11 Years of Service
This month I am fortunate to say that I have been in practice for 11 years! The time has flown by, but what an amazing journey it has been! Little did I know how rewarding this career would be when I started down this path many years ago. It’s exciting to experience how chiropractic and living out a healthy lifestyle can change people’s lives.
The staff of
It all started when I got hit in the back with a baseball.
Growing up, baseball was my passion. I played on two to three different teams each summer, probably driving my mom nuts as she taxied me around everywhere. One summer, as we were practicing, I layed down a bunt and took off for first base. About half way down the first base line I felt a sharp pain in my lower back. The catcher beamed me, on accident, directly on the spine, and I fell to the ground. For two weeks I had pain in my lower back and had difficulty bending over to tie my shoes or field a ground ball.
I remember sitting on the chiropractic table when a tall man came into the room. He had me move in many directions. He had me try to bend over, which was very painful, twist and turn, and extend backwards. He ran his hands up and down my spine until he felt the subluxation at my T12 area. He concluded that the ball had moved my T12 vertebrae forward and that he could fix it. I sat on the table and he enveloped his arms around me. He told me to relax and then CRACK! I had never heard such a sound! Quickly he asked me to stand and bend forward again. I did and this time, it was without pain. Astonished, I walked out of his office and played a game that night, pain free!
Chiropractic: More Than Pain Relief
Most people, similarly to me, initially consult a doctor of chiropractic to relieve pain in their backs, legs, necks, arms, or heads. It was only years later that I understood that chiropractic has so much more to offer than simply pain relief. When a chiropractor applies his or her philosophy and techniques to correct the pain problem, there may be an unexpected but welcome secondary gain.
At the core of chiropractic philosophy is the fact that the brain and nervous system control and mediate the functions of the human body.
The influence of the nervous system on the rest of the body is altered when the nerves that exit the spine at the vertebrae are crowded, stretched or otherwise irritated by spinal misalignments and fixations. These conditions result in pain at the primary site, but can also affect other areas where the injured nerves travel. For instance, nerves that exit the spine between the shoulder blades travel to the stomach. This is how the brain mediates and controls stomach function. If these nerves are irritated at the level of the spine where they exit, they can cause interference with stomach function. A person may enter the chiropractic office with middle back pain, but through the course of treatment, stomach symptoms, which the individual may have thought were unrelated, improve. Not all stomach problems are caused by this type of nerve interference, but it is an extremely common contributing factor, and in many cases, a primary factor.
Through the course of chiropractic treatment for various pain problems involving the spine and its related muscles and nerves, other conditions, which affect a person’s overall wellness, improve. This type of phenomenon is experienced routinely in chiropractic offices. Doctors of chiropractic know that when the nervous system is allowed to function normally, and when the spine and its related muscles and ligaments are normalized, people experience greater well being.
Chiropractors treat the human body as a whole, which means that nutrition and exercise are usually integrated into the treatment plan, enabling people to achieve their wellness potential.
Thankful
Today I remain thankful to God for allowing a baseball to hit me in the back. That experience opened my eyes to a new world. Not only did that first adjustment help to shape my professional career, it has also helped to change my own health. I credit chiropractic as the major reason why I rarely suffer from seasonal allergies. Before chiropractic school and as a teenager I suffered with allergies to grass, pollen, and other springtime and fall irritants. Often, for months at a time, I would have to take antihistamines if I wanted to do any outdoor activities. The allergy medication made me feel sluggish and drowsy, and I simply hated to take it. After attending chiropractic school and getting adjusted on a regular basis, my symptoms and my health started to change. In a short time, I realized that even though we lived in St. Louis, a known “allergy capital” of the country, my allergies where lessening in intensity. Today I am much improved. I still have a day or two where my allergies will get the best of me, but for the most part, I get to enjoy the outdoors the way I want to and reap the benefits of living an active lifestyle.
This month as I start my 12th year in practice I want to thank my patients. We appreciate you! We look forward to seeing you and hearing your stories of how a chiropractic lifestyle has improved your life and the life of your family. To show our appreciation, we’re offering a new-patient special* including a consultation, X-rays, and an exam for $27. This special will run for new-patient appointments taking place June 22-26. Call us today at 540.344.1055 to schedule your appointment in our Roanoke, Virginia office. For our current patients, we’ll have supplement specials, food, and fun all week long.
*Medicare patients are not eligible, and other restrictions may apply.
Dr. Daryl Rich, DC, CSCS
