Chiropractic care with an intention to influence the nervous system
My career path to chiropractic care started out very differently from where I ended up. I began as a sports performance intern under the direction of Kevin Schultz at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (Kevin is now the director of Olympic strength and conditioning at the University of Madison, WI—props to him!). Coach Schultz continually pushed me to read, and question my current belief system about the body and how it functions. Because of his encouragement, I began to learn how much I didn’t know.
I started looking into different training philosophies, and I stumbled on Tri-phasic training, written by Coach Cal Dietz at the University of Minnesota. This book talked about the nervous system being “plastic,” meaning it can change and adapt. With the help of a few good words from Coach Schultz, I began an internship with the Minnesota Gophers. Again, I learned how much I didn’t know. I loved the changes athletes were seeing with this “unique” training program. Coach Dietz pointed me toward chiropractic to further my understanding of the nervous system. For that, I am forever grateful.
Fast forward to my fourth trimester. I’m sitting in my radiology lab, learning about pathologies of the spine. A classmate of mine introduced the idea of a neurologically-based technique, which works with the nervous system directly to influence change. Three technique seminars across the Midwest later and I was hooked!
A neurosurgeon by the name of Alf Breig wrote a book about his findings of “adverse mechanical tension on the central nervous system.” He found that there are specific bones directly anchored to the spinal cord itself through the dura mater and dentate ligaments. These findings gave way to much of the discoveries of these neurologically-based techniques.
I founded Two Rivers Chiropractic in Eau Claire, Wisconsin using these techniques. The bones found through spinal surgery that have those direct connections are the bones that I check during each patient visit. If the system is clear, no adjustments are given for the day. Instead, we celebrate that the body is in balance. Yes, there may still be symptomology, but from a neurologic standpoint the setting is already correct for the body to heal. It’s the same concept as when you sprain an ankle. Right away it is really painful–this symptom is a good thing! If we attempted to “fix” it, we would stress that joint beyond capacity and further injure it. Symptoms can sometimes be present, even when the body is doing what it’s supposed to do.
In short, there are three camps of thinking when looking at the body for chiropractic adjustments:
This bone is out of place, so I will put it back.
This muscle is tight, so I will adjust where the “dysfunction is.”
Look for a neurologic signal that is less than ideal.
A bone can’t move without a muscle pulling on it, and a muscle can’t fire without a nerve telling it to do so. That is why I’ve chosen to go after the neurologic dysfunction. It all connects!
Dr. Jackson Detrick, D.C.