In their own words

The medical diagnosis is scoliosis, which has been a problem since my teen years. I was also struck by a car at age 16, so I don't know which came first.

I discovered chiropractic about age 19, but never went regularly. I found the office through an ad I had seen a few years ago. I held onto it since I live close by. I liked Dr. Anderson's approach of letting the body heal itself with very little interference, such as drugs.

The x-rays and exam let me see the level of degeneration and really see my prognosis with my own eyes after regular care. I was in severe neck pain when I came to Dr. Anderson's office. My neck and back seem to just store any life stress I am feeling, so it requires regular attention. Dr. Anderson helped me understand the different stages of healing the body goes through, and got me to hang around for the great results. Patience, patience, patience.

I am pain-free much more of the time if I get regular adjustments. I sleep much better and have more stamina when I am not in pain, and I can do much more physically than before.

The spine affects every nerve to every organ in your body, so spinal adjustments improve health in countless ways besides just relieving pain. Let the body's natural wisdom maintain your health. After almost 40 years (really) of being in pain, I am finally getting real relief.

I have had problems with my back and neck since I was a kid. When my lower back pain became severe, I looked for help in Dr. Anderson's office.

Over the years, I had several colonoscopies, 3 to 5 years apart. My medical doctor thought that this could be the problem with my lower back. They found polyps, but none malignant, and as they cared for those, I still suffered lower back pain.

At the perfect time, I received info on an open house and a discounted visit in Dr. Anderson's office. In general, I've always considered myself very healthy, so when Dr. Anderson showed me how bad my x-rays were, I was amazed at how bad my back had gotten.

My favorite things include scrapbooking, reading, working puzzles, sewing and family. I really hadn't noticed how much these things were affected by my pain, until I started feeling better.

I love this office! My lower back pain was in check almost immediately. My neck is working much better, although with the nature of my work, preparing taxes, I will always put a lot of stress on my neck, so I get checked every week.

I've seen multiple people in my life resist the idea of being helped through chiropractic. I'm living testimony to the power of this care. Now I'm onto wellness care and I'll use Dr. Anderson to stay well and really live my life and retirement.

I was suffering from neck pain at the base of my skull that gave me headaches, lower back pain and tightness.

I had tried other chiropractors, physical therapy and massage. I had been to a chiropractor in Puyallup after a car wreck. I was nervous about the popping and cracking sounds, but it was easy to get over as I got better. When I was ready to come back to chiropractic, I called the office in Puyallup and told them I was living in UP now, so they told me about Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson did a thorough consultation and explanation of what is wrong and how and why to fix it.

I love to golf in my free time and the tightness that used to happen when I did that is not happening. My neck pain was next to non-existent after a few weeks.

Chiropractic is more than help for the back. You'll be surprised to see how you feel if you've never tried it.

From 19 to 20 I worked as a vendor for Lowes. I had 72 home decor lines including 100 lb 9x12 wool rugs and 115 lb furniture boxes. For months I lugged around these things, until one day my body said enough. For 6 to 8 months I couldn't move, sleep, sit, stand or function. In the course of 3 years I went to over 20 specialists, had full blood workups, CT scans, bone scans, nerve testing, MRIs, PT, occupational therapy and everything else under the sun. Everyone said we can't find anything wrong.

My life was pain from the second I woke up until I went to sleep. Daily debilitating migraines, light sensitivity, burning, aching, stabbing pain into my legs, swelling in my ankles, and intense pain all throughout my shoulders down through my entire back.

One fine day I came to Dr. Anderson's office and began working as his chiropractic assistant. He did the full workup, along with x-rays. Imagine my relief when after 4 years of searching for answers I had an explanation for my body being a wreck. We saw bone spurs on my x-rays, and my atlas, or C1, had the nerve supply cut off, which controls the blood supply to the brain. There was the explanation for my migraines. And my L5, which directly relates to poor circulation, leg cramps and swollen ankles, along with a few other subluxated areas. So you see I wasn't a loon. There is an explanation. My nerve supply was being choked out for the past few years.

So from now until the day I go to the grave I will faithfully get adjusted, not only because getting adjusted literally brought me back to life, but because I want my nerve supply operating at peak capacity. My migraines are nearly a thing of the past and the horrific pain in the legs rarely comes back. Everyone can benefit in so many ways from chiropractic care, from infants to grandparents and all in between, whether you have symptoms or not.

When I came to Dr. Anderson, I had lower back pain and shoulder pain.

In the past when I did have very bad pain, I went to see doctors and went to the ER a few times. No help. The way I went in was the way I came out.

I went to a wellness festival, not expecting much, and met Dr. Anderson himself. I did not think it would help, and I gave it a try anyway. I'm so glad that I did. Boy, was I wrong. I feel much better now.

