Joe Rogan: “Chiropractic is 98% Bull$#it!”

Joe Rogan is a comedian, UFC commentator and podcaster. He is most known for his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience which has over 190 million downloads each month. From my understanding, Joe Rogan concluded that Chiropractic is BS because he had a terrible encounter with a Chiropractor. The Chiropractor missed an underlying condition, put Joe on a questionable care plan and for a lack of a better term, gave him the “run around.” While Joe Rogan’s experience is subjective, we can't ignore his undeniably objective influence.

Is Chiropractic BS? No. Can Chiropractors be BSers? Of course. Now I wouldn’t say 98% of Chiropractors are BSers, but I do think the percentage is somewhere between 0 and 100.

Are all attorneys “ambulance chasers”? Are all police officers “pigs”? Are all politicians “corrupt”? (Well, maybe this last one isn’t the best example.) A rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch as the old saying goes. No profession is rot resistant.

Regarding the BS, Chiropractors are Chiropractic’s worst enemy. Why? From my observation, not all Chiropractors are ethical and follow general standards of care within their scope. This creates confusion in the eyes of the public and other healthcare professionals who already have a misconceived notion of Chiropractic.

I don’t want to get into details about the variables of different adjusting techniques or protocols within Chiropractic. There can be many roads that reach the same destination. I want to touch on the constants. Chiropractors can take different roads but need to make sure they are striving for the same location.

A constant that Chiropractors need to concern themselves with is the detection and correction of a vertebral subluxation. A vertebral subluxation locks the spine in a misaligned position. This lock will perpetuate spine imbalance and Nerve System tension. This tension will lead to abnormal sensitivity, perception and behavior of the Nerve System. Function and structure are disrupted. Health then can’t express its greatest potential. This is critical and needs to be at the epicenter of Chiropractic philosophy, science and art.

The analysis and adjustment of a vertebral subluxation involves using scientific, objective tools to analyze the functionality of the spine. Instrumentation and imaging should be routine procedures used to determine the biomechanical position of the vertebrae and the neural integrity of the Nerve System. If objective tools are not at the foundation of subluxation analysis, you are not practicing within the scope of Chiropractic.

Everyone with a subluxation can be adjusted. Not everyone with a subluxation SHOULD be adjusted or should ONLY be adjusted. There are some situations where it is best not to adjust or refer out to other healthcare professionals because other concurrent problems are present and need to be addressed.

Not only is it crucial to practice within the guidelines and scope of Chiropractic, but it’s also important to practice ethically as well. You need to be truthful, fair, and honest with your patients about what Chiropractic is and is not, how you can help them and how you cannot. Being ethical directs your principles when caring for patients. The more ethical you are, the less likely you will practice BS.

We should call out those in a profession who aren’t ethical, don’t practice within the scope of Chiropractic and follow the standards of care. But you shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Chiropractic benefits your health 100% of the time. If practiced with a high degree of skill by a competent Chiropractor.

As Chiropractors, what are we to do when Chiropractic is presented in a bad light? Especially from people or organizations that have a lot of power and persuasion. Do we point our finger outwardly, try and pass the blame on other professions that produce their fair share of BS? Or do we pause, take stock of the criticism, and find ways to improve our image and, more importantly, our professional care?

- Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP

Related Blogs:

1. If Chiropractic Really Works, Why Aren't Medical Doctors Using It?

2. How Do People Get Well Without Chiropractic?

3. Why Do Some Medical Doctors Put Down Chiropractors?

Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby.