from the faculty

Plane conversations

Sitting in seat 8-A on a small commuter jet, I observed out of the corner of my eye, the young woman next to me turning around in her seat, grabbing the back of it and twisting herself around until the joints in her spine popped.

I had to say something. “That’s not a healthy thing to do to your spine you know,” I said. She replied with a statement that was intended to shut me up. “I’m a physical therapist,” she said. Fortunately, very few things can shut me up. Turns out we had a very nice conversation about our different professions.

Both physical therapists and chiropractors deal with the spine, but our approaches are very different. The chiropractor is primarily concerned with biomechanics and neural function, while the therapist is mainly concerned with eliminating painful syndromes.

While a well trained chiropractor has a very deep understanding of proper spinal mechanics and physiology, my physical therapist friend had a much better understanding of pain syndromes and how to make the spine feel better. It is interesting that even when the pain has gone, the mechanics and the neural function can be far from normal.

My point is that chiropractic is unique. It is important for the healthcare professionals to have ways to help people feel better, but it is much more crucial for us to have ways to help them function better.

Joseph J. Donofrio is Dean of Clinical Sciences, an associate professor and Chair of Technique Department. He has a D.C. from Sherman College (1994) and teaches Spinal Biodynamics I & II. He has been under regular chiropractic care since the day he was born and is a second generation chiropractor. Dr. Donofrio has lectured internationally on spinal biodynamics, palpation, chiropractic history and education. What he really enjoys is studying the Bible and spending time with his family. "It is awesome to play a role in shaping the future of this great profession of chiropractic," he says.

The life of a D.C. has many perks

Fishing and baby sitting my grand dogs is always an excellent way to unwind from a busy quarter. It's also a great way to prepare for a new quarter.

Rest is a vital component for good health along with chiropractic care. In fact, whenever my brothers and I meet at the lake house for a few days of fishing and lying about fishing, they ask me to bring my portable adjusting table. This way they stay healthy enough to keep up with me. I still catch the biggest fish each time!!

Yes, my grand dogs even get adjusted when I visit them. The life of a D.C. has many perks... my brothers buy all the bait and the beverages!

Robert L. Irwin is Vice President for Academic Affairs and an assistant professor of clinical sciences. He has a D.C. from Life (1979) and an A.S. from SouthWestern Michigan College (1976). He has been with the college since 1998 and teaches Clinical Reasoning and Upper Cervical Technique. He enjoys golf, reading and fishing.

Becoming a Chiropractor

I always knew that wanted to be in health care. I just wasn’t sure what form of health care I should go into, until I became a chiropractic patient. I was working part time in a restaurant while in high school and would come home every night with terrible pain in my middle and lower back. I was also having trouble with my stomach during that same time. My parents took me to a medical doctor who wanted to prescribe medication and do some pretty invasive tests in order to diagnose my stomach problems. As you can imagine I wasn’t crazy about the thought of having that done, so I decided to wait on the medical testing until I got the problems with my back taken care of.

I went to a chiropractor who was highly recommended by a friend of the family. He also happened to be a Sherman graduate. He was really nice and explained the chiropractic adjustment to me. He adjusted my spine for several weeks and I was amazed that my back problems were gone and so were my stomach problems. When I told him this he smiled and said “I’m not surprised. It’s amazing what your body can do when it’s free of nerve interference from vertebral subluxation.”

He explained the chiropractic philosophy to me and at that moment I knew that I was meant to be a chiropractor, and not just a chiropractor but a Sherman College chiropractor. The chiropractic philosophy completely resonated with me. I never dreamed that there was a whole profession full of people who believed the same things that I had always innately believed in. It was clear that I was destined to become a Sherman College graduate.

