A Costa Rican chiropractic
adventure
by Lara Long, D.C.
For most chiropractors, bringing the benefits of chiropractic care to patients in their
own offices is satisfying and fulfilling.
But, after having participated in a couple of missions to El Salvador, it wasn't enough
for me. I found myself wanting to serve in a non-militant Central American country.
I wasn't the only person who felt that same tug. Dr. Sandra Castro, a Life University
graduate, had a desire to practice chiropractic in its purest and simplest form -- and her
vision settled on Costa Rica.
In Feb. 1998, our paths crossed at Tamarindo Beach, where we both were searching for an
opportunity to bring chiropractic to a place where it virtually did not exist.
The Costa Rican people are wise in many things, but when we asked most of them what
they thought chiropractic was, they guessed everything from plastic surgery to massage
therapy. People had no clue what it was or what it might be able to offer their country.
Sandra and I soon realized we shared the same philosophy and mission and talked about
the possibility of bringing chiropractic to this wonderful land. But there were problems.
We really didn't know one another, it would be extremely hard work, there were no
guarantees -- but many risks. We looked at each other, smiled, and said, "Let's do
it!"
We opened our first clinic on April 7, 1998, just two months after the inspiration
first hit us. Almost immediately, we ran into obstacles.
The immigration authorities threatened to close us down and send us home. They didn't
understand why we were there or know the classifications of chiropractic in their legal
system. But with the blind faith that comes from having a strong sense of purpose, we
persevered and before long we were seeing patients daily.
Eventually we moved to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, where we have been thriving
for almost two years.
At first, we were surprised by the type of patients we saw. Knowing that Costa Rica is
a third-world country, we assumed we would be catering mainly to poor people. But, while
poverty exists in Costa Rica as it does in any nation, mainly we've attracted the
middle-to-upper class population.
Yet, we never forget the other part of Costa Rican society. Our mini
"vacations" to gorgeous beaches or forest-covered paradises always include
setting up our adjusting tables and caring for the local village people who would
otherwise never know the chiropractic's power.
In San Jose, we run a cash practice, focused on family care with a high retention in
wellness care. Our goal has always been to educate through whatever means possible,
including health talks once a week, screenings, and sharing the chiropractic story with
anyone and everyone who will listen.
One advantage of practicing in a third world country like Costa Rica is that, usually,
people have no preconceived ideas of what chiropractic is. That gives us an incredible
opportunity to educate them from scratch.
Without the constant pressure from medical critics and a biased media, the people see
the concept of chiropractic as extremely logical. We tell the story once and they want it
and live it immediately. We practice a very specific upper cervical technique using an
instrument, followed by full-spine adjusting.
Realizing the power of chiropractic, we were presented with cases of all types: serious
infantile and adolescent asthma dependent on drugs and hospitals; severe cases of cerebral
palsy; several cases of trigeminal neuralgia presenting with the typical facial paralysis;
migraines; Parkinson's; extreme cases of scoliosis in children and adults; many congenital
abnormalities (often unexplained and misdiagnosed); as well as the most beautiful and
welcome cases of mothers trusting us with their newborns to be checked and adjusted.
We have seen things on a daily basis that you may see only rarely in the States. People
here come to us first, not as a last resort. Our relationships with the local
medical doctors and orthopedists have matured over the past few years. We currently get
hand-delivered referrals from one of the most well-known and respected orthopedists in
this country, Dr. Jaime Ulloa, who has an office in the same building.
Other medical doctors have visited and asked us to participate in medical seminars to
teach them how to adjust. We diplomatically but firmly refused!
In August 1998, we were selected to work with Life University at the Central American
and Caribbean Olympic Games to take care of the Costa Rican athletes. In July of the
following year, we were also chosen to participate in the Pan American Olympic Games in
Winnipeg, Canada, where we met and adjusted athletes and staff from all over the world.
These opportunities presented themselves because our work in Costa Rica has brought us
closer to understanding the gift that we as chiropractors have to offer the world.
Chiropractic is expanding worldwide and we are a part of making that happen. There are
endless possibilities. Our next goal is to be at this year's Olympics in Sydney, Australia
in September.
There are many perks to being a chiropractor in a "special" place. We get to
adjust our patients on a daily basis, take off to the beach for a mini-holiday and adjust
the local village, or fly off to another country to care for Olympic athletes. It's
chiropractic at its best.
It's almost embarrassing to mention yet another bonus but...the clinic is very
prosperous! We charge a third of what we would in the U.S. per adjustment, but
volume balances things out. Our goal has always been to touch as many lives as possible.
The influx of new patients weekly -- mostly from in-house referrals -- is more than
abundant (actually it's outrageous!). People are screaming for chiropractic in Costa Rica.
Recently, the country passed its own chiropractic licensing law, so chiropractic is now
recognized here as an independent profession. There's still a lot of work to be done in
regard to forming to the Chiropractic Association (Collegio de Quiropractica) which will
establish the requirements for future chiropractors. But we've taken the first step and
we're proud to have been a part of it.
Chiropractic has been a joy and an adventure in this country. We have come to love it
almost as much as home. Yet, home beckons and we have -- with mixed feelings -- made the
decision to leave paradise and return to the States, at least for a while.
We're currently looking for the perfect chiropractor(s) to fill our shoes. Since we've
always focused on being on purpose and service-oriented chiropractors with a strong
philosophy to keep us motivated, we have decided to make sure we pass our practice on to
someone who shares that commitment and will continue this dream.
It's difficult to contemplate leaving Costa Rica, but the knowledge that we have been
able to give something valuable to the people here -- and hopefully to the profession as
well -- makes it more bearable. It also helps to know that we will take with us the most
important things of all, the wonderful memories of all we have received while here: the
friendships, financial rewards, and sense of fulfillment and adventure.
(Dr. Lara Long can be contacted by mail at SB 014, P.O. Box 02592, Miami, FL
33102-5292, or phone 011 (506) 224-4503 or 224-4207, or by e-mail at
llincostarica@hotmail.com.)
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