Chiropractic functional neurology is an emerging new discipline that is being used to treat various neurological and brain-based conditions, such as concussions or migraines.
The practice caught public attention in the early 2010’s, when it was used by Dr. Ted Carrick to successfully treat the nearly career-ending concussion of hockey player Sidney Crosby. Since then, chiropractic functional neurology has been used in the treatment of many other professional athletes and has gained increasing popularity and acceptance around the world.
Many people have begun to turn to functional neurology as an alternative when mainstream medical practices are no longer able to help them resolve chronic health conditions, especially those associated with the brain or the neurological system.
In this article, we will explain the basic principles of chiropractic functional neurology — often referred to as either ‘chiropractic neurology’ or just ‘functional neurology’. We will also talk about some of the institutions and certifying bodies that are guiding the development of this emerging discipline. Please feel free to contact our office to learn more.
What is Chiropractic Functional Neurology?
Chiropractic functional neurology is a subdiscipline of chiropractic care that uses a range of advanced techniques to treat neurological and brain-based conditions, such as concussions and post-concussion syndrome (PCS), headaches and migraines, dizziness and balance disorders, peripheral neuropathy, and more.
How does Chiropractic Functional Neurology work?
Chiropractic functional neurology takes an integrative approach to the treatment of neurological and brain-based conditions, by assessing how your body’s neurologic, metabolic, nutritional, and biomechanical systems are interacting with one another in their diagnosis of patients.
The chiropractic functional neurology approach is focused on finding ways to drive neuroplasticity in specific areas of the brain, in order to resolve existing health challenges.
Important Institutions in the Field of Functional Neurology
While the field of chiropractic functional neurology is still gaining mainstream acknowledgement, there are a number of institutions that provide training courses and certifications for practitioners in the field. These institutions play an important role in maintaining proper practice standards as the discipline continues to grow.
If you are interested in working with a chiropractic functional neurologist, it is important to find a practitioner who is properly trained and certified by an appropriate organization. Learn more about a few of these organizations below.
The Carrick Institute
The Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies is an educational institution for studies in clinical neuroscience and rehabilitation, based in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The institute was originally founded by Canadian chiropractic doctor and researcher, Frederick R. Carrick, as the first training centre for the new subspeciality of chiropractic neurology (also referred to as functional neurology), which he was responsible for establishing and pioneering.
Dr. Carrick was trained at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and earned his Ph’D from Walden University in 1996. He gained widespread recognition in the early 2010’s when he helped treat the concussions of several high-profile professional athletes, including hockey players Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews.
Today, the Carrick Institute continues to be a world leader in the field of chiropractic functional neurology, offering a wide range of training courses for practitioners seeking to learn more about this emerging discipline.
American College of Functional Neurology (ACFN)
The American College of Functional Neurology is an organization whose purpose is to help credential healthcare professionals in a number of subspecialties of functional neurology.
The ACFN helps to certify physicians at the Fellowship level or the general certificate holder level for these subspecialties, as well as recertify practitioners to ensure standards for competent practice are maintained. The process of certification is governed by the college’s various subspecialty boards.
The certification process for ACFN Fellowship is extremely rigorous, requiring a full day of both written and practical examinations, as well as a marked presentation before a panel of examiners.
American Chiropractic Neurology Board (ACNB)
The American Chiropractic Neurology Board is a regulatory board for the field of chiropractic functional neurology in the United States. The ACNB conducts yearly examinations to recertify practitioners to continue to practice, which are typically held in multiple locations around the world.
The examination process consists of a multiple days of both written and practical examinations, as well as an in-depth registration process for the examination. The ACNB also requires it’s members to receive at least 30 hours of continuing education per year from an approved list of sources to maintain licensure.
Want to learn more about how chiropractic functional neurology can help you? Contact our team today to book an initial consultation.
