How to Choose a Chiropractor

Someone who has never been to a chiropractor before may feel overwhelmed with the task of choosing one. There is a wide variety of chiropractic techniques that may be used along with differences in philosophy and approach. If your expectations do not match up with reality that the first visit, you may never go back. And that isn't helpful.

Not all chiropractic care is the same and it is a shame when people don't take the time to find the right fit. It is just like any other health care provider. You need to find a chiropractor that fits your needs.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right chiropractor to meet your needs.

1 - Put aside the cost. It is the least important part of the consideration process. If the doctor of chiropractic is the right fit, then the cost will work itself out some how. The most important part of the chiropractic process is what happens when the chiropractor tries to align your spine. You want to be sure that you and the chiropractor are on the same page about approach, philosophy, and technique.

2 - Ask questions. You can't know what to expect if you don't ask. If you can, talk to friends who have visited chiropractors. Ask them about their experience and what their doctor of chiropractor does. Some chiropractors will "adjust" your spine by applying pressure with their hands, producing a loud noise from the joints. More gentle approaches involve using machines to tap the spine gently to coax it back into alignment. Finally, some chiropractors will let gravity do the work. I'll address the various techniques in more depth in later posts.

3 - Discuss the management style of any chiropractor you are considering. There are different approaches including symptom relief, rehabilitative treatment, long term preventative treatment, or long term corrective treatment. The case management style of your chiropractor will determine how frequently you need to get adjusted and for how long.

4 - Determine your treatment goal. Do you want to feel better "for now" or are you looking for more corrective and preventative care? Neither approach is right or wrong, they are just different.

5 - Conduct a phone interview or make an office visit to get your answers. A chiropractor who will take the time to help you choose them is more likely to be a good fit than one who brushes you off.

It can be an effort to find the chiropractor with the best fit. But, taking the time to carefully select the right one will have tremendous benefits.

Back Pain is NOT Normal

The vast majority of adults have complained about an aching back at some point in their life. Most of these people just accept it as a fact of life and deal.

Maybe they pop a pain pill. Or purchase a new pillow. These are just temporary fixes to a larger problem. Even replacing your mattress or buying a new chair for their office can not fix a problem that may have been building for years. Once a subluxation has begun, there is only one way to fix it - by being adjusted.

There are as many causes of back pain as there are people experiencing back pain. One of the most severe causes of back pain is a herniated disk. The pain from a herniated disk can be debilitating.

Not all back pain is this sever though. Sometimes the greatest pain is felt in other parts of the body. This is all because the spine is not able to get messages from the brain to the affected area efficiently. Pain and inflammation are the two most common signs of this condition.

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While chiropractic care is not a treatment for anything, the benefits of adjusting to remove interference can provide symptom relief as the body is able to properly communicate with itself. This website is not intended to replace the care of a credentialed Doctor of Chiropractic. Please contact our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how chiropractic care can improve your quality of life. Chiropractor Tyler, Texas

Helping You Understand Chiropractic Care

Many people misunderstand chiropractic care. They think that all chiropractors want to do is crack your back and bust open your wallet. This simply is not true. I have never met a chiropractor who was more interested in making money than he or she was interested in helping people. Of course, we need to make a living, but we choose to do it by helping others improve their own life.

Chiropractic care should be thought of as a compliment to traditional western medicine. It does not cure disease, but it does allow the body to communicate within itself better. We literally offer a "hands on" approach to healing as opposed to a "pills down your throat" approach. After all, chiropractic is a Greek term meaning “Treatment by Hand”.


Realistically, for many people, chiropractic care is more conservative than traditional medicine. It involves no drugs or invasive behaviors and depending on your personal situation, you may begin feeling significant improvements immediately. It isn't about just having a healthy spine. It is about having a healthy body.

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While chiropractic care is not a treatment for anything, the benefits of adjusting to remove interference can provide symptom relief as the body is able to properly communicate with itself. This website is not intended to replace the care of a credentialed Doctor of Chiropractic. Please contact our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how chiropractic care can improve your quality of life. Chiropractor Tyler, Texas

How to Take Short Breaks

A recent commentor asked, "Can you please suggest how to be more strict on taking short breaks?!"

I sure can.

This is something that everyone can do, but I understand it requires some discipline. If you are new to scheduling mental breaks in your day, I would start simply by adding it to your calendar. If you use an online calendar this will be really easy for you. Just add a 5 minute mental break and set it to pop-up and remind you. That way, when you get the pop-up reminder, you have to make a choice. Are you going to ignore it and keep working, or will you get up from your desk, stretch, and think happy thoughts?

