THE BVM MODEL: CHIROPRACTIC “PHILOSOPHY” BACK TO THE FUTURE

INTRODUCTION: The chiropractic profession manages a wide spectrum of conditions.

These conditions are primarily musculoskeletal conditions, but also include visceral and

sometimes psychoemotional based problems.

ARGUMENT: We speculate that the attachment of the profession to traditionally described

mechanisms to explain the anecdotal reports of success with non-musculoskeletal conditions

is problematic. Furthermore, additional evidence acknowledges the interactive role of the

viscera and the brain in the formation of many health conditions. Importantly, the traditional

mechanism cannot adequately explain these changes. Additional discussion highlights the

documented cause and effect of many functional disorders of the brain in many pain and

condition-based syndromes by a likely stress based mechanism manifesting through the

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis of the brain. The biopsychosocial model of disease first

described by Engel and favoured by the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) has been

used to describe the scope of chiropractic in the etiology and management outcomes of

chiropractic treatment.

DISCUSSION: We have postulated a new model to explain the complete spectrum of

chiropractic approaches. The new model promotes the interrelationship of the Brain, Viscera

and Musculoskeletal structures and is referred to the BVM model. This model we feel better

explains the multimodal management strategies being rendered by chiropractic, CAM and

allopathic practitioners, and represents a “scientific” approach to some very traditional

concepts in chiropractic. These concepts include a neurologically based “above down inside

out” view of disease first postulated by Palmer. It is an inclusive model that explains the

musculoskeletal spine-only approach and non-musculoskeletal approaches present in the

profession.

Published by Peter Bablis Henry Pollard, Rod Bonello Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

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