GONSTEAD
METHOD
WHAT IS
GONSTEAD?
Dr. Clarence Gonstead
“Chiropractic is the most scientific and practical system of locating and adjusting by hand the cause of diseases, or re-establishing and maintaining perfect health of mind and body of patient…”
D.D. Palmer,
(The Science, Art and Philosophy of Chiropractic, 1910 p.976)
Gonstead Chiropractic represents the leading standard in hands-on chiropractic care as defined by D.D. Palmer, the founder of Chiropractic in 1895. The Gonstead system of chiropractic was founded and developed by Dr. Clarence Gonstead who graduated a chiropractor in 1923 after a career in mechanical engineering. His devotion and commitment to getting sick people well, led him in his desire to establish a system of finding the major problem and then giving it a specific chiropractic adjustment to restore normal function.
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Dr. Gonstead found there was no substitute or better method for analyzing or correcting spinal misalignment than with a pair of skilled chiropractic hands. This remains true today.
The connection that exists between the brain and all other parts of the human body is the nervous system. Signals pass between the brain, eyes, tongue, stomach, toes and indeed, throughout the entire body on ‘electrical wires’ called nerves. These nerves pass from the brain down through the spinal column, and exit between the vertebrae at 24 levels from the base of the skull to the tailbone, controlling all bodily functions. If the spaces between these vertebrae should become narrowed or cut off due to a misalignment or ‘kink’ in the spinal column, this is called a subluxation, and the nerve signal is then interrupted or reduced at that specific level, often referred to as a ‘pinched nerve’.
The current from this nerve fiber traveling away from this ‘pinch’ has now become interrupted as it heads toward the muscle, finger or specific organ it controls. The result is a demonstration of pain, loss of function or degeneration in that muscle, finger or organ. Even an everyday headache can result from nerve pressure due to a spinal misalignment. The Gonstead Chiropractic approach is to locate these misalignments in the spinal column, then specifically and gently adjust the segment back into place manually, removing the subluxation and ‘pinch’.
By applying a specific adjustment to the spine, the pressure is removed from the nerve while joint function is restored. More importantly, nerve function is restored, and the path of that specific nerve is then again sending and receiving the ‘electrical’ impulses as it should and ultimately, health is restored.
The goal of a Gonstead practitioner is to get a patient back on the road to health as quickly as possible and to leave the patient alone. The principle of ‘find it, fix it, leave it alone’ is to get the spine and body in the optimum state to heal itself. This means not continuously booking a patient in every few days to adjust them, as this can be detrimental the health of the patient, their spine, and their body.
Chadstone Chiropractic strictly practices the Gonstead method. There are many methods or techniques in Chiropractic, but the Gonstead method is the least practiced as it takes a lot more patience and dedication to perfect.
Approximately only 1% of graduated Chiropractors commit themselves to the Gonstead system. As Gonstead practitioners we are well educated in the application of this technique and case management system. Beyond the 5 years of training it takes to become a Chiropractor, we also regularly attend Gonstead seminars.
At these seminars case studies are discussed, be further educated on technique, review new research and evidence and talk about advanced patient cases and conditions.
