If the chiropractic profession ever wanted an endorsement of the "treat the cause, not the symptoms" approach to health and wellness, it certainly got one – from the medical community, no less, and soon to be heard / seen by millions of consumers – on March 29, 2012 when "The Doctors" filmed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif.

The episode's theme, "That pain may not be what you think," featured multiple segments emphasizing that what goes on in one part of the body can affect other parts of the body, and that pain in one area may actually be caused by a problem somewhere else. The episode will air on Monday, April 23 (click here for local listings).

In addition to great sound bites in that regard from several of the show's MD hosts ("The Doctors," a spinoff of "Dr. Phil," features four medical doctors who discuss various health topics), the episode featured another television appearance by Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker University. Dr. Mancini, who appeared on the March 14 episode of "Dr. Phil" in a segment discussing chiropractic care and his new book, The Power of Self-Healing, took a different approach with "The Doctors," videotaping a patient exam and then appearing on-stage with the patient to discuss chiropractic treatment and the patient's progress.

The video outlined how the female patient went to see Dr. Mancini, complaining of low back pain as her primary symptom. Dr. Mancini evaluated her using multiple assessment methods / devices (several of which he mentioned by name and showed on screen), finding problems in her pelvis, low back, upper back and neck. In addition, he noted that the patient was "putting 50 percent more weight on one foot" compared to the other. Dr. Mancini then was shown adjusting the patient.

As the video concluded, Dr. Mancini and the patient came out on stage to talk to the show's lead host, Travis Stork, MD. Dr. Mancini said what makes chiropractic unique is that DCs "look for the cause of the problem, not just management of the symptoms," and outlined how his patient was likely suffering from various stresses contributing to her symptoms. For example, the woman had a busy travel schedule and had suffered a prior accident (physical stress); her diet included too much sugar, which Dr. Mancini said stresses the nervous system and causes inflammation (chemical stress); and the stress of starting a new business was causing tension in her spine (emotional stress). Dr. Stork echoed Dr. Mancini's point, telling viewers that stress can reflect itself in different areas of pain.

Dr. Mancini also shared that "the body communicates through the nervous system." As he spoke, images appeared on the screen behind him, showing the spine and suggesting its ability to communicate with the entire body. Dr. Mancini also mentioned that many chiropractors perform adjustments using hand-held manual devices. As he explained how the device corrects misalignments, he demonstrated its use by clicking it several times on a spine model.

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