Why make a decision concerning someone’s health with anything less than ALL of the available information? Every patient deserves to have correlated analysis in their clinical picture to ensure the highest level of chiropractic. This will insure specificity and ultimately patient confidence in the doctor’s ability with care.
Not one thing is certain which is why we use Visualization, Instrumentation, Palpation, X-Ray, and patient symptoms to determine the exact spot that we need to adjust a patient. When all of these correlate we are more likely to give the patient a specific adjustment. The greater the specificity, the greater the change we will notice in the patient’s health. Dr. Gonstead noted that three adjustments on the wrong vertebral segment could cause a Subluxation; therefore it is extremely important to be as specific as possible.
X-Rays
In the Gonstead System are Full Spine, both A-P and Lateral views. Film size is 14” x 36” with the patient placed to include ischial to occiput. Full Spine films use less radiation than sectionals, provide an accurate vertebral count, provide full spinal contour representation for posture analysis with axial weight bearing, and show problems other than the chief complaint—all of which are not attainable through the use of sectional films. Full spine X-Rays are essential to Gonstead Chiropractic. They allow us to regard the patient totally in analysis and corrective procedures.
Visualization
We take into account all the information we can get from the patient by simply looking at them very carefully. In the Gonstead System Visualization starts from the moment the patient walks in the door. Differences in height between the ears, shoulders and hips as well as posture and gait are useful to confirm your X-Ray and Palpation findings.
Instrumentation
Classically a dual probe instrument (Nervoscope or Delta-T) is used to get a bilateral temperature comparison of the spine to locate areas of inflammation. The readings obtained through instrumentation will show whether or not subluxations are present, if they are being corrected, and when correction has been attained.
Palpation
Both Static and Motion Palpation are utilized in Gonstead Chiropractic to precisely pin point areas of involvement. Static Palpation is the “hands on” part of the examination. This will indicate changes in contour, tone, texture and temperature on the patient. Motion Palpation is used to determine a subluxation and its listing.
Case Management (Symptomatology)
Although never used in a “cook-book” fashion, understanding problems with a patient’s health help us determine the area that a patient needs to be adjusted. Symptoms can help separate the two parts of the Autonomic Nervous System (Sympathetic and Parasympathetic) and aid us in applying a specific adjustment
In the Gonstead System we apply all the information from these modes of analysis and correlate our findings to determine the most likely cause of the patient’s problem. After Subluxations are found, the use of the proper Gonstead technique is applied to effectively correct problem areas.
The Gonstead system focuses on the dynamics of intervertebral disc as the underlying cause of subluxations and resulting neurological dysfunction. It could then be said that Gonstead doctors are “disc doctors”.
