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Have you ever seen a dramatic headline or an online video claiming that neck adjustments cause strokes and paralysis?
In Episode 4 of our Myth-Busters series on Ask the Chiropractor, Dr. Brant Hulsebus tackles the single biggest, most fear-driven rumor circulating about chiropractic care.
If neck adjustments were genuinely causing strokes and paralysis multiple times a day, could clinics remain open? Would federal and state health departments continue granting licenses? And most importantly—how could any insurance company afford to underwrite chiropractic malpractice insurance?
In this episode, Dr. Hulsebus breaks down:
The Actuarial Reality: Why chiropractors pay some of the lowest malpractice insurance rates in healthcare—with a full year of chiropractic coverage often costing less than a single day of orthopedic coverage.
The Stroke Myth Origin: Where the rumor started and how Dr. J. David Cassidy’s research revealed that patients were already visiting both chiropractors and medical doctors for the neck pain and headache symptoms of a stroke that was already in progress.
Correlation vs. Causation: Why blaming an adjustment for an in-progress vascular event makes about as much sense as blaming the socks the patient put on that morning.
Wilk v. AMA & Containment: The documented history of the American Medical Association's "Committee on Quackery," the landmark federal antitrust case won by Illinois chiropractor Dr. Chester Wilk, and how a century of institutional bias shaped public perception.
Standard Medical Alternatives: The actual risks associated with long-term NSAID usage, off-label spinal cortisone injections, and invasive neck surgeries.
Get the facts straight from clinical literature and actuarial data rather than internet sensationalism!
www.rockforddc.com

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Have you ever heard someone scoff, "Chiropractors aren't real doctors"?
In Episode 3 of our Myth-Busters series on Ask the Chiropractor, Dr. Brant Hulsebus takes this common insult head-on to explain the real facts behind modern chiropractic education, state medical licensing, and federal regulation.
If you still think becoming a chiropractor is an 18-month trade certificate right out of high school, think again. Today's Doctors of Chiropractic complete rigorous undergraduate prerequisites followed by an intensive doctoral program requiring nearly 5,000 classroom and clinical hours—comparable to traditional medical school.
In this episode, Dr. Hulsebus covers:
The 18-Month Myth vs. Reality: Why that outdated post-high-school model from the 1940s is long gone, and how modern collegiate doctoral programs operate today.
Under the Same Scrutiny: How chiropractic colleges fall under the exact same federal regulatory standards and accreditation as medical and dental schools.
The Illinois Medical Licensing Board: Why chiropractors in Illinois hold a medical license to practice chiropractic, governed by a joint board of MDs, DOs, and DCs.
Nearly 5,000 Hours of Training: The intense study behind cadaver dissection, radiology, neuroanatomy, pathology, and differential diagnosis.
Trained to Refer: Why a major part of national board testing focuses on identifying what isn't a chiropractic case—such as distinguishing kidney stones from back pain—and ordering the appropriate imaging or urgent medical referrals.
Defining "Doctor": What actually makes someone a doctor versus a medical prescriber.
If you have questions about whether chiropractic care is right for you, don't rely on watercooler rumors—ask a licensed chiropractor!
www.rockforddc.com

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Would you ask your OB/GYN about your wisdom teeth? Would you visit an optometrist to treat an ingrown toenail? Of course not.
Yet when people struggle with chronic back pain, sciatica, or nerve irritation, the first person they often ask is a medical doctor who has never spent a single credit hour studying chiropractic biomechanics.
In Episode 2 of our Myth-Busters series on Ask the Chiropractor, Dr. Brant Hulsebus shares the infuriating patient case that inspired him to launch this podcast six years ago: a patient who suffered through years of debilitating groin pain, walking difficulties, and severe IBS because their medical doctor wrongly told them a chiropractor could never help them. (Spoiler: They were symptom-free in just three adjustments.)
In this episode, Dr. Hulsebus reveals:
The Medical School Blindspot: What medical students actually learn about chiropractic care (hint: usually a single optional lecture before board exams).
The Specialty Rule: Why consulting an MD or PT about an adjustment is like asking an orthopedic surgeon for pediatric nutrition advice.
Contraindications & Safety: Why chiropractors already know when it is safe—and when it isn't safe—to adjust someone with prior surgeries or health conditions.
The Smart Patient Checklist: Exactly what imaging and records to bring directly to a chiropractor to find out if you're a candidate for care.
Stop letting uneducated opinions delay your healing. Go straight to the source!
www.rockforddc.com

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Have you ever heard someone claim, "Once you go to a chiropractor, you have to go forever"?
In this kickoff episode of our new Myth-Busters series on Ask the Chiropractor, Dr. Brant Hulsebus addresses one of the most common fears and misconceptions keeping people out of the clinic.
Can a chiropractor force you to return forever? Absolutely not—you always have the freedom to make your own healthcare decisions. But why do so many healthy, active people choose routine wellness visits?
Dr. Hulsebus breaks down:
The Root Cause: Why daily micro-stress (driving, desk posture, gardening, and work) keeps adding stress to your spine long after your initial symptoms fade.
The Healthcare Double Standard: Why no one accuses dentists, gyms, or yearly checkups of being a "trap" even though they all require ongoing maintenance.
75+ Years of Clinical Proof: How generational maintenance care at Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic has kept patients in their 70s and 80s moving with little to no degenerative arthritis.
Crisis Care vs. Prevention: The difference between waiting for a severe flare-up versus hitting the reset button before you lock up.
Tune in to discover the real difference between being trapped in care and choosing lifelong spinal mobility!
Next Episode Teaser: Join us next week as we tackle Myth #2: Asking a non-chiropractor about chiropractic care (and why that makes about as much sense as asking your dentist about ingrown toenails!).
www.rockforddc.com

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When your back or neck hurts, you aren't looking to temporarily mask the symptoms—you want a permanent, drug-free solution. While chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy are all incredible healing tools, utilizing them in the wrong order can cause you to take one step forward and two steps back.
In the final episode of our series, Dr. Brant Hulsebus details the optimal recovery protocol for patients seeking lasting relief. As a Palmer College graduate and the team chiropractor for the Rockford IceHogs, Dr. Hulsebus breaks down how your nerves, joints, and muscles operate as an interconnected unit. Learn why trying to exercise or massage an area with a compressed nerve supply fails to build lasting stability, how targeted massage therapy makes spinal adjustments hold longer, and how a coordinated team approach helps you recover safely.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The structural division of labor: How joints, muscle tissues, and movement habits interact.
The hose and the rock: Why clearing spinal subluxations must always precede muscle rehab.
Synergy in action: How deep tissue massage prevents stubborn muscle scar tissue from pulling your spine back out of alignment.
Rebuilding the gait: The vital role of physical therapy in balancing unilateral muscle weakness.
Coordinated care: How primary-care chiropractors in Illinois write direct referrals to local physical therapists.
Post-rehab performance: transitioning from clinical physical therapy to specialized athletic strength coaching.
Have a question about how to coordinate your chiropractic, PT, or massage care? Leave a comment or message on our platforms, and you might be featured as our next question of the week!
👉 New Patients: Skip the clipboard at your first visit by filling out your intake forms online: https://hulsebuschiropractic.com/patient-intake-form/
📍 Visit Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic:
Address: 1877 Daimler Road, Rockford, IL 61112
Phone: 815-398-3434
Website: rockforddc.com
www.rockforddc.com