Greetings everyone, I am Charles Dixon and I'd love to help
Please let me begin by answering a few common questions.
I offer manual, hands on adjusting. I take my time, I am gentle and I won't surprise you. I also use an Activator instrument in situations where manual adjusting might not be best. AND I don't charge a lot so you don't need insurance to come as often as you like!!
Many patients have tight muscles and often a few minutes of myofascial release therapy helps loosen things up for the adjustment. This is often done as an active therapy where I work the muscle while you (the patient) move in a way that shortens, then lengthens the muscle we are working on. This is usually not to comfortable but you can lead me so I don't exceed your tolerance.
For many issues l will offer to do a few acupuncture needles to those specific muscles that you and I can both feel are tighter than normal. Since 2005 I've done "Bio-Medical" Acupuncture, later the term "Dry Needling" was used to describe this different, anatomy based style of Acupuncture. I began training under Dr Yun-tao Ma PhD when he published his book Bio-Medical Acupuncture for Pain Management and have studied his work since that time. I was even able to train directly with Dr Ma and became certified by his Dry Needle Institute. This type treatment affects both the nerves and the muscles and usually loosens the area so my gentle effort leads to a great adjustment. This also works when the referred pain pattern can be traced to specific muscles. A great example is when the upper glute and piriformis muscles are involved in terrible low back pain that might even radiate down your leg like sciatica. Needling muscles those often gives nearly 100% relief and the lumbar adjustment that usually follows is then very easy to do.
Some people come just for "Dry Needle" style Acupuncture. I am happy to provide that without performing any spinal manipulation. I understand then many people have suffered with pain and have problems that should not be adjusted, others are simply very careful about any manual kind of treatment. In addition to Dry Needling Acupuncture, I typically do gentle range of motion stretches in these cases or possibly a little massage or passive myofascial release. None of that is necessary though. I am happy to just do acupuncture if that is your preference, as long as I feel it is not contraindicated.
I offer to treat you with just the Dry Needle Acupuncture and no Chiropractic Adjustment because I know many patients already have a Chiropractor, Physical Therapist or Physician they are happy with, but want the Dry Needling also. I want Dry Needling to be easily available to all patients and I fully support Physical Therapists who train and offer Dry Needle Acupuncture to their patients.
The first visit is only $60 and includes treatment. If X-Rays seem necessary they are about $150 at Tyler Open MRI near Troop and the Loop (you'd pay them, not me) but I don't order them unless it seems necessary based on your condition. I'm happy to review your X-Rays, etc. if you bring them, on disc preferably.
More questions? Call me at 903-570-7080 and I'll do my best to answer them.
In addition to practicing Chiropractic and "Dry Needle" Acupuncture, I teach Anatomy & Physiology at LeTourneau University in Longview so I am out of the office on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
What about Chiropractic?
The cause of spine pain almost always begins years earlier as what we Chiropractors refer to as a spinal subluxation. A chiropractic subluxation is a condition in the spine (or in any joint really) where two bones lose some of their normal motion and/or alignment. Nerves may become irritated, soft tissues like cartilage and ligaments can become inflamed, yet in the beginning it usually isn't to painful. In time these irritations and decreased range of motion between the vertebra get worse and the longer it stays there before you notice it the harder it is to resolve once you start treatment.
Eventually, pressure, time and gravity cause the subluxation to get worse to the point that it can lead to conditions like bulged discs or herniated discs and eventually it can also lead to disc degeneration and facet joint syndrome. It is unfortunate that so many people are not proactive about their subluxation situation but I am here to help you no matter what stage you are in.
I have found, in my 20+ years as a chiropractor, that so many people wait until it is much to late before they begin to seek a conservative solution. I realized this within my first few years as a chiropractor really. This pushed me to seek other ways to help patients and led me to learn acupuncture, first acupuncture of the ear (Auriculotherapy), then TCM style as taught by Drs Yinnie and Sunderlage, and finally, in 2005 I found Dr Ma and began to learn Biomedical Acupuncture for Pain Management (later called Dry Needling). Dry Needling helps loosen the tight muscles around the spine so the adjustment can be gentler and yet easier to move. Add to that the Spinal Disc Decompression Table and it adds up to quite and arsenal of spine recovery tools.
So, yes, bulged discs or herniated discs, degenerative disc disease and facet joint hypertrophy are just a few of the "named" spine problems that originate years earlier as what we Chiropractors call spinal subluxation. They might be avoided if you actively protect your spine by exercising, stretching and if necessary, utilizing chiropractic adjustments.
If your fortunate enough to catch the subluxation early it can be just a matter of a good wellness care plan (including core strengthening) to keep your spine as subluxation free as possible throughout your lifetime. This type of treatment program is easy to accomplish.
The longer your subluxations sit there, locked in place and wearing on the cartilage the more difficult and time consuming the treatment becomes. That is why many chiropractors have to have you treat several times per week for months and months of treatment because it often takes that much chiropractic care to resolve your problems. I believe repeated adjustments can be necessary and if that is what you need then I'll make that so affordable its crazy. (Ask me about "Maintenance" discounts)
There is a LOT of information on this website about a LOT of different conditions as well as the VERY different methods I have for treating your painful problems through Biomedical Dry Needle Acupuncture, Manual Muscle Release Techniques, Spinal Disc Decompression Therapy and @Home Trigger Point Therapy and Pain Control Techniques.
Take your time and find what you need to know and if it isn't here write me about it.
Some info about the treatments we offer and the conditions we can help you with.
I have tried for several years to put "real" information on this web site. Information that will help you to understand common conditions and get the care you need for the conditions you may be suffering from. Everywhere I look all the doctors websites are friendly and pretty but have NO REAL CONTENT, their websites are really of no value to you except maybe to locate the doctors office and phone number. They have no prices, no info on conditions you might have, and if they can help those or not. I want to provide you with helpful information so I have kept the website as simple as possible and easy to navigate. Check things out, take your time, the menus at top are on every page to make it easy to look around and easy to get back to where you were. The simple goldenrod background is the easiest color on the eyes so you can read as long as you want. If you have questions feel free to call me at 903-570-7080. The office is open by appointment Mon - Friday. I teach at LeTourneau University in Longview on Tuesday & Thursday afternoons so I am not available then.
Sincerely,
Charles Dixon MS DC