Dr. Steve Troyanovich on Earning Cultural Authority Without Compromise

 

What happens when a principled chiropractor earns the trust of medical doctors without ever selling out? In Episode 667 of the Chiro Hustle Podcast, Dr. Steve Troyanovich joins us to talk about his 36-year career, the clinical wins that changed lives (and minds), and how he used storytelling, science, and rock-solid philosophy to build a referral-only practice—without losing the heart of chiropractic. From his latest book The Human Touch to a near-miss that turned into a life-saving moment, this episode is full of insight, truth, and a few surprises you’ll want to hear for yourself.

Key Takeaways

 

●      What it really looks like to earn trust from skeptical MDs—without compromising principles

●      Why showing results (not chasing belief) changes everything

●      A patient’s C1 burst fracture that changed his entire perspective on risk, referrals, and responsibility

●      How the phrase "I work for you" reshaped his patient relationships

●      The PR problem in chiropractic—and how his book The Human Touch tries to fix it

●      Why low-pressure, high-integrity communication isn’t just ethical—it’s effective

 

About Dr. Steve Troyanovich, DC

Dr. Steve Troyanovich is a 1987 Palmer College graduate who practiced in Normal, Illinois for 36 years. A prolific author and researcher, he has published over 50 journal articles and seven books. He was also the editor of Chiropractic History and now advocates for chiropractic through writing and education.

Episode Themes

 

Reclaiming Cultural Authority

Dr. Steve reveals how he earned respect by educating the very professionals who were trained to distrust him. His simple approach—sending newsletters with real research to the local medical community—flipped the narrative and fueled a practice built on referrals from MDs.

Objective Outcomes Over Opinion

Dr. Steve doesn’t rely on feel-good testimonials. Instead, he built his practice on objective measures like X-rays, posture assessments, and care plans grounded in CBP protocols. He challenges chiropractors to ask: Are you really changing spines—or just making people feel better temporarily?

Patient Choice, Not Pressure

No scripts. No pushy ROFs. Dr. Steve simply laid out the options and let patients decide. What followed was long-term trust, better compliance, and plenty of people who came back ready when they were truly ready.

Vitalism Meets Research

You’ll hear how Dr. Steve blends philosophy with scientific credibility. His take on innate intelligence might surprise you—but it might also give you a new way to explain it that lands with patients and skeptics alike.

Final Takeaway

“You don’t get to believe in chiropractic. You get to experience it.”

 

Guest Bio:

 

Dr. Steve Troyanovich is a 1987 Cum Laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He has authored seven books and authored or co-authored over 50 scientific journal articles regarding spinal evaluation and treatment methods. He is the first chiropractor to be published in the medical journal, The Journal of Spinal Disorders. In addition to articles in scholarly journals, Dr. Troyanovich has authored over 60 articles for popular chiropractic journals and magazines.

Dr. Troyanovich was a physician researcher for the Central Illinois Neuroscience Foundation (CINF) where he also served as the chairman of the CINF research committee for ten years. He was a director and officer of the Association for the History of Chiropractic and served as the editor of the scholarly journal, Chiropractic History.

Dr. Troyanovich retired from full-time private practice in Normal, Illinois in December of 2023 after practicing for thirty-six years.