Life is not merely being alive, but being well.
– Martial (66 AD)
Worth Traveling For
Recently three travelers from out of town stopped in for treatment. Andy came the farthest, from Addis Ababa, but the other two came in from California, which is also pretty far.
Andy is the CEO of a non-profit foundation that works worldwide to promote the use of condoms as a way to prevent disease and save lives. In Ethiopia they "sell" condoms for a penny each to prevent the spread of AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.
Jim owns a small vineyard outside of Santa Barbara but spends a lot of time at his other place in New York City. He runs a non-profit foundation that works with prisoners. One project provides bus service for the families of convicts to visit their loved ones in jail. Another project provides food, shelter, and clothing to people who have been released so their chances of staying out of jail are greatly improved.
Cathy is a professor of neuroscience at a college near Los Angeles. She uses a machine called a functional MRI to map energy usage in the brain. Her special area of interest is how the brain processes tactile input, that is, how do our brains recognize what we are touching with our fingers.
While Cathy was being treated, she asked a question I have been trying to answer ever since: How can she find a chiropractor in her area that does what we do?
You see, Cathy and her husband, a professor of economics, were both patients when they lived in Denver. Naturally, they both want to continue on their path towards health now they have moved to the West Coast. They have had a difficult time finding a chiropractic physician they feel comfortable with.
Cathy could see us this time because she was working with her Ph.D. candidates here in Colorado. In a similar way, Andy was able to see us because he was in town visiting his sister Geri, who works with Darla at the front desk. Jim could see us because he was in town for a fundraiser that he was emceeing.
We hear stories like these a lot. Patients who have moved away come to see us when they are in town. All our new patients have heard of our methods from a family member or a good friend and want to give our office a try. Unfortunately, what we do is not readily available elsewhere and it has no accepted name, so you can't just call local chiropractors and ask if they use the Borman protocol.
You can use a few questions to screen for a compatible therapy:
1) Ask how long the doctor spends in direct contact with the patient. We believe it takes at least 20 to 40 minutes of work to do a good job. Avoid any type of assembly-line approach.
2) Ask if the doctor uses blocks. This answer is important in several ways. Use of blocks means the doctor is interested in leveling the pelvic foundation of the spine as a starting place of therapy. Use of blocks also indicates the doctor is open to the application of slow, sustained pressures as a form of adjustment rather than just the rapid thrusting type of adjusting.
3) Ask if the doctor uses ultrasound. The use of this gentle, yet powerful modality indicates several things about the doctor’s understanding of what lies behind chronic problems.
Using ultrasound means that the doctor is aware that continuing muscular contractions and the resultant buildup of lactic acid both causes and perpetuates most chronic problems. In addition, the use of ultrasound indicates an understanding of the role of swelling around nerve roots in the production of pain.
4) Ask if the doctor runs on time. We all have important things we need to do. A doctor who doesn't value our time is not a good choice when attempting to battle a difficult and chronic problem.
So there it is, four simple questions to ask over the phone. These answers can give a general indication of whether a chiropractor is someone you could work with.
Of course it's easier said than done, easier asked than found. That is why so many of the people who travel to see us for help come from far away. And when I say far away, I don't just mean like Andy or Jim or Cathy who came from out of the country or out of the state.
I mean, regulars like Bill, the seventy-nine-year-old retired schoolteacher, who drives in from way east of Parker so he can continue tending his hilltop ranch. Or like Laura, the computer programmer and mother of two, who drives in from Highlands Ranch so she can continue to run. Or like Julie, the master gardener, who drives in from Longmont so she can continue to enjoy her retirement. Or like Sarah, who drives in from her beautiful cabin on the back side of Mount Evans so she can continue to take care of her horses and trees.
In fact, we see people from all around the metropolitan area and Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, even as far away as Buena Vista. People find us worth searching out and then driving to see us because of the unique manner in which we practice.
We are blessed to be working with the most amazing people imaginable. People who want to be active partners in their own healing. People who expect a rational and comprehensive form of treatment that addresses the root causes of their problems. People who believe that life is to be lived, not merely survived.
At Dr. Borman and Associates we believe that everyone deserves the best care possible. We believe that it is counterproductive to use rapid thrusting adjustments. We believe that muscles deserve a good night’s rest and coffee breaks so they can perform optimally tomorrow. We believe that movement is your friend.
We believe that you can return to full function and vibrant health. We believe that you can thrive, not merely survive.
Call us. We would be honored to examine your particular situation and design a custom healing plan for you.