As a chiropractic clinic, we believe in the power of keeping your spine healthy. With thousands of nerves connecting to your spinal cord and from your tail bone all the way to your brain, your back and spine are massive components in your nervous system, which transmits signals between your brain and different parts of the body.

Needless to say, if your spine isn’t in proper alignment, it can cause problems such as:

• headaches
• pain in lower back, neck, knees or hips
• excessive fatigue
• numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

If you feel like you’re experiencing these types of problems, it’s probably time for you to call a chiropractor. But if you’re in between visits or simply want to form good habits for a healthy spine, here are five habits that can help your spine feel great:

Stretch Out

One of the best ways to keep your spine healthy is to stretch every day. Simple stretching for 2 minutes a day can do wonders for your back and your whole body. Here are some simple ones to try, holding each pose for about 10 seconds.

• Toe Touch – Bend forward and touch your toes (or as far down as you reasonably can reach)
• Standing Quad Stretch – Stand straight and tall and pull your right foot up behind you and hold. Feel the stretch through the front of your leg. Switch.
• Seated Twist – Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you. Bend your right knee, and reach over with your left arm to hug it. You can even place your left elbow on the outside of your right leg. Feel the stretch in your right glute and your back. Hold for 10 seconds and switch.

For more stretching ideas, check out this 10-minute daily stretching sequence from FitBit.

Exercise Often

If you sit in an office chair all day and then go home and sit on the couch to watch TV, you might notice your back feeling tight. Interestingly, rest isn’t always good for your back, and too much inactivity can cause muscle weakness that leads to strained muscles and pain. If your back is in good shape, exercise can help keep your back muscles limber and flexible. Look for exercises that engage your core. Strengthening your back and abdominal muscles will help keep your spine healthy and strong.

Sit and Stand Tall

Having improper posture can make it hard for your spine to stay in proper alignment because it increases the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of your spine together. Unfortunately, many of us have never had great posture, so our muscles aren’t accustomed to holding up our torsos correctly.

At your desk, sit all the way back in your chair and put a small cushion or even a rolled-up towel behind your lower-mid back. This is to support the natural bend in your spine. Make sure your knees are level with your hips or even a bit higher. Your feet should be able to rest flat on the floor. Make sure your arm rests are at the appropriate height so your shoulders stay low at the proper position.

When standing, keep your back straight as if someone was pulling your hair or you were balancing a bottle on your head. Tuck in your chin, and keep your shoulders back. Keep your hips directly below your torso. Over time, you should begin to notice a difference in your posture. Your spine will thank you!

Sleep Straight

We should all spend about 8 hours asleep every night, but if you’re sleeping in an unhealthy position for your spine, that means that you’re risking improper alignment for a third of each day.

If you sleep on your stomach, your spine is misaligned from your neck down. Try to sleep on your back, maybe with a pillow placed under your knees. The next best option is to sleep on your side; you can place the pillow between your knees.

Calm Down

If you’re experiencing back pain alongside anxiety, there may be good reason for that. Similar to poor posture, anxiety often causes your muscles to tense. Maybe you notice you’re holding your shoulders too high; alongside back pain, this type of physical stress can cause tension headaches.

Instead of allowing your anxiety to affect your back, treat the root issue. Practice simple breathing exercises like 4-7-8. Inhale for a count of 4 through your nose; hold it in for a count of 7; and exhale for a count of 8 through your mouth.

Keep your spine healthy and strong by practicing these five steps. If you want to jumpstart your results, see a chiropractor at Tuck Clinic for relief from back pain. You might not get it right away, but by building healthy habits, your spine is sure to thank you for it.

Pain may sometimes feel like a difficult thing to overcome, but when you have the right resources to support you, the outcomes speak for themselves. We’re kicking off our spinal self-care series to empower our patients to take their treatments a step further at home. We can help you in the clinic, but at the end of the day, it’s up to you to create habits that help you heal. Let’s begin with exploring how to control inflammation.

