I rarely take the time to write yelp reviews and generally save them for when I'm really really impressed by a person or business.
I first got treated by Dr. Handloff a couple of months ago. I had a massive crash on my mountain bike and was all but sure I had broken my back. I went to get low cost X-Rays and they came back fine. I started looking around Santa Cruz as I'm new to the area and hadn't gotten any recommendations or references. Anyhow, I decided to take a gamble and stop in to Capitola Health Center without any prior knowledge or anyone vouching for them. They were quick to get me in when I told them I was hurting real bad. I could barely walk or stand up straight by the way.
In my first session, Dr. Handloff did some adjustments that I'd never had done before that provided incredible relief. I was in a hurry to get back to full health and riding again as I had a trip planned to ride in Canada about 6 days from my first treatment. I had a massage from a great physio, and did a bunch of stretching on my own.
What I liked most about Dr. Handloff was that he really took the time to delve into some of the technical explanations of my body's reaction. He showed me what to work on at home, and was aggressive in my treatment. I got up to Canada and had an amazing trip and was riding at my fullest potential thanks to him.
I also suffer from the occasional ocular migraine headache. Lately I've been getting them in waves every other month or so. I recently had a cluster of them and decided why not seek chiropractic as I'd never tried it. I generally stick to a basic remedy of a couple acetaminophen, a couple ibuprofen and a bit of caffeine. I've tried prescriptions and after a freaky allergic reaction to Imitrex(my throat closed up) I don't even go there. All in all, never in 18 years of migraines have I ever experienced any form of immediate relief that lasted.
I went to Dr. Handloff mid-migraine. He did an adjustment on my atlas. It was a bit unnerving based on how high up my neck it was and how much force he applied, but it felt incredible. I walked out a bit woozy and 5 minutes later, my migraine had literally vanished. Unreal. Highly recommended.
What I liked most about Dr. Handloff was his honesty and the nature in which he directs his patients. There are an enormous amount of chiropractors out there that just want repeat clients. He put no pressure on me to keep coming back. Instead, out of genuine concern for my health, he gave me great suggestions on how to get myself back to health and on how to improve my posture in general(I work from home on a computer all day)...
All in all, he's the best Chiro that I've worked with and he treated much more than a busted back. Great guy. read more