by Michael Krapovicky | photography by Jennifer Grace

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In many cases, the human body has mysterious causes for running down. Aches and pains can be an unfortunate part of growing older, many times leading to loss of revenue and quality of life, as well as dependence on side-effect-inducing drugs. A surgical procedure can have high costs and long recovery times that many can ill afford. For many, a chiropractor or osteopath have become a hero in the fight against their discomfiture, directing those they treat towards pain mitigation and an overall healthy existence.

 

Pain Relief

 

According to the leading practitioners in both fields, the differentiating factor between chiropractic care and osteopathy is access to pharmaceuticals via osteopaths. However, both sciences employ alternative treatments to chemicals and surgery, focusing on the direction of the best, most natural ways to heal their patients.

“The emphasis is on homeostatic mechanisms – we are self-maintaining, self-healing organisms,” states Stephen Flynn, Chiropractic Doctor and Director of Rehabilitation at Functional Spine Center. “The body will heal itself if we put it in the right environment and treat it the right way.”

People are coming to see these practitioners with symptoms from a myriad of causes — car accidents, sports injuries, work-related accidents, or merely sleeping in the wrong position. In addition to proper nutrition and exercise, these experts in their field can explore treatments to alleviate pain by realigning the body or, in the case of an osteopath, a medicinal regimen.

According to Dr. Patrick Reeder, a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) and Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP), chiropractic and osteopathic care are potentially the cures for many ailments that people might not intuitively recognize.

“We aren’t just ‘back docs’,” Reeder asserts. “l want a healthy population living on their own terms.”

The doctors in these fields will provide an initial evaluation and make recommendations on the best treatment plan, factoring in economics, schedules, and physical needs.

“We find where things aren’t working properly,” explains Dr. Charles Landry, a board-certified physician in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. “Each visit will be what is required, not necessarily the same technique repetitively.

 

Rockstar Staff

 

Kevin T. Ridge has been a patient at Reeder Chiropractic Healthcare since 2006.

“Reeder Chiropractic Care is a people-first business with an absolute rockstar staff. They are pretty much an overall wellness team,” affirms Ridge. “I cannot begin to count the times they have helped me get back to the grind — for that, I will be forever grateful.”

Earlier this year, Ridge was involved in an auto accident and could access Reeder’s expertise without delay.

“Patrick was able to see me that evening and began treatments,” says Ridge. “With my regular scheduled adjustment and therapies he has added, I have had very little to no downtime, which I’m thankful for.”

Other patients express gratitude for being helped with headaches, ear infections, vaccine-related reactions, autoimmune disorders, adjustments due to contact sports, and workplace accidents, among other things.

“My role as a provider is two-fold: help alleviate their symptoms and educate people to understand their body and what their role is in their own care,” Reeder says. “Really, I coach on understanding true health and wellness.”

 

A Family

 

The chiropractic field is a familial one, by Reeder’s account, not just for the fact that his father was a very successful chiropractor in the LA area.

“I played sports throughout college,” Reeder says. “I would see people get injuries and have a hard time recovering while I would be right back on the field using my father’s techniques.”

Not only his father but others in the field have realigned Reeder over his lifetime.

“I was in a snowboard accident and broke my back,” Reeder recalls. “I had to crawl to the bus station, and on my bus there happened to be a very good chiropractor. I got into his room, and on the table, he worked me over with an activator technique – low force, head to toe. I stood up from the table for the first time in a week, and three days later, I was back at it.”

With role models helping him immensely through chiropractic care, Reeder found his calling. Reeder got his Bachelor of Science in Biology at Elmira College in upstate New York and his doctorate at Palmer College. In 2015, he attained his verified chiropractic sports physician certificate. With this background, he is able to treat patients of all ages with equal success.

“I treat a lot of the elderly and young children as well,” informs Reeder. “My goal is to educate to improve their wellness, understand the body’s innate ability to adapt to stress and to stabilize and strengthen that response.”

 

Spinal Cord

 

The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae surrounding it, and if the position of the spine changes, it can have numerous adverse effects on the body, according to Reeder.

“When your body has a dysfunction, communication in the body is through the spinal cord,” Reeder attests. “If there’s a dysfunction in the spinal cord pathway, the message might not be getting to the brain.”

Reeder has a chart showing the different spine areas — where nerve roots come out — and what can be fixed with some adjustments.

 

Success Story

 

People may have a particular chiropractor they prefer, and if that chiropractor is solid and doesn’t warrant replacement, Reeder, Flynn, and Landry recommend staying where one receives adequate treatment. If you are searching for one, Sgt. Brandon Pelletier has achieved success with the care administered by Dr. Flynn.

“Dr. Flynn’s ability to deliver remarkable results in just one session surpasses my experience with the cumulative effects of multiple sessions with various providers from different fields of expertise,” says Sgt. Pelletier. “Rather than solely focusing on the act of “cracking my back” (which Dr. Flynn effortlessly performed, leaving me feeling absolutely fantastic), he also dedicated time to engage in a comprehensive discussion, enlightening me on proactive measures I can adopt to prevent future disruptions through the establishment and maintenance of beneficial routine practices.”