When it comes to identifying the source of pain at its core, it’s often a result of inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s response to damaged cells, irritation and strain, and pathogens. When activated in the body tissues,  muscles and joints can experience swelling. Chronic inflammation can also result in wearing down of cartilage between your bones, causing long-term chronic pain.

One of the most important steps to reducing pain is controlling inflammation. Let’s talk about the three steps you can reduce pain at home.

1. Choose Ice Over Heat

While a heating pad may be the first thing you reach for when you experience pain because of the temporary relief it brings, heat can actually worsen your inflammation because it increases blood flow to the area. If you do choose to heat your back, you should always follow up with ice to dull the pain and reduce swelling.

When applying ice to an injured lower back, make sure the ice pack is wrapped in a thin towel to avoid direct skin contact. Apply ice for 20 minutes and take a 40 minute break before reapplying to avoid damaging your skin and keep the ice pack cool enough to be effective. Ice is most effective in the first 72 hours after an injury, but can also provide relief of soreness after a treatment or physical activity.

2. Modify your Activity Levels

It’s likely you know what strains your back and what doesn’t. Whenever possible, avoid or modify activities that are known to increase your pain. Try not to spend too much time sitting or standing and avoid lifting. If you’re unsure about what to avoid, your chiropractor can give you tips.

Bedrest can be tempting when you’re experiencing chronic pain, but laying around can lead to improper positioning of your  back. While it may provide temporary relief, avoiding movement can continue to weaken your back and lead to an extended healing process.

3. Consider Active Rest

“Active rest” may sound like a confusing concept, but balancing your rest with light activity is the key to recovery. Consider limiting high impact movements and exercises that could worsen your injury. Rest is important, but some maintaining some amount of exercise is necessary to help things return to normal.

Low impact aerobic exercises and stretching are great ways to release pain-killing endorphins and pump nutrients into injured tissues. Low impact exercises include swimming, using an elliptical or stationery bike, or walking. If you find that your back is still feeling strained after these activities, try to find something new.

We’ll talk more about therapeutic stretches and exercises that can help you strengthen your muscles on your own time later in this at-home self-care series. These methods, paired with regular chiropractic adjustments can have you well on your way to healing and living a better life.

If you’re ready to take control of your spinal self-care, the doctors at Tuck Chiropractic would love to help you on your journey! Schedule an appointment today.

It’s a common refrain every January. “This year,” many say, “I’m going to be more physically active.” In fact, according to a survey conducted by NPR and the Marist Poll, 13% of adults who made a New Year’s resolution resolved to work out more, making it the most common resolution.

And truthfully, it’s a great goal to shoot for. Increasing your physical fitness is one of the easiest and best ways to boost your overall health, especially for your heart and muscles.

However, many people sabotage themselves by working out too hard or too long when they’re just starting out. Overexerting your muscles and joints can lead to injury, especially in the early stages of a workout routine when your body isn’t used to the activity.

This year, keep up your workout routine by preventing injuries through these 5 simple steps:

Discuss your resolution with your doctor

As much as you’d like to not admit it, you’re probably not as nimble as you used to be. As we age even into our 20s and 30s, it’s common for our muscles and joints to be sore after a sudden increase in physical activity. For some people, that soreness is natural. For others, especially women over 55 years old and men over 45 years old, it’s a good idea to discuss your new workout routine with your doctor. Your doctor can rule out any eventual problems so you can move confidently toward a more active future.

Be reasonable

It can be tempting to overreach and imagine yourself transforming back into the star athlete you were in high school. But after not working out for a long time, it can be dangerous to expect too much from your body too quickly. Instead, opt for a workout routine that makes sense for you. If your knee tends to hurt, choose a low-impact option that keeps your knees healthy but strong.

Limber up

You might remember stretching before gym class. Turns out, that’s not just to fill up the class period. It’s good to stretch your muscles before exerting them because cold and tight muscles are more likely to get injured. However, how we grew up stretching (holding one position for 10-15 seconds) isn’t considered the best for your muscles. Now fitness experts recommend doing dynamic stretches where you stretch your muscles through movement.

