Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting eight out of 10 people at some point during their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health.Many people find relief for back pain from chiropracty (chiropractic medicine), a method of treatment that manipulates the body’s spinal and nervous systems.Dr. Jason Cahill practices at Chiropractic Lifestyles, which opened in January 2008 in Falcon. Cahill said chiropracty is an appropriate treatment for many ailments. Children with scoliosis, middle ear infections, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and asthma can benefit from chiropractic treatments, he said.”When you think about the number of times a baby falls when trying to learn how to walk, you’ll understand the trauma that can occur to the spine,” Cahill said.Chiropracty helps asthma patients by opening up the movement of the ribs and removing pressure on the nerves around the lungs, he said.Cahill’s patients range in age from 8 months to 84; the adults work in many different fields, from farming to computer work.His patients include dental hygienists who work for long periods in awkward positions.”That’s why I use so many different techniques and tailor each technique to the individual patient,” Cahill said.A native of Iowa, Cahill was preparing for a career in pharmacology when he decided he didn’t want to “medicate the world.””I researched chiropractic philosophy. It matched my desire to find the cause of disease and get people off unnecessary medications,” he said.Cahill received his doctor of chiropractic degree after three and a half years of post-graduate study. He also is a certified chiropractic extremity practitioner.In addition to traditional spinal manipulation, Cahill offers spinal decompression to treat chronic or acute lower back, neck pain and numbness in the fingers. The technique pulls the spine, relieving pressure on nerves, he said.Patients also are trained to do “easy exercises to stabilize the work that has been accomplished through manipulation or decompression,” Cahill said.”Our goal is corrective care and wellness care,” he said. “It takes time and repetition to correct a problem, but if you have to come in all the time, I’m not doing my job properly.”After an initial consultation and a full exam that tests the spine, muscles and nervous system, a new patient attends a 30-minute class on spinal health and general wellness – a class Cahill has given to local community groups, such as Take Off Pounds Sensibly and the Falcon Lions Club.”I get the chance to educate people about the spine. We’re never taught about the spine – it’s out of sight, out of mind,” he said.Cahill also advocates for proper nutrition. He is a proponent of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C supplements and drinking plenty of water and exercising as much as possible.”Just exercise for 20 minutes a day. Walk around the block. Do anything you find enjoyable to get the heart pumping,” Cahill said. Once exercise becomes a habit, “push for core strength and flexibility,” he added.Last August, Cahill didn’t follow his own advice and paid the price – he injured his back while working with a patient.”I got really busy and wasn’t exercising,” he said. “So I can relate to the people I care for. It was a reminder that I have to practice what I preach.”Dr. Mary Beth Sanders owns Chiropractic Lifestyles. The clinic supports the community with an ongoing fundraiser for Falcon’s new library. For each new patient, the chiropractors donate $20 to the library fund. “It’s a chance to come in and get educated about the spine,” Cahill said. “And donate to a good cause.”
