The Chiropractic Cure

Evolve Family Chiropractic Center Opens in the Gables

By Lizzie Wilcox

February 2020

Good posture is a key to success, right? Just ask Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.” But it’s also fundamental for good health, affecting everything from back pain to blood pressure.

Having never visited a chiropractor before, I assumed I would go in for a quick back crack. Contrary to popular belief, however, chiropractors don’t actually crack your neck or spine. When they press down on parts of the back or twist your neck, they are releasing gases that build up in the joints. It’s the same thing as “cracking” your fingers and toes. They are also more comprehensive than I imagined. When I went to Dr. Benjamin Zedler of Evolve Family Chiropractic Center (on the Gables side of 57th Ave.), the first thing he did was X-ray my spine, from top to bottom.

Looking at my own X-rays, I was shocked to see that my spine was not perfectly aligned. I do yoga for goodness sake! The lower part of my spine was twisting to the left (probably from sitting at a desk for too long, the doctor said); the middle part near the ribcage was snaking the other way to compensate, and then it straightened out near the neck. Also, my right hip bone was higher than my left, which naturally could cause some discomfort. I always attributed any hip/leg pain to having broken both my femurs when I was a kid. But Dr. Zedler assured me that everything could be fixed with chiropractic care.

Depending on your specific health needs, it takes 20 to 40 visits to correct the spine. The office doesn’t accept insurance, but each appointment is just $50. But even after some minor adjustments during the first visit – a double twist of my neck and some pressure applied to my spine – I immediately felt better. Dr. Zedler said that was to be expected but wasn’t a long-term solution. Like for Miss Doolittle, change requires a little patience.