
The Many Faces of Cervical Compression
March 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 06)
A New Kind of Scoliosis
February 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 03)
Cervical Compression and the Lower Back
December 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 24)
Bechterew's Screening for Lumbar Disc Lesions
November 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 22)
Take a Look at This
October 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 19)
Headaches Outside the Head
September 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 17)
A Few Freebies
July 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 14)
Some Thoughts on the TMJ
May 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 10)
Evaluating the Foot and Ankle: Key Tests
April 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 07)
Documentation Dangers and the Value of the Self-Audit
February 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 04)
5 Ways to Document Measured Benefit
December 16, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 26)
The Spongebob Paradigm
November 4, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 23)
The Devil Is in the Details
September 9, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 19)
Going Beyond the Feel Good
August 12, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 17)
The Parable of the Goldfish
July 1, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 14)
Three Little Phrases
July 29, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 16)
Critical Thinking: Be Careful of What You Endorse and Promote
July 1, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 14)
The Rules Have Changed
April 22, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 09)
The Trouble With Computerized Records
February 26, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 05)
Addressing Your Patients' False Perceptions
November 4, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 23)
The Miracle of Healing: Things I Have Learned
September 23, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 20)
What Do You Bring to the Table?
July 29, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 16)
Things I Have Learned: A Matter of Perspective
May 20, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 11)
Docs, Documents and Integrated Care: The Cooperative Formula
The Excuse of Genetics
March 26, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 07)
Take the Time to Listen
January 29, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 03)
Can You Justify Your Treatment Plan?
December 16, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 26)
Snow-Shoveling Safety Tips
November 4, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 23)
Think It Doesn't Matter What You Say? The Importance of Documentation
October 7, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 21)
The Ottawa Ankle Rules
September 9, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 19)
Say What? Use Language Your Patients Can Understand
June 3, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 12)
Things I Have Learned: Mom Was Right
April 9, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 08)
Some Lumbar Differentials
December 2, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 25)
Things I Have Learned: Keep It Cool
September 23, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 20)
Things I Have Learned: The Rules of CPR
July 15, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 15)
Things I Have Learned: Too Much Information
May 20, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 11)
The Quest for the Magic Bullet
March 25, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 07)
Things I Have Learned: How to Deal With a Pain in the Butt
January 29, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 03)
Things I Have Learned: The Leaning Low Back
November 19, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 24)
Things I Have Learned: Confirming the Positive SLR
September 24, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 20)
Urgent Updates to Prenatal Care: A Follow-Up
June 4, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 12)
Things I Have Learned: The Test You Don't Have to Do
May 21, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 11)
Things I Have Learned: Urgent Updates to Prenatal Care
March 26, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 07)
Things I Have Learned: Why Do You Do What You Do?
January 29, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 03)
The Pain of Symptom Magnification
December 3, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 25)
Things I Have Learned: Welcome to the Big Show
September 28, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 20)
Things I Have Learned: Don't Adjust My Neck!
July 16, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 15)
The Straight Leg Raise Test
May 8, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 10)
Things I Have Learned: Looking Beyond the Carpal Tunnel
February 13, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 04)
Things I Have Learned: The Short-Leg Dilemma
February 26, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 05)
Trending
News / Profession
MAHA Launches Chiropractic Hub
MAHA Launches Chiropractic Hub

Building on a historic March 2026 meeting between Make America Healthy Again and chiropractic leadership, MAHA has announced the launch of the MAHA Chiropractic Hub, “a coordinated national partnership uniting MAHA Center, MAHA Action, and the chiropractic profession, including national associations, state organizations, practitioners, educators, researchers, and patient advocates. The Chiropractic Hub will advance federal policy, expand patient access, and build broad public support for chiropractic care across America.”

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Dynamic Chiropractic Staff
Education & Seminars
Confronting the Threat to Chiropractic Education
Confronting the Threat to Chiropractic Education

The chiropractic profession is confronting one of the most significant federal regulatory threats it has faced in decades. A new U.S. Department of Education (ED) accountability framework – commonly referred to as the “Do No Harm” (DNH) regulation – could place many chiropractic programs at risk of losing access to federal financial aid (student loans), potentially reshaping the future of chiropractic education and workforce development across the United States.

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Healthcare / Public Health
From Pain Scores to Performance Metrics
From Pain Scores to Performance Metrics

Pain has become the dominant language of musculoskeletal healthcare. Numeric pain-rating scales and symptom reports are routinely used as primary indicators of clinical success. But while pain reduction is meaningful, it is an incomplete and often misleading representation of recovery. This has real consequences for patient adherence, long-term outcomes, and how conservative care is perceived within the broader healthcare system.

Christopher Proulx, DC, PhD(ABD), CSCS