Body of Health Chiropractic is Committed to Providing High Quality Chiropractic & Massage Care For Veterans.
I love a good war movie. I’d like to consider myself as a fairly decent Call of Duty player. However, I never considered joining the ACTUAL military. But I’m in awe of the men and women who serve and have served, regardless of the branch of the military or the term of service.
I’ve treated hundreds of veterans in the last 13 years. Some of my greatest clinical outcomes have involved veterans who may have been struggling for years and even decades to try to regain their quality of life. It’s fascinating to see that these folks come in all shapes, sizes and walks of life. I know some who had the option to enter the service or go to jail. I have some who have generations of service men and women in their family so they feel compelled by tradition and family honor to put on the uniform.
One of the saddest things I have seen is how complicated health care for veterans can be. The Veterans Administration (VA) has made so many obstacles for many veterans to navigate before they receive the benefits they are owed. By owed I mean just that. I think that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve these people because they were first, willing to protect and preserve our great country. For too many years, the VA has made these folks wait in line. For too many years they have provided bottles of pills that have traded injuries and disability for addiction.
Thankfully, the VA has recently committed to reduce the amount of drugs they are dispensing and start sending veterans for chiropractic care which is a proven approach for reducing acute and chronic pain. We have saved veterans from surgeries, disability and constant pain. My heart swells with gratitude whenever I can offer any level of relief.
I want to share the story of just a couple of the people I work with. I’ve changed names and sometimes even the gender of these people to protect their privacy. However, the stories of how they have overcome significant challenges needs to be told.
Veteran ‘Alpha’
The first patient we will call Alpha. During a tour in the Middle East he was blown up. You wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at him because there are no external scars. However, the scars are on the inside. He has deterioration of some of his brain tissue, despite being brilliant and he is plagued with PTSD. Now, I don’t treat PTSD but he has found that he can manage his mental health issues well with exercise. So, when he had extreme low back pain his issues were only compounded. Without the ability to exercise he was also unable to take care of his mental health. Over just a few visits we were able to get enough improvement in the low back pain that he was able to resume running and more.
Veteran ‘Bravo’
Another veteran, we will call Bravo, worked in logistics while she was enlisted. While there was no enemy shooting at her, she still managed to be injured by a falling box that hit her. Years later, she still has back and neck pain from her injury. She was put on opioid drugs which she didn’t want to take because they made her feel like a “zombie”. Chiropractic adjustments gave her relief and had her feeling like herself for the first time in years.
Veteran ‘Charlie’
Patient Charlie, also suffered trauma while deployed and ended up with PTSD, and low back pain that has made it so that he could not hold a job for over a decade. He would typically have about 30 minutes a day where he could be physically active before he was done for the day. Using chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy we had him back to work within 6 weeks for the first time in TEN YEARS!
Help Us Serve Those Who Have Served
It’s all so humbling o be a part of changing the lives and destiny of these veterans who didn’t feel like they had options. None of them complained. They were all happy to have served and accepted the consequences of their injuries. It’s such an incredible feeling to be able to let them know that they don’t have to suffer forever. They all still have so much to contribute to society and their best days aren’t behind them.
If you are a veteran or know a veteran we can help PLEASE connect us. The VA has programs and benefits for veterans who need relief from back pain and disability associated with their injuries.