Patricia Kuhta is an associate professor of clinical sciences, Director of the X-ray Department, and a member of the health center faculty. She has a D.C. from Sherman College (1994) and a B.S. from Excelsior College (2001). She teaches X-Ray Analysis and Atlas Orthogonal and has been with the college since 1994. She enjoys working out and traveling. "If individuals want to learn dentistry, they should go to dental school," she says. "If individuals want to learn medicine, they should go to medical school. If individuals want to learn specific straight chiropractic, they should come to Sherman College. BJ Palmer once said, 'Chiropractic is specific, or it is nothing.' Sherman College is the home of specific straight chiropractic."

Epiphany with a Medic: What I want to impart to my students and my patients

Greetings to all! It is a wonderful day to be a chiropractor. Every day we get to touch people and change their lives. Every day is another opportunity to make a difference. Subluxation correction in its pure, unadulterated form is a very special and unique way of life. And yet, even those of us who have been in the field for a while sometimes forget how special and unique we are.

This morning I was reminded of the importance of what we do by my son’s pediatrician. No, he did not extol the virtues of chiropractic -- but what he said made me appreciate my life as a straight chiropractor. This morning, my 6-1/2 month old son woke up with a fever. Now, I know that fever is the immune system’s way of dealing with harmful pathogens and is actually a good thing. As a chiropractor and educator I had preached this to parents for years. And then… I became a parent myself and my world was turned upside down (in a good way). As a parent I want so much to be a good mother and to nurture and protect my son, and I find myself feeling things I have never felt before. Suddenly, I am scared. I know fever is good but what if…? All sorts of possible diagnoses begin to bombard my mind. Finally, I broke down and called the pediatrician.

Thankfully everything checked out fine and the doctor said he probably just has a sinus infection. Then he said something that jolted me back to myself. “Ma’am,” he said, “I have to tell you, I am very conservative when it comes to prescribing medicine… because for one thing, I don’t think it does very much good. In most cases the child’s body handles the illness and it goes away on its own. As far as I’m concerned your baby’s body is doing what it is supposed to, so lets just leave it alone and I’ll see him in a week to check his progress. It appears to be nothing major. In fact, he is playing and smiling and not even acting sick. He is the happiest little guy I’ve seen all day.”

As I drove home I thought, “Isn’t this what we do as chiropractors?" The goal of correcting the subluxation is to restore nervous system integrity and allow the body to do what it was designed to do. In this regard, even the symptoms we fear and try so hard to get rid of can be good in that many times these are signs that the immune system is at work.

I left there actually feeling good. Yes my son still has symptoms, but I know that his body is doing what it designed to do, and I am thankful that I am a part of that as a chiropractor and that his being under regular chiropractic care is the right thing to do.

Students and fellow chiropractors, I encourage you to never ever forget how special you are and what a gift you are to the world. Don’t be tempted to settle into the role of merely relieving back pain and neck pain. Don’t let anyone convince you subluxation correction is narrow-minded, outdated or backward. The creative ways that exist to correct subluxation are almost limitless, and there is much to learn. So learn all that you can in order to practice skillfully and to do so with love and passion.

This is what I want to impart to my students and desire for them to take with them when they leave. It is my desire for them stand out as chiropractic beacons of light and specificity in a world where many in our profession seem just as confused about what they do as the public they serve. This is my goal here at Sherman College and why I decided to return some 11 years after graduation. Have a blessed day.

Rochelle Delain is a 1992 Sherman College graduate who returned to the Sherman family as a faculty member in 2003. She is an assistant professor of clinical sciences and a member of the health center faculty. Dr. Delain also has an A.A. in medical sciences from Wesley College and a B.S. in biology from Excelsior College. She was in private practice in Anderson, SC, for nearly 5 years and currently practices part time in Spartanburg and Inman, SC. Dr. Delain is certified in the Webster technique, and specializes in adjusting pregnant women, infants, and children. She enjoys writing and publishes the bimonthly health center newsletter, “Straight to Your Health.” She also enjoys music (playing violin and singing), reading, cooking and entertaining, traveling, outdoor activities, church activities and spending time with her family.