Solving Causes, Not Symptoms
Philosophically, there are two ways to approach any medical problem. We can either fix the root cause or address the symptoms. In my experience, correcting the cause is much more powerful than managing the symptoms. If we don’t have a choice and alleviating the suffering is our only option, then of course we should alleviate the suffering. Unfortunately, for many health care practitioners, this is the only approach they take. Here’s an example of each:
Scenario #1
John: I have constant headaches. I think they are migraines.
Doc 1: Here’s a drug that will help you feel better and often clears the pain. You’ll need to take this as long as you have the headaches.
Scenario #2
Mary: I have constant headaches. I think they are migraines.
Doc 2: After a careful history and examination, I find that you have a sinusitis you weren’t aware of. Once we fix it these headaches should no longer bother you.
Scenario #3
Tom: I have constant headaches. I think they are migraines.
Doc 2: After a careful history and examination, I find that you have trigger points in the muscle at the base of the neck. It is referring pain onto the side and front of your head. In order to fix the headache I need to fix the trigger points but first, we need to see why you have these trigger points. I found that the cause is that you have a structural imbalance (e.g., slightly short leg) where the upper spine needs to compensate for the lower spine tilt. I’ll correct the structural imbalance (e.g., a 2mm heel lift for the short leg). This takes the strain off the tense muscle/trigger point. Now we can fix the trigger point and expect the headache to clear and not return.
Remember, any time you receive treatment, ask yourself, is this addressing the root cause or is it just managing the symptom?
At the Center for Health & Healing, we are dedicated to helping our patients get to the root cause of the health problems. Reach out to us at 301-921-4325 or email us at chhteam@drrindchh.com to schedule an appointment.