Often, by the time I sit down to do a consultation with someone who is considering becoming a patient in my office, they have already sought out the care of multiple other doctors, therapists and health care providers. In most cases they have had some success, yet have not had the sustainable, long term results they desire.

Typically these patients have had their muscles addressed through some form of therapy, exercise and stretches. Many have had the alignment of their bones addressed with structural adjustments and posture exercises. Many others have also had guidance in regards to their nutrition.

All of these approaches can be excellent and in many cases need to be addressed to provide long term results with any symptom or secondary conditions such as pain and dysfunction.

Most of the people I see in my office have had a very important body system either passed over or completely ignored and that is why I refer to the NERVOUS SYSTEM as the forgotten body system.

Why is the nervous system so important? Essentially the TONE of the nervous system will determine the tone – and therefore function – of the tissues and organs of the body.

The messages travelling along the nerves determine the tension (or lack thereof) of the muscles. Let’s say you have a tight muscle. You can take a warm bath, get a massage or take a muscle relaxant to get some temporary relief. The fact of the matter is that if the nervous system continues to tell the muscle to be tight, nothing will produce a long term change in that  muscle until the nervous system is addressed.

If you had electricity surges causing the light bulbs in your home to burn out you can change all the bulbs you want, but the problem won’t truly be solved until the electrical system is repaired. It is the same with the nervous system.

How does the nervous system impact the structure or posture? Muscles move bones and therefore determine the position of the skeleton. What controls the muscles? NERVES! In our office we objectively measure and monitor our patient’s structure and it is amazing how consistently and how profoundly structure improves when the function of the nervous system is normalized.

At Nexus Chiropractic, we focus on what is called Neurospinal Optimization which aims to correct a primary condition called a Neurospinal Shift. There are added benefits to addressing the underlying shift in the nervous system when looking for relief in the common secondary conditions that people see chiropractors for, such as back and neck pain and headaches. In addition to setting the tone for the muscles and structure, the nervous system also contributes to the function of our internal organs and to the tone of our mental and emotional state.

So, while as chiropractors we do not treat organic diseases or act as psychotherapists, it is not uncommon for people to notice that they digest food better, have better energy levels, and handle mental and emotional stresses more effectively when their Neurospinal Shifts are normalized.

We live in a world where our nervous system is bombarded with stimuli that have the ability to create an unhealthy state with far ranging consequences in many areas of our health. There are many great interventions to address the effects of an abnormal nervous system. Don’t forget to get to the underlying cause and take care of the forgotten system.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the Nexus Chiropractic family a Happy New Year! I would also like to thank everyone for spoiling us with the thoughtful gifts we received over the holiday.

2014 was an exciting year – we added some new technology, continued to refine our clinical expertise and were joined by a new RMT who has fit nicely with our specific approach to care.

In the past year Nexus invested in new equipment that allows us to more effectively assess, monitor and correct the Neurospinal Shifts that our care focuses on. This equipment allows us to more specifically pinpoint abnormalities in your physical structure that result from a Neuropspinal Shift. These abnormalities often occur way before any secondary conditions, symptoms or pain start to arise.

I have always been a huge proponent of continually refining clinical skills and learning from the best, and this past year I attended my 10th consecutive advanced technique seminar in NSA – the core discipline we use in our Neurospinal Optimization focus. Additionally, I continued to study and train with leaders in different fields to ensure you are receiving efficient and up to date care.

We were also joined this year by Jaime McRae, RMT. Jaime is a massage therapist who focuses on NeuroKinetic Therapy, which is a discipline that works very well with my approach to care. Instead of merely ‘attacking’ tight and sore muscles, she determines ‘why’ muscles are firing a certain way and her care focuses on getting to the underlying cause.

In 2014, Nexus Chiropractic also recommitted to helping patients, their families, and the community at large to help themselves through workshops. The people who take advantage of these events get some of the best results in their health that I have seen. We have a series of workshops held in the office at no charge (some open only to patients, some open to the public), I speak regularly for the Encore Seniors Group, and several times per year we hold intensive ‘Clear Days’ for patients and practice members who have already made progress in their care. Please take advantage of these valuable health resources.

