Dr. Hayden Chance

Hayden Chance, DC

As a child, I suffered from chronic ear infections that led to sleepless nights for my parents. This was preceded by having tubes put in to drain my ears as an infant, which serves as a reminder of what can go wrong when we attempt to control the natural inflammatory process. My father Chris had a lot of success with pediatric patients suffering from ear infections, and had developed a reputation for being able to help with specific upper cervical adjustments. When this approach failed to help me, he was not afraid to adapt and try a new technique he had recently learned -- NAET. By addressing my allergies to Vitamin C and other triggers that no doctor could have logically suspected, he was able to end my struggles with ear infections.

This demonstrated to me the value of taking a step back from our intuition and allowing the patient’s body to be our guide through muscle testing. Doctors are trained to recognize patterns and offer treatment accordingly, often overlooking what makes each patient an individual. The human body is extremely intelligent and we would be doing a disservice to our patients not to listen to its guidance. Whether this comes in the form of pain or weakness, it is our job to pay attention to these symptoms rather than silence them.

            Throughout my undergraduate education, I thought that I wanted to be a medical doctor and spent a lot of my time preparing for the MCAT. I took this rigorous admissions test and started the application process, while interning with physical therapists and working as a fitness supervisor in a retirement community. I spent almost two years in these roles and saw many patients undergoing physical therapy and residents at the retirement community who were also being treated at Chance Chiropractic Center. Seeing this co-management of patients was a valuable experience for me and eventually led me back to chiropractic.

            I am grateful that my father never pressured me into this profession and allowed me to make the decision for myself. My gratitude grows daily with the realization that I chose to be on the preventive rather than reactive side of healthcare. I am eager to help patients reach their full potential by teaching them how to listen to their bodies.

            My philosophy is to address structure first with spinal and extremity adjusting, and then to look deeper if a patient does not fully improve. This involves addressing the other two parts of the triad of health: stress/emotion and biochemical/nutrition. NAET along with, HRT (Hypothalamic Reset Technique) and NET (Neuro-Emotional Technique) are the specific methods that I use to see the whole picture of each patient’s health and well-being. I am also participating in functional neurology seminars that will allow me to better examine and rehabilitate my patients. The brain communicates with the body through our spines, so we as chiropractors are in a great position to affect mental health and neurological function. This is why I plan on incorporating rehab exercises that bring balance to the brains of my patients, helping to prevent injuries and the development of neurological disorders.

Many chiropractors only focus on structure, falling into the classic Western medical model of specialization. By doing this, doctors often miss the big picture by failing to step back and see the patient as more than just a physical body. I believe this is what sets our clinic apart and why I am so excited to be a part of it!