Chiropractic care has long been known, in many instances, to be able to treat the root cause of an ailment. This treatment system focuses on spinal health and improved nerve function.
Chiropractic has many other benefits as well. In fact, all systems of the body are impacted by your nervous system.
Among the various chiropractic techniques, many chiropractors consider the Gonstead system to be the gold standard. This is in part due to its thoroughness, that determines the root cause of vertebral subluxation. It focuses on precise adjustment techniques, and includes treatment of the whole spine.
But what is Gonstead Chiropractic, and how does it differ from traditional methods?
What is the Gonstead Chiropractic System?
The Gonstead system, developed by Dr. Clarence S. Gonstead, is a special chiropractic treatment technique that both identifies and uses a targeted approach to relieve the root cause of pain. It can also be used proactively to help maintain health, mobility, and performance.
The vertebra in our back can become misaligned due to posture, injury, and other factors, such as stress. A misalignment can occur in other joints as well. During this misalignment, the nerves that run through that area may get pinched – a condition chiropractors call a Subluxation.
These compressed nerves can become inflamed and block nerve signals to various other parts of the body. This condition can cause extreme pain and may also give rise to endless other health conditions.
Spinal misalignments can be more easily recognized in the mid vertebral column. However, it is much more difficult to detect and correct this condition if it occurs either at the foundation, meaning the lower portions of the spine, or at the top of the spine, in the upper neck.
One frequent difference between a Gonstead chiropractor, as compared to those practicing other methods, is the diagnosis and treatment of the whole spine.
The Gonstead chiropractic system is able to do just this with the help of a modern diagnostic examination methods that we will be discussed further in the article.
Why Gonstead Chiropractic?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentioned that approximately 75,091 opioid overdose deaths occurred till the year ending of 2024. The organization further said that the number reached its highest mark at 86,000 in the summer of 2023.
According to the World Health Organisation, opioids are primarily prescribed for pain treatment, and these include medicines like tramadol, morphine, and fentanyl. In this grim situation, people often wonder how to treat their pain without falling into the grasp of opioid addiction and other side effects of these medications.
The good news is that Gonstead chiropractic is a natural way of relieving pain and promoting overall wellness. Plus, unlike treatment with pain relievers alone, chiropractic care can improve mobility and nerve function.
The Origins of Gonstead Chiropractic
As said before, the Gonstead Chiropractic system was developed by Dr Clarence Selmer Gonstead, who sought the help of chiropractors to relieve severe leg and foot pain. He turned to chiropractic care when conventional medicine failed to cure his condition. This encouraged Dr. Gonstead to pursue chiropractic education on his own.
Dr. Gonstead graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic and opened his now-popular Mount Horeb clinic in 1923. Over the next fifty-one years, Dr. Gonstead developed these techniques and taught it to many chiropractic students and doctors. His clinic went on to become the world famous Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic in Mount Horeb.
Examination and Adjustment Process Of The Gonstead System
At Nordik Chiropractic, we follow all the six-pronged spinal analyses of the Gonstead system. Let’s learn how this process works.
Step 1: Looking into Patient History and Subsequent Consultation
When a patient first visits our Nordik Chiropractic Clinic, our Chiropractors – Dr. Chris Cucullu, Dr. Dagnyjarson, and Dr. Steinarsson – take adequate time to understand their symptoms, pain points, and medical history. This assessment helps create a personalized treatment plan that addresses the patient’s needs.
Step 2: Analyses Through X-Ray
The first step of the six-step Gonstead chiropractic analyses is conducting A-P and lateral spinal x-rays. This will allow our chiropractors to see the full spine in detail and understand what corrective measures can be taken to readjust the spinal misalignments.
Step 3: Palpation
At our clinic we use both static and motion spinal palpation to detect the exact position of the subluxations. Let’s understand these two methods in brief.
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Static Palpation: Our chiropractors lightly touch the spine and its surrounding areas to pinpoint the pain source.
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Motion Palpation: This is also a hands-on technique where our doctors determine the misaligned joints and the range of motion of that area.
Step 4: Instrumentation Using the Nervoscope
Our chiropractors here at Nordik Chiropractic use the Nervoscope to detect inflamed area in or around the spine. This allows them to detect areas of nerve irritation and helps them decide on which adjustments to make for maximum relief of the patient.
Step 5: Visualization
In the Gonstead system, chiropractors not only depend on instruments and human touch to get all the information. In this step, our chiropractors rely on their eyes to note the patient’s walking gait, posture, and much more.
Step 6: Case Management
The last step of the six-pronged process is listing all the symptoms to understand the involvement of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. This further helps our chiropractors here at Nordik Chiropractic develop the right treatment plan to offer personalized corrective care for your spinal column.
Gonstead Chiropractor Jupiter, FL – Your One Stop Solution For Chiropractic Needs
We are the only Gonstead chiropractor in Jupiter and the surrounding areas. Our team of experienced Gonstead chiropractors – Dr. Steinarsson, Dr. Dagnyjarson and Dr. Cucullu – are dedicated to providing lasting relief to all our patients.
Chiropractor Jupiter FL: We accept patients of all ages. To make an appointment with us, you can either use the online form or call. Start your journey towards a pain free and healthy life with Nordik Chiropractic today.