Leg, Hip, and Back Pain 

I want to thank Dr. Donovan and his staff at Atlantic Chiropractic Clinic for giving me my smile back.  About ten years ago, my left hip hurt terribly and pain down my left leg was waking me up at night.  My medical doctor gave me cortisone shot for the pain.  It temporarily helped. For the next five years my back and neck pain continued to get worse.  My medical doctor ordered an MRI and found 2 herniated disks in my neck and a bulging disk in my lower back.  He promptly prescribed Naproxen for pain and sent me on my way.

My medical doctor, who I dearly loved, retired.  When I returned to the office the next year for my annual physical, the new, young doctor examined me and took one look at my back and declared, “Carol, I can tell my just looking at you that your back is out of alignment.  I would suggest a Chiropractor.”

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever considered going to a Chiropractor.  I had heard silly stories that they were glorified massage therapists and could not really treat the problem.  My new, young, medical doctor said he himself visited the Chiropractor for his herniated disk and found great relief.  I quickly asked for a referral to my medical doctor’s Chiropractor.

Upon visiting Atlantic Chiropractic for the first time, I was greeted with a big smile.  I was introduced to Dr. Donovan and to Katy, the physical therapist. The people created such a warm and inviting atmosphere, that I quickly relaxed.  Dr. Donovan reviewed my MRI and history and when he sat down with me to discuss treatment, he told me more about my MRI than anyone had and spent more time with me so I would understand what his treatment would do for me.   One of the early questions that he asked was, “On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most pain, what number would you give your pain?”  I told him “8,” and held back tears.

He asked how my life was affected by my pain and I hadn’t really considered that question, but realized that I wasn’t going out in the boat with my husband anymore because it would aggravate the pain.  My husband had also commented to me that I wasn’t smiling much these days.

Dr. Donovan’s treatment consisted of vertebral subluxation focusing on spinal adjustment of my lower back and neck in the affected part of my spine in an effort to reduce the pressure and physical therapy. Dr. Donovan and Katy worked as a team at each visit on specific problems and I felt myself getting better after each visit.  Katy worked my muscles and ligaments giving me my range of motion back.  These manual adjustments greatly lowered my pain from an “8” to a “2” and “1” within two weeks.  I felt myself walking upright again instead of slouching forward and I stopped taking my Naproxen for pain.

 If you have back pain, I would highly recommend trying Atlantic Chiropractic.  They are so nice!  They truly care about you and give you instructions to keep working on improving your body with exercise after you leave their office. 

I am back to fishing and playing outdoors with my loved ones.  My husband, hugging me recently, said, “You are smiling again!”

Carol Marsh