Written by Dr. James Mayne, DC ~ Vernon Chiropractor
(Inspired by my good friend and colleague Dr. Tyna Moore)

As a chiropractor in Vernon, I often see new patients who “have tried everything” already, even chiropractic, and it has not worked. Most have already spent a great deal of time and money seeing physical therapists, personal trainers, acupuncturists, massage therapists…the list goes on and on. They have seen some of the most talented doctors and practitioners around, but for whatever reason, those treatments have not worked.

By the time these patients find their way to my office, they are frustrated, angry, and depressed. They feel like they have failed or spent money on nothing because they are still in pain. Sadly, many have been told that nothing else can be done. I can commiserate; I have been in a similar position myself.

Often, this story begins with something like a joint injury, a sprained neck, or a locked-up hip. The injury may be minor or very traumatic; it may derail a person immediately or build up over the years or even decades.

The pain and dysfunction start affecting a person’s leisure activities. They stop playing sports, begin to slow down, and become more inactive. Everyday activities like work, gardening, and dressing in the morning can become difficult. People stop enjoying life.

Without movement, a body breaks down faster. Metabolism, muscles and the brain become sluggish. This cascade of events leads to further pain and depressed mood states. Soon, anything can “flare up the pain” and the lack of activity leads to gaining a few pounds each month. As the months and years add up the body gets in worse and worse shape.

This is the part of the story where I meet many new patients. Frustrated, in chronic pain, overweight, out of shape, and wary of something else that may not work.

It is time to break this cycle and get to the root cause of the problem. Time to conduct an exam, find out why this cycle is occurring, and then identify how best to combat it. One of the most common things I hear from a new patient after their physical exam is, “Wow, I have never had an examination with that much detail before.” A detailed exam is critical to identify the cause of the problem.

My job is to address this damage, get the body moving again, and allow the body to begin healing. Once the body can again function properly, a person can begin to return to their normal lives and activities, increasing mood, decreasing stress, and decreasing pain.

If this story resonates with you, or someone you know, please call for a new patient exam. We would love to be able to identify what is going on and see if we can help.