Health Shift

I had a discussion this weekend about how COVID has affected my practice and changes that have occurred since this pandemic started. I’ve been noticing this shift for a while but I really think the pandemic sped it up.

Individuals are asking more questions about their health. Their asking “why do I need this medication” and “is there something else I can do naturally to support this XYZ process?” “Is there a safer option?” “How can I get off this prescribed medication?”

We have Google in our pockets and purses all day long so if we don’t have the answer, we can find it. The internet has given birth to an incredible resource of “other options.” Individuals don’t want a prescription forever, we want ANSWERS. We want to know WHYYYY. We want to know HOW. And we want real solutions.

During the thick of the pandemic in our area, I had a new patient come to my office. His paperwork was completely empty and when I walked into the treatment room, he stated that he wanted me to “look in his ear.” He was fairly confident that a bug blew into his ear and he wanted me to confirm this. Sure enough, it was there. Dead and all in the wax. When I asked if that was all he needed, he responded with “yep! I don’t need an adjustment. I am just not going to any medical offices while this pandemic is happening.”

This shift is individuals asking WHY, HOW, WHAT can I do, HOW can I improve/change. I think this is the beginning of the shift, honestly. COVID and all the unknowns that came with it set this off much quicker than it probably would have been occurred on its own.

What I want to know is what are your thoughts on this? What have you changed since COVID erupted? What have you NOT changed? What do you question now that you didn’t before? Do you feel more accountable for your own health and decisions as a result of this pandemic? Answer in the comments!