Now, what is to come in 2015? First, we are working on implementing a new diagnostic technology that will allow us to measure and monitor a powerful indicator of nervous system function and overall health – stay tuned.

Next week I will be heading to Denver to attend a brand new program that is an extension of the NSA training I have been doing over the past 14 years. This will be a more advanced application towards the achieving the objectives of our care at Nexus. In case you can’t tell, I am pretty excited about this!

We already have several workshops and events lined up for early 2015. Tonight (Jan. 6) will be the first of many Introductory Workshops. Even if you have attended in the past, the information presented evolves, so feel free to attend again. Also in January will be The Best Year of Your Life workshop, which will teach how to have…….! Our next Clear Morning will be on Saturday, Jan. 31^st. This will fill fast so please speak to Cindy or Adele if you would like to attend. I will also be speaking to the Encore Seniors group with my friend Tyler Touchette in March. Encore is a great organization, so if you are over 50 I encourage you to check out their programs.

I want to thank you all for being a part of Nexus and being a part of my life. As I approach my 15 year anniversary of graduating from chiropractic school I am very grateful for having the opportunity to work with such great people and help them to produce such extraordinary results. Here is to another great year for us all!

     …and Why it May NOT be a Great Idea.

     Whether we like it or not, the focus of our health care system is the treatment of secondary conditions, or what most people refer to as symptoms. This is certainly the case in most chiropractic offices where the goal is typically to alleviate as much pain and discomfort as possible.

For the most part, our system is quite successful at treating secondary conditions. Very often drugs do the job. Traditional chiropractors and therapists are very good at treating pain.

Why is it then, that so many people are frustrated when it comes to their health? Why do we hear so many stories from people who have had their symptoms (both pain and organ dysfunction) re-occur again and again over a period of years or even decades? Why are most people not getting long term, sustainable resolution?

The reason is that while we are spending all of our energy treating what is secondary, we are very often missing the primary issue that is underlying the symptom, and in some cases a variety of other secondary conditions. We have become so good at treating the surface, that the actual cause is never addressed.

I currently have some pain in my wrist stemming from using some weightlifting equipment I wasn’t accustomed to in Toronto. It isn’t too severe but I have to be careful while training and it actually hurts quite a bit doing certain things at work. There are a variety of both pharmaceutical and non-drug measures I could take to relieve that pain. I COULD, but I choose NOT to.

Why? Because I know that treating the pain will not take care of what is behind it and may lead to even more trouble down the road. I could numb it with ice or Tylenol before work but then I wouldn’t feel the pain that is telling be to back off because I am causing damage. By leaving the secondary condition more or less alone, it will allow me to know if the primary injury requires rest to heal, a change in my diet to reduce inflammation or hopefully not, but orthopedic intervention if necessary.

Most people completely understand this concept of primary and secondary conditions in other areas of their lives. They know that they have to address the cause when they have trouble with finances, relationships, children or even their automobiles. When it come to health? Most people just chase the symptoms and pay for it down the road.

Now, I am not suggesting we should never treat symptoms. When our lives are in danger it certainly makes sense and I suggest you find someone very good at it. Most of the time, however we would be much better off by asking “what is primary to this symptom?” Of course, sometimes taking care of underlying causes takes a bit more effort than patching up the surface. It sure is worth it, though. Wouldn’t you rather change the faulty wiring in your house than have to buy all new appliances every 6 months?

At Nexus Chiropractic we focus on detecting and addressing a primary condition known as a Neurospinal Shift which is very similar to having faulty wiring in your house. When a Neurospinal Shift is present, a variety of secondary conditions may arise such as pain, poor posture, muscle spasm, and organ issues as all of these functions are mediated by the nervous system.

Our care is designed to address the NS Shift, which when successful it stands to reason that what is secondary often resolves as a result.