In the same way, it’s smart to gently stretch and cool down your muscles after working out. This keeps your tired muscles from tightening up and can help reduce soreness.

Variety is the spice of life

Exerting the same muscles in a workout day after day can cause undue strain on particular muscles and joints while leaving others relatively untouched. If you tend to workout your arms everyday, instead add in core and leg exercises to keep your whole body strong. Or get out of the gym entirely and go for a hike or a bike ride. Doing various types of physical activity helps prevent overuse injury and keeps you from getting bored with the same workout routine.

Know your body

We all know that working out isn’t a pain-free experience. Your muscles ache when you’re pushing yourself, and in many cases, you should push yourself through a reasonable amount of discomfort. As they say, “No pain, no gain.”

However, know your body well enough to know when you should stop or take a break. Sure, exercise can cause pain, but be sure that you’re not injuring yourself by pushing yourself too much.

Live Stronger

If you’re beginning a new workout routine and are experiencing joint or back pain, the chiropractors at Tuck Clinic can help you determine the problem and keep your spine in alignment so you can safely pursue your dreams of a more active lifestyle. Let the experts at Tuck help you feel better so you can live stronger.

The American Pregnancy Association advocates for chiropractic care before, during, and after pregnancy to support the mother’s body in adapting to her changing body and recovering from labor and delivery. It is a great non-invasive solution that can replace the need for pain medication throughout pregnancy and recovery.

Reducing Complications During Pregnancy

As the body adjusts to make room for your growing embryo, your musculoskeletal system may become misaligned causing a protruding abdomen and increased back curvature, pelvic changes, and postural adaptations to weight. These changes can cause severe back pain and sciatica, intrauterine restriction, and could result in the inability to have a natural, non-invasive birth.

Regular chiropractic adjustments can help your bones and joints adjust to the added weight of carrying your child and reduce pain as a result.  Some other benefits of chiropractic during pregnancy include overall improvement in health and controlling symptoms of nausea.

Preparing the Body for Labor & Delivery

One of the biggest ways chiropractic care can help prepare a mother’s body for labor and delivery is through the Webster’s Technique. This gentle adjustment relieves pressure from the sacrum and reduces intrauterine restriction that could prevent the baby from moving into the proper position for birth. The goal of this technique is to prevent an emergency cesarean delivery.

Chiropractic care can also help reduce the time spent in labor and delivery. When pelvic floor strengthening exercises are paired with adjustments, contractions that take place during labor are reportedly less painful and the body is able to prepare for delivery quickly.

Expediting Recovery

The postpartum body requires a significant amount of healing. Loose ligaments need to be strengthened, nerve functioning needs to be restored, and the pelvis and spine are often out of alignment. Therapeutic exercises can be used to recuperate weakened spinal and  abdominal muscles and continued chiropractic care can help the spine and nervous system return to normal functioning.

When caring for their newborn, mothers will also experience a new type of strain in the thoracic region as a result of feeding and carrying the baby. Chiropractic adjustments and strengthening techniques can also provide relief in this region. Finally, some research connects chiropractic care to reduction of stress and improved mood – something many mothers struggle with postpartum.

Chiropractic Care for Newborns

The mother isn’t the only one who can benefit from chiropractic care after birth. The birthing process puts a lot of pressure on a newborn’s spine and chiropractic care can help prepare the baby’s spine for the significant growth that happens in the first year. Some research has also shown evidence that chiropractic care can reduce the symptoms and occurence of colic, ear infections, and ADHD in infants and children.

Tell your chiropractor as soon as you think you are pregnant so they can adjust your treatments accordingly. If you are not already seeing a chiropractor, talk to your obstetrician to see if they believe chiropractic care is right for your pregnancy.

