I received the March 2006 issue of The American Chiropractor today and read it with interest. I think that your publication is a very good one. However, I have a serious issue with the reporting of the chiropractor who is being sued in Gaffney, South Carolina, for an alleged herniation of a cervical disc. While the profession works hard at protecting chiropractors against the alleged stroke cases in our profession, we need to work hard at helping defend the new "trap door" in our profession: the alleged ruptured disc. The issue I have with your publication is the insinuation that discs can be found on an X-ray, as implied by your title, "Check those X-rays, Doctors." X-ray analysis had nothing to do with whether Dr. Bernhardy ruptured the disc or not, for you cannot see discs on plain film radiographs. This doctor (whom I do not know), quite frankly, did not deserve this negative publicity. Having been involved in successfully defending chiropractic in very similar sets of circumstances, I have a plethora of information that totally supports the SAFETY of a chiropractic high velocity/low amplitude procedure in the presence of a herniatcd disc. Soon, I hope to have a seminar on disc integrity and the chiropractic profession. In the event chiropractors are facing this dilemma of an alleged ruptured disc from a spinal adjustment, I would be more than happy to share this information with them. Patrick D. McLaughlin, D.C. Moreheacl City. NC www.mclaughlinch iropractic.com
