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Introducing Boardman Chiropractor Dr. J. Murphy Crum
I just wasn't the typical chiropractic case. At least not the kind of new patient I see on a daily basis now.
My parents were ready for a last resort. Living in a tropical climate had it's trade-offs if you were an asthmatic. It wasn't just tough on me. Only now, with children of my own, can I understand what it must have been like watching an 8 year old struggling for breath through the night. Or how desperate they really must have been to take a child to "one of those Chiropractors." But they did, and it worked. The attacks subsided and I haven't had one since.
Chiropractic care continued to be a part of my life through bumps, sprains twists and turns, but it wasn't until I was working as a kennel boy at a local animal hospital that I got the bug to actually be a Chiropractor. Another last resort; only this time the "parents" were owners of a small dog that was losing the use of his back legs and his ability to defecate. With a little pleading to my Chiropractor and the blessing of the Vet and, of course, the owners, we all, in a sense "tried" Chiropractic and it worked. After that the only thing I wanted to be was "one of those Chiropractors."
I began my pre-chiropractic studies at Youngstown State University with the intention of being a veterinarian. It was the experience there that finally tipped the scales to change my goal to Chiropractic. Dr. Jim Sansone insisted I visit Life University in Georgia to interview and submit transcripts. I didn't know he was going to leave me there. I didn't see Ohio again until the end of my first quarter.
Initially, after being "dropped off", my motivation was fear, but the philosophy of working with the bodies inherent ability to heal itself intrigued me and simply made sense in light of my past personal experiences. It's a wonderful thing when you find your niche in life, and I felt that for the first time with chiropractic.
The scope of chiropractic practice is greater than many people realize; from the spinal adjustment through sports science, nutrition, orthopedics, neurology, rehab and radiology, there are dozens of specializations in the field. We don't handle everything, just what we do well, so it's important your in the right place. Communication right up front is the key to getting patients the right care and alleviating any apprehension. By accepting only those cases that we are best equipped to handle, we increase the odds of clinical success. By listening to the patients needs we can establish common goals. I believe that leads to patient satisfaction, and that's what makes practice worthwhile.
Dealing with difficult cases, particularly those that improved without achieving a complete relief of symptoms led me to the rehabilitation aspect of my practice. The restoration of function has been the perfect marriage to the chiropractic adjustment. It has enabled our patients to achieve a more comprehensive response to care. It also equips patients with the tools they need to help maintain and stabilize their correction after they have left active care.
My wife Cheryl and I have four children, Samantha, Meghan, Devin and Joe. The girls are hard at work in Columbus and Youngstown, Devin at YSU and Joe at Canfield High School. When Devins' not in school he's waiting tables, and Joe is either working at McDonalds or tending to the horses at the neighbors barn. He also works constantly on his tennis game. Cheryl helps quite a bit in the office, but her real love is fitness and teaching yoga. I really enjoy gardening. Being outside with my hands in the earth seems to recharge me. It's a great diversion and good source of instant gratification.
Ironically, this profession is tough on the doctors back! The the manual therapy techniques I use in the office are easy on the patient, but place quite a bit of stress and strain on my spine, shoulders arms and legs. I usually find myself in the hands of my Chiropractor every two or three weeks. The good news is it keeps me going strong.
I tend to change my exercise routines over time. I've done running, yoga, lifting, ellipticals and combinations of all the above. Truth is, I get bored; changing my routine keeps me doing something. When I get into a slump it's easier to get back into action by finding a partner-you're more likely to show up when your accountable to someone.
I'm not anti-medicine in any way, however people must understand that over-the-counter pain relievers are chemicals that cover symptoms. They numb your body and fool it into thinking everything is OK. That headache is not due to an aspirin deficiency. Unfortunately these NSAIDS (as they are called), may be associated with significant complications including gastrointestinal hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, stroke and a lesser-known side effect-reduced healing. Complications from these drugs are responsible for 16,500 deaths each year. Chiropractic, in many cases is not only a safer alternative, it works by relieving the cause of the problem. I think that's a more logical approach.
Antibiotics can be life saving, but it's well known that they have been overused with disastrous results. Their widespread use is a wake up call for chiropractic wellness care. True health care should focus on re-building our immune systems with lifestyle changes including diet and exercise: cleaning up the garbage dump, not just killing the rats. As our patients goals move from relief to wellness we help them with that.
Thanks for visiting our site. I look forward to meeting you in person to discuss your specific health challenges and goals. Give our office a call or email me with the link below.