PRESENT TIME CONSCIOUSNESS

e all know it’s important to maintain a positive and open relationship with our patients. The process of examination and giving adjustments requires a great degree of trust on both sides, and a patient’s confidence is vital for a chiropractor to perform every aspect of their duty.

There are myriad ways to forming and maintaining the doctor-patient bond, and perhaps the most natural and instinctive approach is to engage our patients in conversation–asking about their families, jobs, hobbies, etc. While of course this is appropriate, generally speaking, we should endeavor to keep these interactions on the bookends of the patient’s visit; before they get settled or after the adjustment.

I bring this up because this is one of the many ways a chiropractor can inadvertently become distracted during the course of an adjustment. We are professionals, and after years of practice, a great many of the procedures we provide are ingrained in our muscle memory. This is why it needs to be a conscious decision to stay mindful, to silence our thoughts and ourselves, and to focus wholly on the care we are giving. Practicing present time consciousness helps us to achieve more in every aspect of our lives and can make a true difference with our patients as well. But it takes effort and intention–after all, the definition of mindfulness is “…paying attention in a particular way: on purpose.”

We use every one of our senses…

Whenever we are completely present during an adjustment, we use every one of our senses to evaluate and treat our patients. It’s the subtlest of signs that can often be the difference between a routine adjustment and a breakthrough session. It’s getting the information that our patients can’t/don’t/won’t tell us, either because they don’t think to or because they themselves are not aware.

A chiropractor’s hands are their stethoscope, and while a good bedside manner can make the patient feel more welcome and comfortable…I guarantee you that an effective and focused adjustment will do far more to earn their ongoing confidence in the end.