Chiropractic is a non-drug, non-surgery, active approach to alternative health care. Chiropractic neurology is based on chiropractic philosophy yet focuses on the assessment and treatment of the body through the nervous system. Where the medical neurological model looks to treat the patient with drugs or surgeries, a chiropractic neurologist uses chiropractic adjustments, sub-threshold stimulus, slow and fast stretching, therapies and exercise to increase the quality of life by returning balance to the nervous system of the patient.

The initial visit involves a complete patient history and examination, in detail. The patient history is thorough and covers all present, past, family history and review of systems. A neurological, orthopedic, structural examination allows the patient’s communicated concerns and complaints in the history to be evaluated and the doctor to substantiate them. Based on the findings, treatment
is given. In order to return balance and stability to the nervous system, treatment is given based on the stability and instability of the patient’s nervous system. Therapy is then given to continue what was accomplished in the treatment. Patient compliance is extremely important with home therapy for optimal healing to take place.

Proper follow up re-assesses the body on every visit which includes evaluating the patient’s pre-therapy state and post-therapy state. There is an examination preformed based on the positive findings from the previous visit. We are looking for change in the patient’s neurological findings since the last treatment, from the exercises given and patient compliance with at home therapy. Based on the presenting status of the patient the treatment, therapy and exercises could change accordingly.

Signs and symptoms are not usually the focus of the treatment plan. The ability to relieve these conditions confirms treatment, therapy and exercises are moving in the correct direction. When there are changes found within our windows of assessment, such as with the chief complaints/signs/symptoms/positive exam findings we are able to move progress in therapy. The body reveals these windows as a message to what is happening inside the body. These findings are crucial because they are the signs that help us to find and determine the break down and possible dysfunction of the system; which will ultimately results in imbalance, thus, potential disease in the body.

A patient under the care of a chiropractic neurologist will be documented more specifically because the findings are so important to determine treatment, therapy and care. Use of diagnosis, treatments, exercises and therapy may vary from visit to visit with the ultimate focus being to re-establishing optimal humanism and function to the patient.