Today’s guest is Dr. Pam Woodward, of the wonderful world of Chiropractic.

She is a graduate of Life University’s College of Chiropractic in Marietta, GA.  She was valedictorian of her graduating class there, earning Summa Cum Laude Honors and induction into the Pi Tau Delta Chiropractic Honor Society. She was awarded the Learning Theory and Critical Thought Core Proficiency Award by her peers. While at school, she was a tutor in biochemistry and anatomy. Dr. Woodward is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association, which specializes in chiropractic care for pregnant women and children. She is certified in Webster Technique and is working towards her Diploma in Pediatrics through the ICPA. Dr. Woodward is also proficient in Activator, Diversified, and Sacro-Occipital techniques.

I must claim some bias here in that Dr. Pam is my and Carrie’s (see: wife) personal chiropractor, and we have been working with her for roughly a year as of the release of this episode.

We discuss a range of topics in this episode, the most important one in my opinion being that there is a large amount of what some call a placebo effect when it comes to those treated by a chiropractor.  Facts, research, history aside… because anyone that knows the history of chiropractic knows it to be decorated with some of the more colorful characters you’ll ever come to meet, here is my summed up view of placebo effect:

* New joint relief medication: Patient takes placebo pills.  Starts feeling better. But it’s placebo!!!! Who gives a damn… my knee feels better.

* Chiropractor: “They are just snake oil salesman!” “They aren’t actually doing anything to you!” “Oh, its just psychosomatic.” But my sciatic nerve hasn’t flared up in over a year since starting treatment, so… who gives a damn.

* Religious faith: “You’re delusional!” “You’re teaching your children a lie!” “GOD IS DEAD!” Meanwhile most with a religious faith are some of the most upstanding members of any community and are in a state of peace with the world and their neighbors more than the average Joe or Jane, in my own personal experience. So agree or disagree with someone’s faith-based choices, as long as they remain kind people, who gives a damn.

* Essential oils: “It’s a scent. It’s NOT medicine!” “You just like the smell of it. It’s not actually doing anything for you.”…….Meanwhile you fall asleep easier and (change the oil in question in your diffuser) you feel more energized throughout the day.  Are these effects real or just placebo?  Who gives a damn!

Got off on a tangent there… sorry. I do that. You’ll come to love me for it. Or you won’t. Who gives a damn. 😉

Dr. Pam and I, at one point in the conversation, discussed the large amount of deaths caused in the U.S. by medical mistakes. Here is a story I found from NPR that gives some background. So please read before yelling at me.

Now, Dr. Pam shares a lot of great information about the ways to effectively work with a chiropractor. One of the most important ones being how best to screen the practitioners you are considering working with. This is critical information because, being honest, working in a field that doesn’t have the blessing of the N.I.H. (National Institutes of Health) and the billions of dollars of research funding that come with it,