5 Components of the Gonstead technique

We utilize x-rays on most of our teenage and adult patients to provide an accurate vertebral count, provide full spinal contour representation for posture analysis with axial weight-bearing, and show any other problems that may change your best course of care.

Both Static and Motion Palpation are utilized in Gonstead Chiropractic to precisely pin point areas of involvement. Static Palpation is the “hands on” part of the examination. This will indicate changes in contour, tone, texture and temperature on the patient. Motion Palpation is used to determine a subluxation and its listing.

Classically a dual probe instrument (Nervoscope or Delta-T) is used to get a bilateral temperature comparison of the spine to locate areas of inflammation. The readings obtained through instrumentation will show whether or not subluxations are present, if they are being corrected, and when correction has been attained.

We take into account all the information we can get from the patient by simply looking at them very carefully. In the Gonstead System Visualization starts from the moment the patient walks in the door. Differences in height between the ears, shoulders and hips as well as posture and gait are useful to confirm your X-Ray and Palpation findings.

Although never used in a “cook-book” fashion, understanding problems with a patient’s health help us determine the area that a patient needs to be adjusted. Symptoms can help separate the two parts of the Autonomic Nervous System (Sympathetic and Parasympathetic) and aid us in applying a specific adjustment

In the Gonstead System we apply all the information from these modes of analysis and correlate our findings to determine the most likely cause of the patient’s problem. After Subluxations are found, the use of the proper Gonstead technique is applied to effectively correct problem areas.

The Gonstead system focuses on the dynamics of intervertebral disc as the underlying cause of subluxations and resulting neurological dysfunction. It could then be said that Gonstead doctors are “disc doctors”.