“Chiropractic Neurologists”

A shameful attempt at niche marketing.

A post from 2019:

In any profession, Stand apart! Create a brand and identity that is yours, and yours alone.

I am a clinical bodywork therapist. I practice Massage Therapy and I am licensed under the Massage Board. I have additional certifications that I obtained in my initial education; specifically “Neuromuscular Therapy.” But....I would never call myself a “soft tissue neurology expert.”

So why are chiropractors now promoting themselves as, “Chiropractic Neurologists.”

Sure, any DO or DC can take an additional 350 hours in Functional Neurology and practice as such. But I see it a little differently. I see it as another blow to the chiropractic community by creating confusion and a sense of distrust.

Chiropractors:

Your profession heals.

Your profession restores quality of life.

Your profession is bridging the gap; so why throw yourself into the gap?

“Neurologist,” as a title or pedigree, has traditionally been reserved for Medical Practitioners. Just because Chiropractic Schools are doubling their revenue by offering “Post Doctorate” studies, it shouldn’t be that you leave that school and enter your profession as a new doctor, calling yourself something medically based, when it isn’t. If there are “Functional Neurology Schools,” that are accredited by that have an entirely unique curriculum, then let’s call these advanced practitioners what they are! “John Smith, DC, FN.”

But now there is a board for certifying, “Chiropractic Neurologists.” The ACNB: American Chiropractic Neurology Board.” It was formed in 2005, just shy of twenty years ago. Yet, it aims to loftily promote its less than 600 world-wide accreditors on the basis of their advanced curriculum. If you visit their site, it is unclear what scopes of practice this certification allows beyond what a DC allows. That’s because there really aren’t any.

No one is gaining from practitioners being called “Chiropractic Neurologists”- not the individuals, not the mission of Chiropractic and not the general public. Wait, I take that back…maybe the DC’s who want to use their extra hours to sell expensive treatments gain. They will always find those who want to pay an upfront, non-refundable, exorbitant cash deposit to a “Chiropractic Neurologist” so they can ultrasound the four rotator cuff tendons before injecting them with the latest and greatest medical protocol; like stem cells. Sure, maybe the Chiropractic Neurologist can see your Supraspinatus micro-tear and convince you that you need to take several rounds of injections. Maybe they will work, “like the hundreds of people featured on our website offering testimonials.”

But the “Gold Standard” for orthopedic assessment is MRI. Why would you choose ultrasound, an antiquated medical technique over MRI? Why would you risk the time, money and effort to heal what is in the scope of your “Chiropractic Neurologist” while not knowing if more serious problems exist?

So what happens when the stem cells don’t fix your problem? Is it because the stem cell protocol is snake oil? Or is it that your practitioner does not have the means to rule out other more advanced injuries? We know that stem cell therapies work. So why not get comprehensive Gold Standard assessment rather than pick up spaghetti from a boiling pot and throw it against the wall?

Am I saying “medically based” is superior? Absolutely not! I AM saying that if chiropractors are going to simply “chase the dragon” of public acceptance, trying to equate themselves to the identifiers of the paradigm they collectively oppose, then they are likely creating more confusion- and they are going to seem cheap. You can’t compete with Gold Standard and sell Silver. But even cheap noodles get lucky and stick to the wall sometimes.

All of this leaves the “Chiropractic Neurologist” as an abandoner of Chiropractic; in method and in efficacy to practice the same protocols you can practice as a DC. A DC can hire a qualified team with medical experience and licenses to skirt their lack of ability to work as phlebotomists and nurses. Sure. But as an onlooker, it seems like some of these practitioners are scooping buckets of sand from the mounds they sit upon to create fancy finials over the heads of public consumers. Eventually, holistic health will be sitting entirely in a murky moat that we dug ourselves into.

There are plenty of advanced orthopedics and “Functional” doctors. If after becoming a Chiropractor, you have a keen interest in medical based approaches, get your MD.

“Neurology” as a science, is all that chiropractors work with, when you get down to the facts. Essentially, neurology is the science I work with in my profession. I have taken courses in Medical Massage. I do not call myself a Medical Massage Therapist. I do not call myself a “Myofascial Neurologist.” “Neuromuscular Therapy” was the most clinical form of soft tissue work available for me to gain certification in when I first began. So yes, it may set me apart. Yet, again, I would never call myself any sort of “neurologist”- even if the “post graduate” program I paid extra for gave me that credence. I have been fortunate that many people in this community have trusted me with their clinical bodywork needs; and without sounding arrogant, I don’t think they come to see me because of my name or title.

