About Gonstead

Dr. David Sheitelman practices a technique called The Gonstead Method. This is one of the safest methods of chiropractric, allowing the option of adjusting children, pregnant women, and also the elderly. The Gontead System is unique because it is thorough, complete and specific in both analyzing and treating the spine. The Gonstead practioner addresses your entire spine when evaluating for the presence of vertebral subluxations (spinal misalignments producing nerve interference or irritation) which cause ill health.

History of The Gonstead Method

Dr. Clarence S. Gonstead practiced chiropractic from 1923 until 1978. He decided to become a chiropractor after chiropractic adjustments allowed his body to heal from a painful, crippling episode of rheumatoid arthritis. Using his background in mechanical engineering and extensive hours spent studying cadaver spines, he developed a unique approach to applying chiropractic care. His application brought him both national and international acclaim, and he was known as a "chiropractor's chiropractor." His practice located in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin (pop. 4000) drew patients from all over the world, and is still the largest to have existed to date. Dr. Gonstead's brilliant mind and lifelong experience of treating over one million patients enabled him to develop and refine his technique which is now taught and practiced by doctors of chiropractic all over the world.

The Gonstead Analysis

The Gonstead chiropractor conducts a thorough analysis of your spine using five criteria to detect the presence of the vertebral subluxation complex.

X-Ray Analysis - X-Ray films enable your doctor to visualize the entire structure of your spine. This is helpful in evaluating for any disease processes, fracture, posture, joint and disc intefrity and vertebral misalignments.

Instrumentation - The insturment of choice in the Gonstead System is the Nervoscope. The Nervoscope detects uneven distribution of heat along the spine which can be indicative of inflammation and nerve pressure. This instrument is guided down the length of your back and feels two fingers gliding down each side of your spine.

Static Palpation - This is simply the process of feeling (or palpating) your spine in a stationary (or static) position. Your chiropractor will feel for the presence of swelling (or edema), tenderness and any abnormal texture or tightness in the muscles and other tissues of yor back.

Motion Palpation - This process involves feeling the spine while moving or bending it at various angles. This enable the chiropractor to enable the chiropractor to determine how easily or difficult each segment in your spine moves in different directions.

Visualization - Visualization is a way to cross reference all the other findings. Your chiropractor is an expert in looking for subtle changes in your posture and movement which could indicate any problems.

The Adjustment

After a complete analysis, the Gonstead practitioner is ready to deliver any necessary spinal adjustments. The focus of the Gonstead adjustment is to be as specific, precise and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation). Great care is takent o ensure a mechanically correct position and precise thrust to provide the most accurate and painless adjustment possible. It is the goal of your Gonstead doctor to restore and maintain optimal health by locating and correcting any interference to the nervous system caused by vertebral subluxation. After complete evaluation using these methods of analysis, your chiropractor is ready to provide a specific, accurate and precise adjustment. The cause of your discomfort - the areas of subluxation - have been determined so there is a focus on adjusting the problem areas only. Gonstead chiropractors approach the spine biomechanically - which means that they relate the structure of the spine to how they will adjust It. Gonstead doctors take great care in making sure you are in a mechanically correct position for your adjustment. Accurate positioning and precision thrusting insure that the correction is as accurate and painless as possible. To help illustrate the necessity of correct positioning, think of how a pottery sculptor carefully positions the clay of the pottery wheel before shaping or reshaping the clay. If the clay is not in the center of the pottery wheel it will become off-balance and lose its shape. Likewise, your chiropractor is 'reshaping' the position of the vertebrae in your spine.