Neck Pain
(neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain)
I am a 72 year male that was diagnosed with an osteoarthritis back in 1990. I have suffered with neck, shoulder, and arm pain of varying intensity. My primary care physician sent me to physical therapy which resulted in very limited relief. I went to 4 different type of providers, and the best I could obtain was relief for a few hours - if I received traction treatments. In fact, the exercise and other manipulations resulted in me being worse off than when I started.
I sought treatment from an Orthopedic specialist who did an MRI and xray, and determined that a bone spur was pressing on a nerve was the reason that I was not getting relief. Since I have had two quadruple by-pass surgeries, two heart attacks at different times, two separate double stent procedures, and a failed stent procedure, I was NOT a candidate for surgery to remove the spur that would likely grow back. My pain was so intense that I could hardly lift my arm to eat a meal. I decided to consult a chiropractor; this led me to Franz Family Spinal Care.
Dr. Ben Franz evaluated me on May 27, 2010 and began treatments. I found that after the 3rd treatment, within less then a month, I was able to go two weeks at a time without pain and then only minor pain. Since the later part of June 2010, I have been pain free and came back for checkups every 2-3 weeks with that interval increased to once a month since August 23, 2010. Occasionally, during these checkups Dr. Ben has needed to make minor adjustments. They were not because I was having pain, but rather to tweak me up to insure that I did not regress.
I'll never forget when Dr. Ben gave me my diagnosis. He said, "Your head is not on straight." I think I told him that I've been told that before, but what is wrong with me? Bottom line: he has been a GOD SENT and I don't know what I would have done without his help.
-JH, 72 years old. Greenville, SC
(neck pain)
I was skeptical about chiropractic until my friend told me about a NUCCA chiropractor he is going to. He is a type of guy that doesn't give out compliments very often.
After having neck pain for more than two decades and seeing many doctors, MOST of them recommended surgery to fix my neck problems. I said to myself I should try everything before surgery. After a couple of visits to Franz Family Spinal Care, I wondered why I didn't go to a NUCCA chiropractor many years ago.
I don't know how you can adjust me without cracking my bones, but in my 50s I can ride my bike and do yard work which was a problem a few months ago.
Even though you explained to me exactly what you are going to do, I am still amazed that so little force can make such a big difference.
Thank you so much.
-Robert, 54 years old. Asheville, NC
(neck pain, headaches, back pain, knee pain, fluctuating blood pressure)
When I first came to Franz Family Spinal Care I had multiple issues. Headaches, neck aches, back pain, and strange fluctuations in blood pressure. I also could not turn my head either direction. My evenings were unbearable and i lived on motrin.
My first visit with Dr. Ben was December 1, 2009 which consisted of consultation, x-rays, and my first correction. I was in very bad misalignment.
Dr. Ben took his time and explained everything thoroughly, and I was particularly happy that there were no spinal or neck manipulations common to many chiropractic treatments. The actual alignment process is gentle and painless.
I had significant relief in all areas the first day and was holding my correction after several visits. Once holding my correction, all of my previous issues were completely cleared up. I have been holding my correction for months now and feel like a completely different person(no pain relievers in months).
I am extremely happy with my results and only wish I had found Franz Family Spinal NUCCA Care many years ago.
Thank you Dr. Ben and Franz Family Spinal Care
-Betty R, 65 years old. Pendleton, SC
(neck pain, back pain)
I have been under chiropractic care of some sort since I was a small child. My spine has been adjusted by different methods many times, but none of the adjustments ever seemed to be lasting. Weekly or monthly visits to the chiropractor were required to straighten me out again.
Some time ago my wife began complaining that one of her legs was shorter than the other, and this caused her discomfort when running or standing. Wanting to ease the discomfort of my beautiful bride, I began researching remedies for legs with dissimilar lengths.
A little more research revealed that professional bicyclists use a specific type of chiropractic treatment to keep their legs the same length. This type of treatment involves delicate manipulation of the bone the head rests on and is based on the supposition that if your head is on straight, the rest of your body will follow.
A little more research turned up a NUCCA chiropractor nearby, and we gave them a try. Drs. Ben and Monika Franz are friendly and professional, and quite proficient in their craft. After a bit of explanation, they charted my posture and made x-ray pictures of my neck to see how badly out of whack I was. So far this wasn't terribly unusual from my typical experiences with other chiropractors. They always start off with x-rays to show you how badly your back is misaligned.
The difference came after Dr. Ben worked me over. That is, I lay down on my side for a bit while he pushed on my neck behind my ear. (Note that this is a gross mis-characterization of the skill and precision involved in the pushing.) There was none of the typical snap, crackle and pop of previous visits to the chiropractor, so I was somewhat unimpressed, because it really didn't feel like he'd done very much.
However, after resting for a while, he roused me to take more measurements and x-rays. These showed an obvious improvement in my posture and the alignment of my neck. This was something new! While chiropractors always took x-rays to show me how bad everything was, none ever repeated the procedure to show what improvements they had made.
Now, I can't say that I immediately felt wonderful and everything was wonderful after that first adjustment. By the time I got home, I was significantly sore. There was a dull ache throughout my back and down my legs that persisted for about a day. After this ache subsided, I felt fairly good.
I returned to see Dr. Ben several more times and got worked over in the manner described previously. I noticed that I no longer had the back and neck pain that had previously plugged me. I stood straighter and walked on an even keel. My balance was better. I lost weight!
OK, don't get too excited. I'm not going to say that Dr. Ben had anything to do with my weight loss. The only way to lose weight is by eating right and exercising, and that's how I did it. I will note that it's easier to exercise if your stance is even and your back doesn't hurt.
If you've read through all of that, you must be wondering what the point to all of this is. It's this: I am very impressed with the results that Dr. Ben's treatment has given me. I can move around much easier and with much less pain now than I could before meeting Dr. Ben. I stand up straighter and my shoes wear evenly. And I don't require constant adjustments to achieve these results. Dr. Ben hasn't worked me over in quite some time, and I haven't lost my good posture or started listing to one side or the other. In short, Dr. Ben has got my head on straight and the rest of my body has followed its example.
I highly endorse Franz Family Chiropractic. Dr. Ben and Dr. Monika are delightful people. The care they provide is excellent and effective. If you feel lopsided or out of whack, you won't find a nicer pair of doctors to straighten you out.
-David K,
(neck pain, shoulder tension)
I was having pain on the right side of my neck. I assumed it was from tension and that I needed a massage. However, when one of my friends massaged my shoulders (which were tight) it only seemed to make it worse. It felt like someone was pulling on the muscle.
After my first NUCCA adjustment I instantly felt relief and my shoulders began to relax. I continued to fell better for days afterward.
-Kayla, 19 years old. Taylors, SC
(neck pain, shoulder pain)
My neck and shoulder had been hurting for some time and I didn't want to go to a chiropractor who "popped" my neck and back any more. I was looking at a page on the internet about pain relief and saw Franz Family Spinal Care. I read about them on their website and made an appointment.
I've been very pleased with this method of chiropractic and would recommend this to others!
-Janet K. 54 years old. Simpsonville, SC