Another tip is to keep something you enjoy nearby. If soduko is pleasurable for you, then keep a book at the top of your to do pile and work on a new puzzle for 5 minutes. Or, if you enjoy meditation, keep a soft music CD in your computer that you can easily start playing while you lean back in your chair or stretch out on the floor.

Alternatively, you can find a repetitive activity in your daily routine and promise yourself a break if you can do it for 20 solid minutes. This will both motivate you to get the repetitive job done, and reward you with the mental break you deserve.

Taking short breaks throughout the day really is a lifestyle choice. Research has shown that people who have a variety of mental activities throughout the day are less likely to get Alzheimer's.

How do you remember to take breaks every day?

New Recipe for Homemade Hummus

Hummus is a great summer time food. It doesn't require heating up a stove and it is highly portable. Hummus goes great with crackers, veggies, pitas, or most other savory snack foods.

Here is my basic recipe, adapted from many trials.

• 1 can chick peas, reserving half of the liquid
• 1/4 c. tahini (ground sesame paste)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. cumin powder (optional)

Using a small blender (like a magic bullet or food processor), blend all ingredients until smooth. It will likely be pretty thick. If its too thick, add a drop more liquid.You should refrigerate it, but it can sit out for a while at a picnic without too much worry. You can also add pinenuts, roasted red pepper, or jalapenos for a different flavor profile

Of course, it probably won't stick around long anyway! What is your favorite way to eat hummus?

(Image courtesy of TheNibble.com)

Infertility and Chiropractic Care

Families struggling with infertility know a special kind of pain. It really isn't something that fertile couples can fully understand. Fortunately, there is mounting evidence that chiropractic care can improve a woman's chances of conceiving.

Kelly Burgess is a senior contributing writer for iParenting Media recently shared the following at Preconception.com ,

"Peristaltic motion is a term that describes muscular function controlled by our autonomous nervous system," he says. "If you look at where the uterus is, an egg has to go down a little tube and is propelled via peristaltic motion. If it happens to be fertilized but there is insufficient peristaltic motion, it cannot be delivered to the uterus."

Furthermore, Dr. Painter says, in theory, if this peristaltic motion is so disturbed that it backs up and delivers uterine tissue into the abdominal cavity or onto the ovaries, it can result in endometriosis. He knows of at least five studies where women who were close to being surgical candidates because of endometriosis ultimately found relief in chiropractic care. 

 If you have been struggling with infertility, come in and talk to us.

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While chiropractic care is not a treatment for anything, the benefits of adjusting to remove interference can provide symptom relief as the body is able to properly communicate with itself. This website is not intended to replace the care of a credentialed Doctor of Chiropractic. Please contact our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how chiropractic care can improve your quality of life. Chiropractor Tyler, Texas

Reducing Stress to Ease Pain

There are many things that can cause pain in our bodies. Some of them are physical like broken bones. Some of them are chemical, such as hormonal imbalances. And some of them are mental, in that we can work ourselves up so that our body deals with stress through physical pain.

Before I go on though, let me stop and say that I am NOT saying that diseases like fibromyalgia are in your head. I would never say that. Generally speaking though, I want all of my patients to learn how to deal with stress in ways that reduce the physical symptoms of stress.

It is easy to google stress reduction tips and find ways to make your life flow better. I am not interested in sharing tips with you that you can just as easily find on Google. But there are a few things that I've done in my own life that help me, and those are what I want to share with you.

First, make yourself a priority. This isn't about vanity folks. This is about being healthy so you can be there 100% for the people around you. Learn how to say no artfully so that you don't feel guilt because you can't take on another regular obligation.

Second, use your time wisely. I know there are many time management systems and each one reaches to people with various gifts and learning styles. What they all boil down to though, is that they ask you to choose the things each day that must be done, the things that ought to be done, and the things that can be done tomorrow. Then devote an appropriate amount of time to each of them.

Third, schedule relaxation. Start small by planning a 5 minute mental break once a day. Build up to longer or more frequent breaks (make sure you get your job done though!). Then, start planning mental health days or long weekend vacations. Remember, relaxation doesn't just happen. We have to plan for it.

How do you reduce the stress in your life?

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While chiropractic care is not a treatment for anything, the benefits of adjusting to remove interference can provide symptom relief as the body is able to properly communicate with itself. This website is not intended to replace the care of a credentialed Doctor of Chiropractic. Please contact our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how chiropractic care can improve your quality of life. Chiropractor Tyler, Texas