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What is a Chiropractic Neurologist? Chiropractic
Neurologists are highly trained and qualified experts of the brain, spine and nervous system. As in medicine,
the chiropractic profession has specialists who serve their community’s patients, as well as providing expert evaluations
and consultation to other physicians and health care practitioners. Chiropractic
neurologists are chiropractors who have continued with advanced post graduate training and testing to be able to provide all
the standard chiropractic services and additionally, the specialized services that their advanced training allows.
How is a chiropractic neurologist different than
a medical neurologist or a neurosurgeon?
Chiropractic neurologists, medical neurologists and neurosurgeons differ
greatly in their methods of treatment.
The medical neurologist will prescribe medications or injections. The neurosurgeon
uses surgery to correct a condition. The chiropractic neurologist uses medication free and non-surgical treatment methods.
Many conditions of the brain and nervous system do not respond well to
aggressive interventions such as drug therapy or surgery. Additionally, the drug therapies used by medical neurologists, and
the surgical interventions of the neurosurgeon often carry increased risks for serious complications or dangerous side effects.
For this reason, chiropractic neurologists fill a unique and significant
role in treating brain and nervous system disorders using safe and effective methods producing lasting health benefits.
What conditions do chiropractic neurologists
treat?
All the conditions normally seen by
chiropractors like pains from injuries caused by lifting, falls, sports
injuries, auto accidents, etc plus:
•Headaches and chronic pain
• Learning and attention disorders
• Vertigo
• Developmental
disorders
• Head injury or stroke
• Spinal cord and nerve injuries
• Movement disorders
What special diagnostics do chiropractic
neurologists use? In addition to physical examination methods, chiropractic neurologists may use:
- MRI -magnetic resonance imaging
- CT -computerized
tomography
- Xray
- Ultrasound
- Bloodwork
- And others as
necessary or appropriate.
In addition to
physical examination methods, chiropractic neurologists who are also Board Certified in Electrodiagnostics (like Dr.
Kuhn) may use: - EMG -electromyography
- NCV-nerve conduction study
- EPS-evoked potential studies
- EEG- electroencephalograph
- QEEG-quantitative electroencephalograph
- LORETA-low
resolution brain electromagnetic tomography
What treatment methods do chiropractic neurologists
use?
Chiropractic neurology treatment methods are safe, effective
and can include a wide variety of tools such as:
• Chiropractic adjustments by hand or by instrument
to the spine
and/or extremities
• Eye exercises
• Balance and
coordination activities
• Cognitive exercises and activities
• Sensory training
that may include light, sound, smell, or touch
• Physical exercises
• Breathing
exercises
• Biofeedback/neurofeedback
• Nutritional modification
• And
many others…
What makes a chiropractic neurologist so special?
Because chiropractic neurologists often have great success treating patients
for whom all other treatment methods have failed, people often ask, “What makes a chiropractic neurologist so special?”
The distinguishing factor is the paradigm, or approach that a chiropractic
neurologist uses toward diagnosis and treatment. In addition to evaluating for pathologies as medical doctors do; a chiropractic
neurologist evaluates for subtle changes in the function of the nervous system. It is this expertise in detecting subtle
changes in function that sets a chiropractic neurologist apart from other specialists.
How does one become a chiropractic neurologist? As in all medical specialties, one must complete undergraduate
work and earn a professional degree before entering into specialty training. Upon completion of undergraduate training, the chiropractic neurology student must then attend a college of chiropractic.
There he must complete a required minimum of 4,200 hours of combined classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience. Dr. Kuhn
is a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. After
earning the doctorate degree and passing rigorous state and national boards, the student must attend a “program of instruction
that is approved by the continuing education committee of the Commission for the Accreditation of Graduate Education in Neurology
of a minimum of 300 credit hours”.1 Dr. Kuhn attended the prestigeous Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies for his post graduate neurology training. The student must
then pass stringent written and oral examinations given by the American Chiropractic Neurology Board before receiving board certification in chiropractic neurology. Chiropractic neurologists are required to maintain their level of expertise by reading current journal articles as
well as attending an additional 60 hours of educational training per year. The American Chiropractic Association
recognizes the ACNB as the sole authority in credentialing in Neurology for the Chiropractic Profession. The
ACNB diplomate program in neurology certification is fully accredited by National Organization for Competence Assurance and
the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NOCA/NCCA). Electrodiagnosis Subspecialty Board Certification: Many like Dr. Kuhn, continue
their study in a variety of subspecialties such as learning and behavioral disorders, vertigo, and electrodiagnostics.
These subspecialties require many additional hours of extra training and study. The American Chiropractic Neurology Board (ACNB) has conferred the designation of Diplomate in Electrodiagnosis
upon Kurt W. Kuhn, D.C., Ph.D. The ACNB confirms the specialty certification in electrodiagnostics on those
clinicians who have completed a program or residency which has been approved by the Commission on Accreditation of the Graduate
Education in Neurology (CAGEN). Dr. Kuhn attended programs through the Carrick Institute of Graduate Studies
and National University of Health Sciences, which provided CAGEN approved programs of specialty training in Electrodiagnosis,
thus fulfilling the academic and practical curriculum for Board Certification in Electrodiagnosis under the ACNB. The
minimum accredited training and testing requirements for Board Certification in the specialty of Electrodiagnostics by CAGEN
institutions and the ACNB include: Dr. Kuhn’s practice is at 1125 W. Fourth Street in Waterloo. He serves
local medical and chiropractic professionals with his expertise as well as providing patient care for back pain, neck pain,
arm & leg pain, carpal tunnel and chronic pain syndromes along with specialty care for learning and behavioral disorders.
Who tests and regulates chiropractic neurologists?
The American Chiropractic Neurology Board provides the testing and credentialing for chiropractic neurologists. “The Diplomate Program in Neurology Certification”
awarded by the American Chiropractic Neurology Board is fully accredited by the National Commission for Certification Agencies
(NCCA), the accreditation body of the National Organization of Competency Assurance (NOCA). The American Chiropractic Neurology Board is the only specialty certification agency for the Chiropractic Profession that
is fully accredited by NCCA. NCCA's standards exceed the requirements set forth by the American Psychological Association
and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The National Organization for Competency Assurance is the leader in
setting Quality Standards for Credentialing Organizations.”1
Why choose a chiropractic neurologist?
Chiropractic Neurologists are highly qualified specialists in the
brain and nervous system. They have dedicated many years to study of these systems and are prepared to offer effective treatment
options that do not involve the use of medications or surgery. If you or a loved one has a condition related in any
way to the brain or nervous system, chiropractic neurology provides a new avenue of hope for successful treatment.
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