Wellness vs Standard Care

What is Wellness Care?

First of all, wellness is a state of optimal conditions for normal function… and then some. The wellness approach looks for underlying causes of any disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and makes whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments would optimize the conditions for normal function.  This environment encourages natural healing, and minimizes the need for invasive treatment, which should be administered only when absolutely necessary.

When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively, no matter what the condition may be. When the body heals well and maintains itself well, then there is another level of health to enjoy which goes beyond “asymptomatic” or “pain-free” and reveals an open-ended opportunity for vitality, vibrant health, and an enhanced experience of life. This is true for mental, emotional, and physical health. While some people may suffer psychological disorders, creating an atmosphere of mental and emotional wellness will address all but the most serious problems for people.

What is Standard Medical Care?

If a patient has high blood pressure, a standard medical approach would be to choose a drug that lowers blood pressure, and ask the patient to take the drug for a period of time. This may serve to lower the blood pressure, but may ignore the underlying cause that is making the blood pressure high, and of course we know it runs the risk of side effects complicating the person’s recovery. Whether it’s a nutritional issue, faulty control by the nerve system or a manifestation of stress, the medication could decrease the blood pressure, leaving the problem causing the patient’s symptom of high blood pressure unaddressed.

The main difference between wellness care and standard medical care is that wellness care seeks to turn on our body’s natural healing ability. Wellness care does not add something to our system.  Instead wellness care removes anything that might interfere with normal function. It trusts that the body would know what to do if nothing were interfering with it. Standard medical care, on the other hand, seeks to treat a symptom by adding something from the outside – a medication, a surgery or some type of procedure.

Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt and that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same rings true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, or bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your entire lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits of chiropractic come into play when you make it a part of your wellness lifestyle.