So What Is A Chiropractic Neurologist?

As in other medical professions, we have individual specialists within the chiropractic profession. Through education, training and board certification, we choose to limit practice to a certain specialty to assist other physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of conditions. Typically, a chiropractic neurologist serves in the same consulting manner as a medical neurologist. The difference is that the therapies or applications of a chiropractic neurologist do not include drugs or surgery. As a result, certain conditions are more customarily amenable to treatment by a chiropractic neurologist as opposed to a medical neurologist, and vice versa. In my own practice, I see patients with a variety of vertigo, balance, dizziness and movement disorders, dystonia, headaches, and pain. There are naturally conditions for which drugs and surgery are more appropriate, and, many conditions for which drugs and surgery are inappropriate. It is my job to discern the two and treat those conditions that are amenable to the type of treatment, which we provide. There is a growing demand for the drug free treatments that we provide. Although not against the utilization of surgery or drugs when appropriate, our treatment focuses on not using them. We will refer a patient to another appropriate specialist who uses these modalities if that treatment is the most appropriate for a given condition.

How does one become a chiropractic neurologist?

The training to become a board certified neurologist in the chiropractic profession is an additional three years didactic and clinically based residency program, (after the doctor’s degree), which is conducted through an accredited university or college. Board examination is provided annually for which the candidate must sit to become board certified. Certification is provided through NOCA, (National Organization for Competency Assurance).

When do I make the decision to see a chiropractic neurologist?

Neurologists from a Chiropractic medicine background, trained extensively in neurologic rehabilitation applications, are in great demand. Nonetheless, the unfortunate reality is that most patients will go through the usual channels of failed allopathic treatments, before making the appointment to come see us. Many of these patients suffer needlessly for years prior to making that decision, oftentimes making themselves worse in the process. It is far more appropriate to engage our type of drug free treatment first, escalating to more complicated treatments secondarily, rather than vice versa, which oddly has been the trend, although more recently we see this changing.

Dr. Scopelliti is a chiropractic neurologist, practicing at the 279 Professional Arts Bldg at the rear of Monmouth Medical Center, in Long Branch, NJ. He is also currently the president of the NJ Chiropractic Council on Neurology. His office specializes in the drug free management of vertigo, dizziness, balance loss, syncope, dystonia and headaches.