Stephanie woke up one day and was unable to turn her head to the left. After years of chronic back pain and knee pain, her condition took a turn for the worse when she was unable to drive or do her job properly. It was at this point that Stephanie finally overcame her reservations about trusting others with her care and sought out a chiropractor. Under the guidance of a friend, she made an appointment with Dr. Katie McKown in Woodlawn, VA.
“I was hesitant and nervous,” she recalls. “Dr. McKown and staff reassured me and made it easier for me to relax and get involved in my treatment.”
At Tuck Chiropractic, we take a different approach to providing care. It’s important for our patients to feel reassured and that they have a say in the care that we are providing. The collaboration and communication between patient and doctor are vital in this way. It’s our job to make our patients feel better both physically and mentally.
After Stephanie’s first visit, mobility in her neck had returned and she was able to continue to work and drive without trouble or tension. Within a few more visits, her knee and back felt better than they had in years. As someone who enjoyed an active lifestyle before her pain arose, she was able to ease herself back into running and exercising. Now, she runs 4-6 miles daily!
“I am as active as I used to be before the pain set in,” says Stephanie. “Before chiropractic care, I was in chronic pain and thought it was something I had to live with.”
We realize that taking the plunge to explore a new option of care can be scary. We do our best to educate our patients on the matter and make them feel like the right decision. When they begin to find relief, it’s easy for them to see.
“I suffered from pain for years because I struggle to trust others with my care. If I would have known how it would help me, I would have sought out chiropractic care earlier,” says Stephanie.
She adds that anyone who is in pain should not wait to find help, hoping that it will end. She advises people to seek care right away. In fact, once she started to find relief, she began to take her two sons. They had suffered from migraines and had to take medication to find relief. Since they’ve been seeing Dr. McKown, they no longer have to rely on medications to manage their migraines and they occur far and few between. Quality chiropractic care has helped her whole family live pain and medication free.

Sweet summertime – a time for beautiful sunsets across new horizons. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover a new beach town or hop on a plane to the Grand Canyon. While you’re relaxing on vacation, it’s important to make sure you come back feeling in better shape than when you left. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sitting for long hours in a car or on a plane can take a toll on your body. But there are a few ways you can make sure that your summer travels don’t leave you with pain.

Protect Your Neck

Sitting idly in a vehicle can encourage bad posture and put a strain on your neck and shoulders. Especially when on a long flight or car ride, it’s important to protect your neck. Prolonged strain on your neck could cause you to lose sleep and make you quite uncomfortable during your vacation. We can’t have that now, can we? There are a few key ways to keep your neck happy and healthy.
When in the car, it’s easy to hunch forward. Make sure you sit back in your seat and take advantage of your head rest. Your headrest should be placed so that it supports the entire back of your head and neck. Also, when you’re driving, be sure to keep your hands at 4 and 6 to keep your arms and shoulders from straining. If you’re relaxing as a passenger in a car or on a plane, try to always use a neck pillow to support you if you plan to nap. Letting your neck hang or even laying up against the door can damage your neck.

Protect Your Back

It’s easy to twist and turn your body when you’re locked into sitting for long periods of time. While you think you’re getting comfortable, you’re really just putting a strain on your back! We often see patients before and after long trips because of the toll it takes on the back. That being said, if you are mindful during your trip and protect your back properly, you can avoid pain.
Once again, the best advice we can give you is to sit up straight! It’s easy to slouch or want to change positions during your ride. Sitting up straight with your feet flat on the ground is the best way to protect your back. Car seats don’t always have the best lumbar support, so bringing a lumbar pillow to relieve the pressure on your lower back is a helpful technique as well.
Finally, it’s important to stop frequently to stretch. We get it, you want to get to the beach as fast as you can. But is it really worth it for your back to be in pain by the time you get there? When possible, take frequent pit stops. Get up and move your legs to get the blood flowing and even do some stretches. Your back will thank you later.

Beware of Weekend Warrior Syndrome

It’s easy to get carried away with trying to cram as much activities as you can on vacation or even during a long weekend. If your job typically requires very little activity, you might put your body into shock by bursts of activities on the weekend or on your vacation. This is known as weekend warrior syndrome and is one of the most common sources of sudden acute back pain. Remember that it’s important to pace yourself. Maybe if you’re a little out of shape, you should skip risking your back only to wipe out after 30 seconds on a wakeboard. You can have plenty of fun relaxing and taking in the sights, and you won’t have to go back to work in pain!
If you do find yourself having difficulties getting through long trips, we’re here to help! Our doctors can provide spinal adjustments to your neck and back to get you back to feeling good and looking forward to your next adventure!

