The gnawing pain on my left shoulder (that goes down my arm) has been bothering me for such a long time already. That pain was in my right shoulder before so I shifted my activities using the left side of my body. It gave my right side a break but the left side compensated for this decision.
The pandemic did not help my case. Unable to visit a doctor to get the help I need, the pain has really worsened. Good thing I discovered Intercare Chiropractic Centre in Greenhills. There I met American Chiropractic practitioner Dr. Hal Grass. He told me about suffering from excruciating back pain while working in Japan. He went to a Japanese chiropractor and that experience totally changed his life. “It was like a dagger was taken out of my spine,” Dr. Hal narrates. “It was nothing short of a miracle. Right then and there, I made a decision that I was going to study this field and help people heal.”
I, in turn, told him about the pain on my shoulders. There was a point when putting on a shirt was a painful daily activity. I was, however, apprehensive about getting my body twisted this way and that. What I was worried most about was “cracking” my neck. Dr. Hal patiently explained to me that I would not be wrong in having anxious feelings – It was my first visit, after all. BUT he gave me statistics that made me feel at ease. (It’s more likely to get struck by lightning a thousand times over than it is to have something go wrong during an alignment session.)
He then proceeded to ask me to raise both my arms and he would push each down to check if I had the strength to resist it. I was able to hold my right arm against the pressure but my left arm went down without a fight. He pinched something at the back of my neck —lo and behold , I was able to resist the downward push after that!
A chiropractic adjustment is a very safe, specific, controlled force applied to a joint to restore proper function and mobility. Spinal adjustments activate neural pathways between brain and organs, optimizing communication that leads to better organ function. I felt the loosening of shoulders and (a bit) of my neck. Dr. Hal recommended I have an x-ray done on it since it was very, very tight. The x-ray will help him see what’s happening inside so he will know how to best proceed with the treatment.
Then it was time for my physical therapy with Mike. The first 30 minutes was so relaxing (masakit na masarap in some parts.) Unlike the common massage, Mike made vibrating strokes up and down my back and then concentrated on my shoulders. He instinctively knew where my problem areas were. Afterwards, he taught me some stretching exercises I can do at home.
Laser therapy was the third and last step. Intercare Chiropractic Center uses Class 4 medical laser as a drugless option to reduce pain and swelling as it improves nerve function and regeneration. Mike was also the one who did this in my back. This was followed by taping. Strips of unmedicated tape were used to support my muscles. I was instructed to take the tape off after three days.
All in all I felt 60-70% relief in my problem area. One visit is not enough to allay the tightness and soreness. I am glad though that I have found a clinic and chiro practitioner that can help me on my road to healing.
Find @intercarechiropractic on Instagram to know more about their services.
With a pocketful of glitter,
