Would you know if you had a tooth in your pelvis?
Recently I had a case of a tooth in the pelvis and if you know your medicine you’ll know there is one condition this relates to. However, this wasn’t a medical red flag, and the source was easily found from the gap in his teeth, which he’d woken to find one morning the week before! I thought I’d share this extraordinary experience with you, however it does pose the question of whether we know what is going on in our spines/bodies?
If you’re like most of us regarding your general health, you may use the NHS; visiting when an obvious diagnosis presents itself, rather than using preventative medicine; before an ailment presents itself, in order to keep illness at bay. We’re not talking about keeping fit, which has its obvious benefits, but eating well, slowing down if rushing around, and most importantly being in touch with the magical body we have been blessed with. And yes, it takes the mindset that we have something to be respected and watched daily in order to act this way.
However ‘life’ does have a way of slipping between our perception and perfection! So I believe health management has to become part of our daily ritual (I’m still trying!) or even a hobby. That said, it could be given too much attention, too, such as worrying about something before it transpires and worrying whether something contains chemicals or whether another supplement may boost the essential pathways to life.
I ask whether back pain, stiffness or morning ache arose before any acute lower back pain when a new client visits me for the first time. That allows me to gauge whether the patient has taken a long time to create the problem, or whether it occurred suddenly. Usually the latter indicates more damage, as the former means multiple distortions leading to pain; something a good chiropractor knows how to unwind.
This is the fine investigative excitement that drives me on a daily basis and resolving their unrelenting pain is the cherry on the cake for me. Having done this for 18 years means I can also occasionally preempt the response and although this is professional guesswork, it does allow me more reward if the patient returns saying their condition responded as expected. If not, the investigation continues.
Parameters of care vary immensely and looking at the ‘Big Picture’ is a must. The most important health elements are those within our own realm to control. We all know a little about nutrition, though some of us do need a personalised diet if it impedes our day-to-day living (allergies/deficiencies/sensitivities, etc.).
We all know a little about stress and how it affects us, but all too often we’re in too much of a rush to do anything about it. Dr Candace Pert, a neuroscientist who unfortunately died this year from a heart attack at 61, showed that our emotions are measurable as a chemical phenomenon, i.e. what we think causes a chemical response in our tissues. She has gone a long way to confirm that our bodies are affected by our thoughts.
The late Chiropractor, Dr Ted Morter, was also intrigued by how our mind affects our body. He used a patient’s thoughts to reverse the patterns of pain the patient had created in their body, rather than using forceful treatments to change the body. His successful practice continues today, as does his legacy, which chiropractors share with their clients worldwide. This style is something akin to horse whispering, founded by Monty Roberts, whose father used much harder styles of horse control than simply intuition and instinct.
Love of the body and the use of a wider perspective, which takes into account mind, body and soul, is far more valuable than symptom care… because it lasts. It also shows us how we can take personal control and shows us how to help this body of ours stay strong.
A saying I love is, ‘If you have a hammer in your hand, everything looks like a nail!’, but it’s true: If you practice one technique, that is the one you’ll probably use for all your ailments. Therefore therapists, body practitioners, doctors, etc. should ALL have numerous tools to work with, as well as turn every patient into a manager or therapist of their own body (but never on your own… teamwork is wise work!).
Learn to use therapies and learn how your body works, regardless of whether it’s just a small step (like eating a piece of fruit today, for example) or whether you use a new therapy for the first time. You can only try, and you never know, it may reward you with the greatest gift every: a healthier and more vibrant you.
Mixing western medicine with modern alternatives is the perfect combination (we in the medical profession call this a ‘multidisciplinary approach’) so keeping your GP close is essential. Whether you’re seeing a GP or an alternative therapist, they must work together where necessary.
And finally the tooth: yes, it was found by an x-ray and not by intuition, so western medicine won on that occasion!
In love and health,
Mike Noone, BSc, MSc (Paediatrics), DC
Kernow Chiropractic Clinic Truro