Policy statement

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Our position on X-rays:

In this office, we take the license to irradiate people VERY seriously. We can assure you that unless there is a sound medical reason to x-ray, we will not even suggest it.

We recognize that many Chiropractors x-ray everything that moves. We do NOT believe this is necessary, and spend more time talking people out of x-rays then taking them.  If we DO suggest  x-rays or MRI, then you may count on the fact that it is in YOUR interest to have the procedure, not ours.

And, BTW, most of the issues we deal with, involve  discs. Ordinary x-rays cannot tell a doctor if the disc is injured. An xray is only of value to determine of there are fractures, bone infections, or tumors/cysts. One cannot see the soft tissue, only the space it occupies. Thus in these cases  only an MRI or CT-scan  (Computerized tomography) will give adequate results.  Since an MRI does not involve x-radiation, but only uses magets and radio waves, we strongly  prefer to use MRI technology to image your spine. Due to cost issues  however, we refer for MRI only when it is medically necessary.

In any event, when we do feel x-ray will be requred, our  radiographic  equipment is inspected regularly by the State, and is the most modern. And we take all necessary precautions to limit your exposure.  In fact, we are right now in the process of upgrading it to a fully digital system.

Our position on long fixed treatment schedules:

In this office, we do not believe in fixed treatment schedules, like 3x/wk, for 6 weeks, etc. We will determine your actual needs from your response to your treatments, and will NEVER ask you to be here more frequently than we truly believe you need to attain and maintain optimum health.


Our position on prescribed drugs:

Firstly, it must be appreciated that the very word Pharmacotherapy, i.e.  the prescription of drugs to treat illness means the "study of poisons"  from the Greek, *Pharmcon, (φάρμακον) "poisons" and the suffix -λογία "Logia", the study of. 

Having said that, we believe that there are any number of conditions and situations in which such drugs can and will save your life.  Thus, we are not opposed to medication per se, only to the irrational prescription of medications. For example the prescription of antibiotics for viral conditions like colds and flus, and the use of statins to lower cholesterol, when they have never been shown to reduce the incidence of coronary artery disease  or strokes. 

REGARDLESS: As we do not prescribe such drugs here, we do not presume to order our patients  to stop taking their prescribed medications, EVER! 

Our position on vaccination:

It is true that for a long time there seemed  to be some rational basis to believe that the use of mercury containing compounds  in most childhood vaccinations could have had some connection to the rise in cases of autism. However, that is NO LONGER the case, as the organomercury (Thimerosal) has been removed from nearly all vaccinations and the cases of autism continue to rise. Thus Thimerosal can not really be to blame  after all, and too, the primary "scientist" who promoted that theory  has been pretty  much discredited.

However, we do believe that the NUMBER of vaccinations now being demanded by especially our own State of New Jersey, is too much, too soon, too fast. Our advice  to parents is to choose  the critical vaccinations; e.g., poliomyelitis,  and DPT, and do those on schedule, while delaying as long as possible, but not refusing the administration of other less critical immunizations.  This is to give your child's immune system the chance to assimilate the forst round before assaulting their systems with the next.


* From Wikipedia:

"pharmakon" (φάρμακον) a complex term meaning sacrament, remedy, poison, talisman, cosmetic, perfume or intoxicant.[4] From this, the modern term "pharmacology" emerged.[5]

  

 

 

Copyright 2011 Policy statement | Englewood NJ Chiropractor | Stephen J. Press, DC, PhD, CCSP, FACSM, FICC, ICSSD. by Stephen Press, DC, PhD. All rights reserved.