So many people spend long days at work sitting – 86% of Americans to be exact – that there’s a non-profit organization centered around getting desk workers to stand up! According to JustStand.org, claims that people spend an average of 12 hours sitting each day!
Sitting is often a major contributor to back pain. When we’re focused on the task at hand and often working on a computer, we tend to hunch over and put pressure on our lower back. While it’s important to get up and walk around about once an hour to get your heart rate going, it can also be helpful to get a little stretching in! You can take care of your daily stretch session right at your desk with these moves:

Neck Stretches

Neck Rolls are one of the easiest stretches you can do! The trick is to move slowly to make sure you aren’t putting too much fast pressure on your cervical spine. Slowly lower your ear to your shoulder. Hold here for a deeper stretch or continue to lower your chin down and across to your other shoulder. Reverse and repeat!

The Neck Grabber is a great way to open up the back of your neck, trapezius muscles, and between your shoulder blades. Lace your fingers and place your hands so that the bottom of your index finger rests where your skull meets your spine with your thumbs loosely on your neck. As you lower your chin to your chest, bring your elbows towards one another in front of your face and hold. As a counter stretch, you can then raise your chin up, open up your arms and shoulders, and push your chest out. Move back and forth between positions as desired.

Shoulders & Upper Back

Over the Head stretch will loosen up those hunched over shoulders and relieve pressure from the lower back. Simply interlace your fingers with your palms facing upwards and outstretch your arms! If you pretend your arms and head are attached to a puppet’s string, you can stretch even further.

Eagle Arms are a great way to stretch out between your shoulder blades. With your arms straight, cross your arms over one another. Then, bend at the elbows to bring your arms to 90 degrees. The back of your hands should be facing one another. For a deeper stretch, you can twist your arms at the wrist to bring your hands into a prayer position. Once you’re here, you can move your elbows up and down to really work your upper back and shoulders!

Low Back Stretches

Sitting Pigeon and Knee Ups are a great way to let some pressure off of your lower back and loosen up your Iliotibial band that can impact symptoms of sciatica. For knee ups, all you have to do is sit with your back flush to your chair and your feet flat on the ground. Simply raise one knee up towards your chest while maintaining your posture. You can use your arms or hands to hook under your thigh or knee if needed.
To take this another step further into the pigeon, just rest your foot or ankle across on your other knee. Leaning forward with a straight back can intensify the stretch in your lower back if needed.
A Seated Twist can ultimately stretch your entire back if your flexibility allows. With your feet firmly planted on the ground, use the arms of your chair as leverage to pull your body around. Wait until your shoulders are turned as much as possible before extending the stretch through your neck and head. It’s important to maintain your posture during this stretch to get the full effect.

Bonus Stretch: Wrists and Hands

Carpal tunnel and tendonitis are common results of working with a mouse and keyboard for extended periods of time. These little exercises can loosen up the tendons that tighten up from repetitive work.
Wrist extensions can stretch out the four tendons in your wrist easily. Stretch your arm out in front of you with your palms facing upward. You can use the edge of your desk or your other hand to pull your fingers downward towards a 90-degree angle.
Prayer Hands is another way to achieve the same stretch by using your hands as leverage against one another. To extend the effects of this stretch, you can fan out your fingers and pull them back together to work the carpal bones.

Prior to taking over the Fairlawn Clinic in Radford, Dr. Brooke served patients at our Blacksburg Location. When it came time to move, many patients follow Dr. Brooke to continue their care with a doctor they know and love. Sandra Schiavo is one of those patients.

