I always knew that I wanted to work in the health care field. My uncle is a medical doctor, my mom a nurse, and my dad a former respiratory therapist. I guess you could say it runs in the family. When I was in high school, I thought I'd go into dentistry, but that all changed and I couldn't be happier with my choice to pursue a career in chiropractic.

It all started back in high school in 1987 when my girlfriend Michele, now wife (yes, we were high school sweethearts), was struck in the head with a ball while playing water polo. The impact of the ball injured her upper neck, pushing the joints and bones out of normal position. Shortly thereafter, Michele developed sever migraine headaches and neck pain - pain she never had prior to the injury. The pain was so bad in fact that Michele would miss school for days at a time.

Finally, after eight months of x-rays, MRIs, strong medication, and constant headaches, Michele was advised by her neurologist to try chiropractic care because he couldn't find anything medically wrong with her. Well, he was right about that, Michele didn't have a medical problem, she had a chiropractic problem. Misalignment of her spine was creating mechanical joint dysfunction, inflammation and pain. Three weeks after Michele started chiropractic care, her headaches were just about gone. I couldn't believe it. It seemed simple: joints in her neck out of position caused so much pain. Better yet, there was something that could be done about it.

I was so impressed with Michele's experience that I started working for her chiropractor during high school and college breaks and eventually realized that I too wanted to focus my healthcare career on finding the hidden causes of musculoskeletal pain instead of covering up the symptoms with medication. Don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for pain medications, but they will never fix musculoskeletal problems or its associated symptoms. A mechanical problem needs a mechanical fix, there's no other way.

Too often people use symptoms as a gauge to measure their health. I want patients to understand that it is possible to have biomechanical problems without symptoms. Much in the same way you can have a cavity without pain. The bottom line is that symptoms are a poor way to judge your overall health. At Hillclimb Chiropractic, I strive for excellence in clinical results as well as patient satisfaction, communication and education. I want patients to understand the process and, if appropriate, be able to make the lifestyle changes necessary to aid in the healing process. My goal for every patient is increased function, not only of the nervous system, but for the entire musculoskeletal system, which will help improve overall health. Our health is our most valuable possession and requires maintenance. If you have any questions about my clinic, feel free to call or email me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.