Understanding "Health" and Healthcare" The Various Levels of Care In today's world, "health" and "healthcare" are confusing terms. This process covers 3 different types of care. In reality, the Healthcare system should be redefined to include three separate levels of care. Then, all the present models of "Healthcare" can be understood and appreciated. These proposed levels of care include: I - CRISIS CARE: This deals with emergency situations and is based on preventing loss of life. This is usually handled in hospital environments requiring extreme measures. II - SYMPTOM CARE: This care deals with elimination of your presenting symptoms (aches, pains, stiffness, etc.), making the person "feel" better. This can be handled very well with drugs, herbs, or manipulations, but often allows the real cause to go undetected until it becomes a crisis! III - HEALTH CARE: This care attempts to make your system function at its optimal level. Usually, this is asymptomatic (no aches, pains, stiffness, etc.) care and the doctor needs to use other objective measures to determine the operational status of the various body systems. Healthcare is often mistakenly called "preventative" or "maintenance" care, but it really should not be called maintenance until optimal health has been achieved. For some people, this is a difficult task, but it is a goal. In Chiropractic, we think of "Health Care" as working with the individual's system from death (or near death), past symptoms, and on to Health. Maintenance care is really the elimination of symptoms, and then holding (or maintaining) the individual there. True "Healthcare" is so much more! DEATH/NOT DEAD------->SICKNESS/NOT SICK------->HEALTH/NOT HEALTH Crisis Care---------------->Symptom Care-------------->Healthcare Hospital Care------------->General Care---------------->Individual Care There is a big difference between "not sick" and "not healthy" states, but both are without symptoms. The larger the difference between sickness and health, the larger the person's "Adaptive Capacity". This is what we want to increase as much as possible. Some people have very small adaptive capacities and need more care to get symptom-free. This can be genetic, traumatic, or environmentally driven. The further towards a state of health a person can achieve, the less likely they are to get sick or hurt. True Health Care is a continual process of seeking optimum function and homeostasis. Health is not a destination, It is a journey! Click below for more information About Chiropractic:   Functional Neurology and Chiropractic   Understanding "Health" and Healthcare"   Chiropractic is Safe and Effective...   Frequently Asked Questions...   It's All About Anatomy   History of Chiropractic   Back Pain Statistics   Meridian Valley Chiropractic, along with all information provided, is for educational purposes only and is not an attempt to replace the need to seek healthcare services or to provide specific healthcare advice. We strongly encourage users to consult with their chiropractor or other qualified healthcare professionals for personal healthcare attention and answers to personal questions. Meridian Valley Chiropractic 13106 S.E. 240th St., Suite 201 Kent, WA 98031 www.hugheschiro.com Michael Hughes, DC E-Mail: mvcc92@gmail.com Phone: 253-631-1118 Fax: 253-631-1156   © 2001-2003 Healthy Practices, Inc. All rights reserved.