Gonstead Method
We Treat the Cause, Not the Symptoms
Patients of the Camarillo Spine and Nerve Institute come into the office in pain, most of the time the pain is a symptom of the actual problem. Symptoms, or pain, are the body’s way of sending an alarm that something is wrong. To mask these symptoms without determining what is wrong is illogical. This is similar to cutting the wires to a smoke alarm and assuming this solves the problem. For many people the focus shifts from finding the cause to relieving the symptoms. The goal of chiropractic extends beyond eliminating symptoms. The Camarillo Spine and Nerve Institute utilizes the Gonstead Method to eliminate causes.
At the Camarillo Spine and Nerve Institute, we treat the cause, not the symptoms.
– Dr. Edmond Dooman
Subluxation and Disc Damage
Usually when a patient feels pain in their back it is due to a spinal misalignment causing nerve irritation or interference, this is called subluxation. Trauma either from the accumulation effects of repeated minor episodes, or from a single incident begin a sequence of events which lead to subluxation and disc damage. The following show how this leads to back pain:
- Trauma misaligns a spinal vertebra.
- The shifted vertebra compresses the nucleus (center) of the disc forcing it against the annulus (outer rings). The fibers of the annulus become stretched and damaged causing an inflammatory reaction.
- The inflamed and swollen disc can potentially irritate the nearby spinal cord or nerve roots. To protect the area, the surrounding muscles go into spasm to prevent excessive movement and damage.
- The lack of motion in the subluxated segment inhibits the disc’s normal pumping action causing the disc to dehydrate. The lack of water in the disc causes the annulus fibrosus to crack and fissure. This causes pain because the fibers of the annulus are richly supplied with pain-sensing nerves.
- The gel-like nucleus begins to sleep into fissures in the annulus. The chemical content of the nucleus are irritative to the nearby nervous tissues.
- As more of the nucleus creeps into the annular fissures, the disc bulges, herniates, or even possibly ruptures. This causes direct pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots.
- Over time, degeneration occurs in the spinal joint, the irritated nerves and those systems which they supply.*
Gonstead Protocol Spinal Decompression
So now that you know why the back hurts, what can the Camarillo Spine and Nerve Institute do about it? We practice something called the Gonstead Protocol Spinal Decompression. We combine the training of the Gonstead Method with that of the Spinal Decompression method to offer our patients the best possible results.
The relationship of the disc and subluxation is crucial to Dr. Dooman as he practices the Gonstead Method through Gonstead Protocol Spinal Decompression. The thorough Gonstead analysis enables Dr. Dooman to determine specifically how a vertebra has misaligned and how the disc has been affected. Using this information he is able to determine the best approach to restoring proper position and motion of the subluxated segment.
Accurate and Painless Adjustment
In most cases, an adjustment will be warranted. The Gonstead adjustment involves great care to ensure a mechanically correct position and precise thrust to provide the most accurate and painless adjustment possible.
Are you a new patient? Call us today to make your appointment for your FREE 17-POINT DISC ASSESSMENT!
* The Gonstead Difference “Big Idea” via ChrioDesign.net