You’re sick – should you come to your appointment or cancel it?

This is a great question that we often get asked at the office. Patients will call in on the day of their appointment and say “I’m sick. Should I still come in? I don’t want to get you all sick too!”

Quick answer is

YES! I have a few thoughts that will hopefully clear up this question for us.

Health issues

First, thank you for being considerate and thinking of our health. Even though we’re only humans here at the office (who are susceptible to dys-function too) we do an excellent job here of self-care. Our doctors, providers, and team are getting adjusted, getting acupuncture treatments, taking physician-grade quality nutrients, working in our calm environment, and doing our best to function well and stay healthy.

So…. whether or not we get sick is NOT dependent upon someone spreading germs onto us. If we get sick, it’s because our body was not functioning well enough to adapt and process that challenge. We won’t get sick by coming in contact with a sick person. We are doing everything we can to help the body work well so it will adapt and fight off any potential exposure!

Example: Let’s say three people work in an office cube setting. One is sick and comes to work anyways. The second person gets sick. The third does not. Why? They were both exposed exactly the same way for the same amount of time. The answer depends upon the person’s ability to function (which is the real definition of health) and their adaptability.

Benefits

Second, it would benefit you immensely to get treated when you are sick. It will help the body work better, the immune system to rise to the challenge, and you’ll start feeling better sooner… all without toxins or side effects! Using over the counter medications will actually slow down the body’s natural immune processes.

Example: a fever occurs because the body detects some type of invader (bacteria, virus, etc). In order to make the conditions inhospitable for this invader to survive the body will turn up the temperature. Taking an OTC fever-reducer will stop that natural process, lower the temperature, allow the invader to stay in the body longer, and potentially cause side effects or damage to the organ systems. To start feeling better faster, let the fever do its job! According to medical and anatomy textbooks, fever is not actually dangerous to the body under approximately 103 degrees (and it’s at 106+ degrees that we could have irreversible life threatening damage).

Prevention

Third, the idea that makes the most sense to me is to take care of ourselves a little bit each day so that we PREVENT illness from even occurring!

That’s WHY I prioritize my own health by getting my spine checked weekly, my acupuncture appointments, eat well, think well, sleep well, and take all of the same nutrient supplement products that I advise you to take.

But if illness does occur – please feel free to come into the office, get treated naturally, and help your body work better to regain your health!