I met Dr. Randy Culig and Dr. Sam Wireman back in December before their new chiropractic practice opened. These two have recently wrapped up all their chiropractic schooling and have so much energy and excitement, and their passion for helping people is obvious.
Their approach is very methodical, very calculated, and very careful. There is no spine cracking in this office. Precision is paramount, and the doctors take x-rays, check hip and foot levels, and measure a few other things to make sure they know exactly what your body needs. (There is so much care paid to precision, they have patients wear bowling shoes during visits to ensure the doctor can get an accurate view of the length of your feet!) X-rays (~$300) are taken after an initial (free) consultation and then the doctor will discuss with you whether they think they can help your issues are not. They are very aware of how every body is different, and they're not going to push their methods on someone they don't think they can do anything for. (I always appreciate this kind of integrity.)
If the doctors recommend moving forward and you agree to visit for chiropractic adjustments, they'll set up a 3-month plan for you. For 3 months, you'll come in for adjustments as needed, they'll continue to evaluate your progress, and then they'll reassess after the 3 months to see if you should continue for another 3 months. During the 3-month period, all extra necessary x-rays and all visits are included in a one-time fee of $700-something. (I opted to pay by month instead for $200-something.) I really like the all-inclusive approach.
I'm about 3-4 visits in. My very first visits took over an hour each, which I think is normal for the initial visits, but I also know that Dr. Randy and I talked a lot about my spine's issues.
First visits included discussing my medical history and any issues I had with spinal stuff. (tingling, pain, habitual tenderness, loss of vision, numbness, etc.) Dr. Randy also took some measurements:
* Checking the level of my hips
* Checking the length of my legs
* Checking the feel of the muscles on the side of my neck
^ These measurements are taken during *every* visit so the doctors are always assessing and adjusting their therapy as needed. Measurements are taken before spinal adjustment and after spinal adjustment.
Dr. Randy and I agreed that we'd like to move forward with my treatment, so we decided to get my x-rays taken that day. Because of the precision needed, the x-rays took a long time to take. I'm sure that as the doctors become more practiced, these will take less time for future patients, but it's worth keeping in mind for new patients that your visits will have some slow spots. (This review is being written Feb 2018.)
Dr. Randy pointed out a few things to me on the x-rays that day but then we discussed them at length during my second appointment, which is when I agreed to commit to the 3-months of therapy. I'm on a weekly visit rhythm, and each visit takes around 30 minutes now. Here's what the visits look like:
* Arrive, greeted by Sydney the friendly receptionist who always asks if I'd like coffee or water, Sydney gives me bowling shoes to wear during the visit. (Little hosiery socks provided if needed.)
* Taken into the office. Dr. Randy checks in on if I've noticed any changes since last visit and we chat about any new thoughts or exercises I should be doing.
* Measurements are taken.
* Spinal adjustment is done. This involves having the atlas bone at the top of the spine lightly pushed by an instrument. This part of the visit takes a long time because the doctor has to get the angle of my head in the perfect spot.
* I walk down the hall a couple times to let my body "shake it out" a bit, then measurements are taken again.
* I sit in the relaxation room where Zero Gravity chairs warm and relax my body, giving it time to settle into the adjustment, kick off bodily healing, and giving me time to have a break. The doctors always recommend this step, though they're also aware that sometimes schedules don't allow it.
I've been impressed with how thorough Dr. Randy has been. He's reached out to another doctor with questions about my condition, he's recommended a massage therapist who'd be able to help me more, he's answered all of my questions, found exercised for me to do to strengthen my neck. It's obvious these guys take their work very seriously, and even though they're just getting started in their own office, they're very knowledgeable and conscientious about their work.
Even though the team is smoothing out a few bumps that come with a brand new office (which is why considered going with 4 stars instead of 5), I'd recommend these guys to anyone curious about spinal health or who needs a chiropractor. I really believe in what these guys are doing, I wish I'd found them earlier, and I'm never going to another spine cracking chiropractor again! read more