Gonstead chiropractors will find the problem, determine proper medical care, fix the issue and then leave it alone. They do not require patients to come back for further visits. The theory of Gonstead Chiropractic states that the body is a foundation, and any change in the foundation can lead to a collapse. The foundation in the body is formed by the pelvic girdle, and maximum stability and balance is located in the spinal column. When the pelvic girdle becomes misaligned, negative changes occur throughout the body. Misalignments can cause a large amount of pain in various parts of the back.
Subluxation
Chiropractors refer to a subluxation as a misalignment of the vertebrae that builds up pressure on a disc, causing it to swell. Chiropractors are able to detect a misaligned vertebra in the spine, especially those in the upper part of the back. Recognizing and correcting the misaligned spine is an important part of the Gonstead theory. All parts of the spine should be adjusted to completely correct the subluxation. If the top and bottom of the vertebra are misaligned, but only the top is corrected, the patient will only experience limited relief. For complete and long lasting results, all parts of the vertebrae must be identified and adjusted to restore them back to normal. The purpose of the Gonstead concept is to find the subluxation(s) and correct the problem.
