Is Chiropractic Care Addictive?
By Dr. Tim Fargo, Chiropractor
One of the problems, among others, with crack cocaine, heroin, and opioid painkillers is that they are indeed addictive. They create a physiological dependency that gets hardwired into the hapless user’s biochemistry. The person, then, has little control over their cravings for the drug, and thus spirals downward into the pit of addiction. The answer to the question raised about chiropractic is a definitive “No”. Chiropractic care is not addictive. You might even wonder why I would write such a blog. I am writing it because one of the objections to chiropractic care that I’ve heard is that “once you go, you have to keep going”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The idea that chiropractic is somehow addictive probably stems from the observation of non-chiropractic patients that their friends or family members continue to make use of chiropractic care throughout their lives. They are not doing so because chiropractic care is, per se, addictive, but rather because most of these people have learned that they function better, feel better, perform better, age more slowly, and are, in numerous ways, simply healthier when they incorporate chiropractic care as part of their regime.
In the same way, people start exercising and continue to do so. People start eating better, taking vitamins, praying more often, reading positive things, or any number of other life choices. They choose to do these things because their lives go better. There is a big difference between making choices that result in better health, and continuing to make those choices throughout one’s life, and being physiologically addicted to some substance that ultimately destroys your health.
Selfishly, I wish it were true that chiropractic was addictive, because I wouldn’t have to work so hard to build and maintain a practice. Make no mistake, whether due to finances, life priorities, or lack of education, many patients utilize chiropractic care relatively infrequently or do so episodically when they have pain. This is not what we suggest or recommend, but it’s just what people do and we, as chiropractors, have come to accept that reality.
Our mission at Chiropractic Health and Wellness, in Edina, is to “Educate and inspire our patients to make choices that result in a lifetime of vibrant health for themselves and their families”. The key word in this sentence is “choices”. What you do with your life, and whether you stay healthy and fit throughout it, is largely about the choices you make. While it is true that some people have genetic predispositions (tendencies) to certain disease processes, the greater truth is that it is lifestyle choices that cause these genetic tendencies to be expressed as disease. This is the old argument of nature versus nurture. My contention, as borne out by the bulk of research on the subject, is that it is not so much what you’ve been given by God or nature that determines your destiny, but what you do with it that makes the biggest difference. I think this is true not only in the physical and health arena, but in the rest of life as well. Enjoy the fact that your life is laid out before you and you have the freedom to choose the bulk of your destiny.
If you’re curious about how chiropractic care can enhance your overall health and wellness, or if you have specific health concerns you’d like to address, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Chiropractic Health and Wellness in Edina. Take the first step towards a healthier, more vibrant life by scheduling your consultation today. Make the choice to prioritize your health and well-being.