Finding Relief in a New Town

“I was referred [to Tuck Clinic] by a long time friend,” says Sandra. “It was just luck of the draw that I got Dr. Brooke. He’s the closest thing to my doctor from back in San Diego, so I’m not giving that up!”
Sandra is a retired Navy veteran who, after almost 27 years of service, packed up and moved back to Southwest Virginia where she had attended college at Virginia Tech as a young adult. She’s been seeing Dr. Brooke ever since she arrived about a year and a half ago for her neck, shoulder, and upper back pain.
Sandra was born with what she refers to as “a crazy spine”, so she is no stranger to back problems. With spinal issues in the cervical part of her neck, she had spent years visiting the chiropractor before deciding to get surgery. While chiropractic care can often help patients avoid surgery, Sandra was in danger of her spinal issues causing her to lose the use of her legs.
The surgery was unavoidable and successfully relieved her spinal cord from the pressure of her spine issues, but still wasn’t able to provide her with complete relief. She has continued to see the chiropractor to help her manage her pain and plans to continue to do so as a lifestyle choice. A choice to feel better and live better.
“I have issues with range of motion, but as soon as I step out of the office after an adjustment, I feel better,” says Sandra. “If I’m doing any traveling and happen to miss an appointment, I can definitely feel it.”

Feel Better to Live Better

Though she is primarily finding relief from her pain, Sandra looks at her weekly sessions with Dr. Brooke as a lifestyle choice. She’s choosing to feel better day to day by supplementing her active and healthy lifestyle with a little extra TLC, because “you can’t fight gravity” no matter how much you work out!
When asked what advice she would give to patients who are considering chiropractic care, Sandra encourages people to keep an open mind:
“It isn’t your traditional western medicine and it’s not always going to be a quick fix,” says Sandra, adding that it could be part of a general wellness routine to keep pain at bay.
She also notes that it’s important to realize everyone’s experience will be different. While her spinal issues were a result of the actual structure of her spine, others may just be battling the normal wear and tear. They won’t necessarily have to go as frequently as she chooses to.
Above all else, she recommends that you go see Dr. Brooke if it’s convenient to you!
“I come in every week and he asks me how I’m doing. Sometimes I’ll have issues with my low back or even my achilles tendon and I can tell he truly listens to me and my needs. He will make those adjustments on the spot to take care of your needs on that particular day instead of doing the normal routine,” says Sandra. “And Amber at the front desk is just a sweet as she could be and is very accommodating.”

Everybody has to face some sort of pain at one time or another in their lives – whether it’s from a specific injury or the general wear and tear of life. What sets us all apart in facing this pain is how we choose to treat our pain. While some individuals turn to their primary care doctor to find relief, others turn to specialists, like chiropractors. The treatments vary as much as the outcomes, but at Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, we’re passionate about tracking each and every visit and adjustment to be sure our outcomes are aligned with your needs.
When you visit a Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, you can expect to be thoroughly informed about our process and your treatment. We’ll rid you of any preconceived reservations by taking the time to discuss your individual needs and care plan. There are no gimmicks and no long-term commitments, just top notch patient-centered care.

Relief by the Numbers

We are dedicated to providing conservative care to patients in pain. This means not only providing an economical solution but a solution that is catered to your individual needs, leaving out any unnecessary testing or treatment. In order to assure that we are practicing as promised, we continually gauge the outcomes and satisfaction of our patients to find opportunities to improve our care programs.
Part of our efforts in always striving for the best outcomes for our patients includes surveying their personal outcomes of care. By reviewing levels of improvement with frequency and type of care, we are enabled to better refine their treatments in the future and plan out treatments for those who suffer from similar issues.
The chief complaint at the offices of Tuck Clinic is lower back pain. In fact, patients suffering from acute or chronic back pain makes up 60% of our patient base. Additionally, we provide adjustments to patients suffering from neck pain, headaches, and pain in the extremities (tendonitis, fasciitis, muscle soreness, etc.). Often times, we find that these issues may even have a connection to an underlying back pain problem.
In order to stay on top of our progressive treatments, we review outcomes after a two week period of treatments, 2-3 times a week in frequency. In our experience, this is the best way to relieve pain in an effective amount of time that does not heavily impact the day to day of our patients. From our surveys, we are pleased to find that our low back and neck pain patients experience an 80% improvement in their symptoms after just two weeks. Often, after 4 weeks patients claim to feel great improvement and relief from their pain. It is at this point that the doctor and the patient decide together whether to maintain treatments or to cease treatment.
Keep in mind that results will always vary from person to person, but no matter what, we will strive to design the best conservative care plan to get you the results and relief you seek.