I haven’t helped everyone that has seen me. My approach and style isn’t a fit for everyone. But for those that are building a house and can’t find the tool they need to complete the job, sometimes I am hailed as a miracle worker. I am not a miracle worker. I have been spent many years working my craft and I know where it applies and where it doesn’t.

I treat migraines. It doesn’t make me a neurologist. I use “neurology” as a science to treat the symptoms of migraines; but I am not a soft-tissue neurologist. The people who have benefitted from my work speak louder than letters that trail behind my name on a business card.

Chiropractors; expand, evolve, educate- but stay true to who you are as doctors. I am very sad to see this happening. I feel passionate about it because I believe in Chiropractic. I believe in the mission of TRUE natural health through science, and I am an advocate for a holistic healthcare system that will hopefully, one day, be more about healing and less about profits. If the rebuttal to my rant is that the medical industry is stealing “alternative sciences” and gatekeeping access, what’s new? Be a facilitator for your patients to ask relevant questions. Empower them with knowledge. If they tell you they desire objective imaging for their shoulder injury, support the Gold Standard, not your buddies who share your pedigree. Then, if they decide to pursue treatments that don’t include medical surgery, you can suggest your colleagues who may offer something you truly believe in.

It’s a lonely world sometimes when your mission is bigger than your pedigree and passion for profit.

When I took a career break last year and took a much needed “sabbatical,” I came back to town and was fully booked the first week. I am not bragging. In fact, I was surprised. I thought that I had lost all of my professional trust because I abandoned the work that I loved. I chose to pursue something about as far away from bodywork as you could get. Turns out, people really dig my authenticity. People trust me for choosing what is right based on what I know. People come to me because they know that while I may be limited in my scope of practice, and I may be a little bit unique in my personal perspectives about the world- they know they are getting something real.

If you have been doing ANYTHING for less than five years, it doesn’t matter how many certifications or hours of study you obtain. I hope that “functional neurology” becomes a valued, healing-career path- FOR NEUROLOGISTS. Calling yourself a “Chiropractic Neurologist” is cringeworthy. Hopefully, you didn’t enter Chiropractic for the financial gain, looking solely at the business models, or because medical school seemed too daunting. There are plenty of other professions that pay well and will allow you to build the lifestyle you desire.

The biggest reason that Chiropractic has struggled to gain formidable presence as a mainstay in preventative healthcare is because of the desire to be “mainstream relevant.” It’s a terrible and unfortunate paradox.

Chiropractic was founded in 1895. In the 1980’s, “industry leaders” in chiropractic became all about injury treatment, and it paid! For years, large firms who chased ambulances and had infomercials about personal injury because they went to bed with the law firms did extraordinarily well. Despite being one of the most densely populated areas in the country for Chiropractic, most people who are my age or younger in North Georgia had only known of Chiropractic as what it was presented as in television commercials from Arrowhead Clinic. That became the popularly held opinion of chiropractic and the scope of the practice. It was whittled down into something marketable and sustainable as it became something health insurance would cover. The science was lost. The healing was lost. It was all about marketing.

Then, as insurance became more and more accepting of chiropractic claims, many DC’s started really taking advantage of medical coding. That’s why you have a lot of practices having you take 4-5 different therapies before you get adjusted. From ultrasound, to tens, to little sensors that show you where inflammation is along your spine...they figured out how to get paid for every....single....therapy.....separately. They sometimes bill your insurance for a single chiropractic adjustment for up to $900.

I know this first hand because I took a job with a Chiropractic Doctor who operated his clinic in this manner. I was hired as a clinical case manager. Ultimately, I left. It wasn’t because laser therapy wasn’t clinically appropriate or helpful. It was because the “recipe” for mandating numerous, unnecessary, generic therapies was a sign of his lack of integrity in many other arenas. He is a rich man. Very rich. So, to most, he is much wiser than I. He had multiple clinics and multiple houses. I rent mine. I honestly prefer it. To each their own.

I’m not saying you have to be church-mouse poor to be true to your profession. I’m not saying you can’t be a great business person and also a “healer.” I’m not saying you shouldn’t find your niche and set yourself apart.

But calling yourself a “Chiropractic Neurologist” is cheap. It’s just another sell-out.