Our Mission
At Community Chiropractic Center…
We assist the body's innate ability to heal from within through Chiropractic Wellness Care.
We continually strive to educate and empower our patients with the knowledge, understanding and ultimately the wisdom that will enable them to make choices that will create the foundation necessary to support their body's ability to express health.
It is our Mission to Elevate each of our patients to a higher level of living that is abundant with health and the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
We're Making a Difference in People's Lives, One Patient at a Time
At Community Chiropractic Center we believe you will be pleased with the difference we offer. When we accept a patient in our office, there is a team of dedicated individuals whose goal is to help that patient feel more comfortable and live healthier through a rehabilitative approach that focuses on discovering and correcting the cause of the problem. We look at each patient as a whole person, not as another "pain" case. We have found that the best way to prevent the recurring cycle of pain is to treat the cause, and restore proper spinal alignment and functioning so that the human body can do what it is what designed to do.
A graduate of Palmer College, Dr. Merkling has been in practice in Woodstock since 1990. He uses the Pettibon Chiropractic technique, which is based on spinal biomechanics and utilizes of a variety of exercises and manipulations that work with the individuals "innate organizing energy" to compensate and correct spinal deviations. Pettibon is a repeatable scientific method that utilizes pre and post x-rays and a comprehensive examination to diagnosis and assess the patient and find the root of the problem. Treatment plans are recommended on the basis of individual findings, and progress is monitored regularly with daily postural and palpatory assessments as well as periodic re-exams and follow-up films to make sure each patient's changes are on track with expectations. Structural changes are accomplished through the use of therapeutic exercise, mechanical and manual traction, manipulative therapy, head and body weighting and proprioceptive re-training. Treatment generally involves a combination of intensive in-office care and a home exercise program designed to correct a patient's specific postural deviations to reduce stress, restore function, alleviate symptoms, and prevent future problems so that the patient can achieve his or her maximum health potential.
We are proud to say that the structural changes seen are not only possible, they are typical with the combined efforts of our team, and our patients. A real difference is being made for people at Community Chiropractic Center and we're excited to be a part of it!
-Dr. John, Jessie, Lani and Katie
WHAT IS PETTIBON?
An Introduction to the basics
What is Pettibon? Pettibon is a technique for chiropractic care that was developed by Dr. Burl Pettibon, nearly forty years ago. Though well established, this technique is innovative, and research and progress continue to keep Pettibon treatment an up to date approach to chiropractic. The treatment involves the use of spinal biomechanics, which is a repeatable, scientific method of practice that is based on pre and post x-ray findings. We take specific x-rays, perform a postural examination each and every visit, and create an individual plan that will get you out of pain. One of the major differences between Pettibon treatment and the typical chiropractic treatment is that we go beyond pain relief and focus on correcting the underlying conditions that are causing the pain. If you want to prevent your pain from becoming a chronic problem or if it already is a reoccurring situation, it is essential that we address the cause of your expressive symptoms, correct the deviations and restore your optimum spinal curvature. Spinal distortion that is left uncorrected will lead to early degeneration, increased likelihood of other spinal diseases, and inefficient operation of the nervous system, as well as a decline in your overall health and well-being.
- The purpose goes beyond pain relief to restoration of optimal function of the spine and nervous system.
- Restoration of optimal function results in significant reduction in the likelihood of a reoccurrence of symptoms as well as reduction in further degeneration of spinal function and overall health.
- Success in this approach is measurable, consistent and reproducible, provided you are committed to following all home-care and in-office instructions. Most patients will achieve the goals set forth in each phase of care.
- Pettibon care is unique, based on your postural evaluation, and reported symptoms each visit.
- X-ray set-up and reading differ from other techniques.
- Your adjustments address the global spine rather than one area.
- Pettibon treatment involves 3 phases of care:
- Intensive care that is focused on pain relief.
- Rehabilitative care that concentrates on correcting spinal deviations and distortions and restoring proper spinal curvature.