 

Goals and Direction

 

The patient’s goals are paramount when deciding the course Flynn will endeavor to execute.

“A key question I ask is ‘What is your expectation of treatment?’” says Flynn of his initial consultation with a prospective client. “I’m helping navigate what I can do as naturally and cost-effectively as possible.”

With a background in exercise science, exercise physiology, and cardiac rehabilitation, Flynn seeks to empower people to manage their health.

“Before initiating any physical movements or manipulations, Dr. Flynn takes the time to provide comprehensive education about his approach and the expected outcomes,” says Pelletier. “I have the utmost confidence that any appointment you make with Dr. Flynn will be a good investment in your physical and mental health.”

“We use a blend of manipulation, manual therapy, exercise/movement guidance, and lifestyle modifications to get people on the right track for their own desired goals,” Flynn says, summarizing his team’s approach to care. “We like to say, ‘Back to work or play, the Functional Way.’”

In some cases, after the initial consult and possibly some adjustments, Flynn advocates a slow return to normal activities – achieving small goals and expanding the parameters of movement.

“Pain can be the brain keeping the area safe rather than a sign of damage,” Flynn stresses. “If you hurt yourself playing golf, play golf, and watch what happens. Maintain the same functional capacity of your life to the degree that you can.”

 

Community Roots

 

Dr. Charles Landry is an osteopath with strong ties to the LA populace. He was raised in Lewiston Auburn, where his father was a dental technician. Landry attended school at Holy Cross and St. Dominic’s, and graduated from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM) in Biddeford.

“I know the community – they just want to get better and get back to work,” says Landry. “There is a difference in ethics and morality here – people ask what can they can do for themselves, rather than expect a doctor to do all the work.”

Since 2005, Dr. Landry has been a board-certified physician in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, with a sub-specialty in pain medicine. He administers ‘Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment’ using a variety of techniques and injection therapy. Trigger point injection therapy, dry needling, facet blocks, nerve blocks, and joint, ligament, and tendon injections are all within his purview.

“Our desire is to develop a fully integrative and individualized plan allowing patients to feel heard and valued—assisting them to become fully involved in their healthcare,” states Landry via his mission statement at landryhealthcare.com. “We assist the body’s natural capacity to heal and enable the patient to become as functional and healthy as possible.”

 

PRP

 

An innovative option for joint pain, ligament and tendon injuries, back problems, and many sports and work-related injuries that Dr. Landry specializes in is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment.

“PRP treatments use the body to heal itself — it takes what your body naturally does on its own in a more directed fashion,” Landry explains. “We draw your blood, take out the red and white blood cells, concentrate the platelets and some stem cells, and put them in the area of injury.”

A patient with a physically demanding occupation has areas of arthritis and tendon damage and has been seeing Dr. Landry for several years.

“I have received the PRP injections from Dr. Landry for these muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints,” the patient states. “I am convinced the PRP works, as I had to deal with constant pain in several locations for years and after the injection, the pain is less and only occasional.”

The patient has recommended Dr. Landry to many of his friends and colleagues.

“Regenerative medicines such as PRP can repair ligaments, tendons, and restore joints,” Landry contends. “What was previously done with surgery can now be done with PRP.”

 

More Than You Think

 

Dr. Landry wishes to address the many ailments and age groups his practice can treat, which could be surprising.

“People just think of us for back pain, hips, carpal tunnel, whiplash, those types of things,” Landry proffers. “In addition to sports injuries, we can treat infants for colic, or those not able to latch to breast-feed.”

Dr. Landry has also ventured into aesthetics, moving more into biologics rather than chemical or surgical procedures. Through his practices, he can address age management – softening lines – as well as hair restoration and weight loss.

“We offer most treatments you can receive for age management, weight loss, health, and longevity, in Portland, Boston, or New York, at half the price,” confirms Dr. Landry. “We feature a cash-pay plan and a membership package if people want to opt in.”

 

Empowering Patients

 

The consensus among all the doctors highlighted here seems to be to do what is right for one’s health and put in the work required for one’s continued pain-free existence. Though it may seem daunting, a step-by-step approach is what Reeder recommends.

“I try to coach and help people so they don’t give up,” Reeder avows. “Too many people try to overwhelm with change, so I suggest to work on one aspect — their blood pressure, or cholesterol, the easiest thing — then do what’s next.”

All the doctors also attest that while their practices can be helpful, they also seek to educate their patients about tools for the management of pain on their own – and how to maintain their bodies’ homeostasis without reliance on drugs or surgery.

“I don’t view my practice as a panacea to anything,” says Flynn. “We need to be smarter about how we deal with the bigger issues of health, then worry about taking supplements.”

According to Reeder, 13% of the population sees a chiropractor, yet if you see a chiropractor first, you are 46% less likely to be on pain medication.

“We’ve been trying to get the knowledge out there,” Reeder says. “It’s a grass-roots effort.”

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