Refinement Through Collaboration

With 9 offices and 17 doctors, Tuck Clinic knows that there’s strength in numbers. In fact, it’s another tenant of our process in providing our patients with the positive outcomes they seek. We work as a team to deliver a continuum of care across all of our clinics through constant collaboration through clinical rounds and collaborative sessions. Our patients can walk into any one of our clinics and know they’ll be taken care of.
Our clinical rounds are designed to put our heads together on any complex challenge our patients face. With more brain power, we’re able to reach better conclusions together and therefore, provide better care to the patient. Beyond our treatments, we also think it’s important to collaborate on the management of our clinics. The better we can run our operations, the better we can serve our community.

National Standards

It isn’t just the doctors at Tuck Chiropractic Clinic that feel passionately about providing non-invasive, medication free, patient-centered care. The American Chiropractic Association has spearheaded the movement towards conservative care as an alternative to using pain medicine as a first response to pain.
Studies show that patients who seek conservative care through chiropractic treatments like spinal manipulation have higher satisfaction ratings and better outcomes. In addition, the per-patient cost is significantly less in the chiropractic field than pain relief through a regular MD.

One of the most rewarding things about serving patients as a chiropractor is having the opportunity to go above and beyond for our patients. We often get the chance to extend the discussion of pain points from their original reason for coming in, towards an approach that can truly relieve pain across the whole body. This has been the case for the last 5 years for Ginger Dillon of Martinsville.

From a Skeptic to a Believer

Ginger “happened upon” chiropractic care by way of her dentist. During a routine check up, her dentist realized some damage to her molars as a result of grinding her teeth at night. He suggested that she either see a massage therapist or a chiropractor. As somewhat of a skeptic and avid researcher, Ginger spent the next 6 months researching the various solutions available to her. After some uncertainty about the practices convenient to her home, she received a recommendation from a friend for Dr. Grace’s practice in Rocky Mount and decided to take the plunge.
As Ginger arrived at her first appointment, her concerns were met with an office full of professionals eager to address any questions she had. From the front desk to her time spent with Dr. Grace, she felt that she could trust that she was in good care.
“I was nervous and she put me completely at ease,” she recalled. “She took my X-rays and talked through them and what it meant. Then, I had my first adjustment and ever since they feel like my friends rather than my doctors!”
What started as an appointment to help her grinding teeth, ended up as an opportunity to uncover residual damage in Ginger’s neck and shoulders from a car accident she was involved in at the age of 17. As she continued to see improvements in her neck and shoulders through routine adjustments, she opened up to Dr. Grace about her knee pain from an old injury. The relationship has continued to uncover solutions for her foot pain and even her life long chronic sinus issues. Ginger quickly convinced her husband to begin seeing Dr. Grace for his back pain.

Maintaining a Pain Free Life

Today, Ginger goes to see Dr. Grace about every two weeks. At one point, she cut down to once a month, but found that it was more beneficial for her joints to go more frequently. Ginger claims that her lifestyle has improved greatly after finding relief for her neck and shoulder pain, and having knee and foot pain far and few between.
“I can exercise more and more intensely now. It’s really improved the overall quality of life,” claims Ginger. 
Looking back, Ginger is glad she did her due diligence in finding a chiropractor with a great reputation and even better patient centered service. Her advice for those considering chiropractic care?
“Do your research. I’m a research based person and it made more comfortable getting that type of care,” says Ginger. “Find a doctor that you can feel comfortable with talking about your issues with your body, of course, I recommend Dr. Grace!”