- Stabilization care that combines reduced in office treatments and continued home exercise to help maintain the spinal correction and supporting muscle strength gained in the rehabilitative phase
There are also exercises, equipment and tools that are unique to the Pettibon technique that will likely be a part of care, and integral to the success of treatment.
The PTLMS - The Pettibon Tendon Ligament Muscle Stimulator is used to relieve pain, muscle spasm, tension, and inflammation. It also increases metabolic function and regeneration of injured tissues. Use of the PTLMS makes restorative exercises and spinal adjustments more effective.
Warm Up Exercises - There are six warm up exercises that are used to get the spine in motion. The repetitive motion helps hydrate and nourish the discs and increase the blood and oxygen supply to the spinal tissues at the same time it increases your flexibility and range of pain free motion. These exercises warm the gel-like substance within the walls of each spinal disc, thereby changing it from its normal gel state to a fluid state. Warming up prior to manipulation increases the effectiveness of the adjustment.
The Wobble Chair - After about age 12, the vascular supply system to the spinal discs atrophy. The aging discs need just as much daily nutrition intake and metabolic waste elimination as they did before. Daily full range of motion is absolutely essential to aid these processes and maintain healthy well hydrated spinal discs, ligaments and tendons. Using the wobble chair also reduces the amount of force needed for a spinal adjustment, re-hydrates the discs and increases disc height, increases disc, tendon and ligament strength, lubricates spinal joints and nourishes their cartilage, prevents adhesions and improves joint integrity, decreases potential for injury and reduces the severity should an injury occur.
Spinal Molding - The proper spinal curvature is slowly molded, or eased into position by resting on "fulcrums" after performing spinal warm up exercises to warm the soft tissue and the discs. The fulcrums allow the patient to rest while maintaining his/her optimum curvature until the spine cools down and the discs return to a gel state. This process creates the periods of sustained stretching that are necessary for the restoration of optimum spinal curves.
Fulcrum stretch - The stretch is a continuation of spinal molding when you are ready to advance to the higher fulcrum and continue to push the spinal curves to the correct position.
Head Weighting - is used when a patient is determined to need correction for improper cervical curvature, head forward posture, left or right high shoulder or other condition as recommended by the doctor. Head-Weighting activates your own body's righting reflexes to accomplish the correction needed. The weight is worn first thing in the morning, every morning for 20 minutes, and then again in the evening. It should be worn centered unless otherwise instructed.
Cervical Traction - Cervical traction is performed to improve the cervical and lumbar lordotic curves. It also restores the space between the discs, relieving compression and releasing pressure on affected tissues and nerves. It is also used in cases of disc thinning and arthritis as well as for reducing arm pain, and mid and low back aches and discomfort. Like the wobble chair, cervical traction increases motion, which is required for nourishment and waste elimination in your discs, ligaments and cartilage. With these processes functioning normally, repair and regeneration of the spine and surrounding tissues is accelerated.
If a patient decides to go beyond the initial pain relief phase and enter the rehabilitative phase of care, one or more of the following may also be introduced to accomplish the indicated correction:
Fulcrum Exercise - Therapeutic exercises performed at home to continue to stretch and strengthen involved muscles.
The Link Trainer - Isometric exercises performed in-office to balance muscles and correct deviant spinal curves by strengthening isolated muscles and muscle groups that are connected to specific areas of the spine where the muscles have become unbalanced and correction is needed. When balance is achieved, these exercises continue to be used to prevent reoccurrence of the imbalance and shortening of muscles that is most often caused by activities of daily living that are unlikely to change.
Body Weighting - Hip and shoulder weighting may be prescribed when alignment of the head and hips is achieved and further correction is needed. Weighted x-rays are generally taken to determine the amount of weight necessary and the response/correction expected.
And one more very important thing to remember:
At Community Chiropractic Center our patients are our primary concern. We are all dedicated to delivering quality care that gets results with compassion. We strive to make it as easy as possible for patients to focus on getting well, and we always encourage questions about any area of concern. We strive to educate our patient's about spinal health, so that they may make the best choices regarding their healthcare, and their pursuit of a healthier future.