On the first visit he gave me an explanation I could live with, and proved that I could not live without chiropractic. The first visit was very eye opening.

I do not have the upper back pain and my back does not go out as it did before. This is great. If you have problems with your nerves, you should see Dr. Anderson. He is the only one who helped me.

There are many words that define who I am. Some of those words are military wife, mother, and student. One word that has been with me for the last two and a half years in particular is stressed. That is when my husband signed the proverbial dotted line and rejoined the military.

I had never experienced military life before and I did not know exactly what to expect. In the beginning my husband's contract took him into training four long consecutive months. That was the onset of my new and tumultuous lifestyle. Since that time we have relocated here to Washington and I found myself in new geographic territory, with long periods of time apart, family health issues, and the regular and seemingly inescapable life situations.

This constant stress eventually began manifesting itself in various physical and emotional ways. I found myself in constant pain all down my neck, back, and legs. I was irritable a majority of the time, and I felt as if my joy for life had been placed in a box and tucked tightly on a closet shelf.

I first met Dr. Anderson at the Sound to Narrows 5k walk and run in 2009. My daughter and I had just finished our jog and were visiting the different booths set up for the event. When I sat in the chair for my screening I felt hope. I had other chiropractic experiences and have lived under the care of a chiropractor, but it was something of value to me to observe the care Dr. Anderson took when examining my spine.

After seeking care for my back pain from Dr. Anderson I have found many aspects in my life beginning to be adjusted. My pain level began as a constant issue and I can say now I can sit down for longer periods of time, and I can even drive where I need to go without sharp sciatic pains running down my leg.

I feel as if Dr. Anderson has helped me find my joy again by providing me with great chiropractic care. I have begun to feel less stressed and irritable, and now that I am not in constant pain I have been able to focus more clearly on enjoying the positive things in my life. I am so happy to be a part of the family.

Initially, I came to a patient appreciation day a couple of years ago. Seth showed me then the areas of my spine that were showing much wear. “I can't fix it all,” he said, “yet I can make things better.” I thanked him for his time, and I didn't have the finances or coverage then.

After two knee replacements, I was now getting out more and felt I could benefit from some better flexibility, so I thought it was time to come back. My daughter never gave up on me. She has been seeing Dr. Anderson for many years, invited me again to patient appreciation day, and this time I chose to start with care.

I get my adjustments in the chair in the room, since climbing onto the table is difficult for me. I started going three times a week until there was real relief in my lower back and flexibility in my neck and back.

I like to read and was unable to sit comfortably. Now I get too comfortable and maybe sit too long. I can also play the piano again for an hour, and I can play table games for one to two hours.

My life has improved so much. When I hurt my back about a year and a half ago, I had to use my cane again. Now I often forget to take my cane, or I leave it in the car. I have more stamina to stand to clean or cook. I'm now in wellness care, and I'm glad I finally made the choice to start.

Since I could remember, looking down while riding in a moving vehicle caused nausea. After 3 months of chiropractic, that nauseous feeling is gone.

I experienced mild scoliosis of the spine as a result of weak ankles, and consequently my right hip socket was higher than the left. As a result, I walked with a limp, especially when walking down inclined surfaces. Last week, for the first time in over 35 years, I walked down a ramp in perfect balance. There was no limp. When I ride my bike, my upper body doesn't sway anymore.

Dr. Anderson took x-rays and did some other tests. He was different than other chiropractors in that he explained in great detail what was going on with my spine. The tests he did were more comprehensive than others I'd had.

I love to hike, bike ride and lift weights. Chiropractic has made all of my physical activity easier and more comfortable. I felt improvement within the first couple of visits. I feel great. Chiropractic works.

Sophie had her first asthma attack at 9 months old and was rushed to the emergency room. She was sent home with a nebulizer, a device that plugs into the wall to create a medicated steam that the tiny patient breathes in to relax the airways in the lungs. We used this to settle down attacks between 2 to 4 times per month. Notice the past tense, used.

Sophie was 5 when she started getting adjusted in the office. Now she is 6 and she has only used the nebulizer once since starting care.

The most trying times are in the fall and winter when many children share colds and flu. This winter Sophie didn't get as severe a cold as she usually does and didn't need the help of a machine at all. I think we will keep her for a little while. She is pretty cute, too.

Welcome Quinnessa Wyers. Her mom, Theresa, chose chiropractic care during her pregnancy for two major reasons. One, to deal with her pain. She suffered from neck pain and headaches particularly. Two, because she heard that chiropractic will help the baby to develop and be born healthy. Quinnessa was born healthy.

When they came in the first time, mom said that something was wrong. Her milk wasn't coming in like it should, so they were supplementing with formula. Baby Quinnessa was irritable and fussy and really constipated.

Her first adjustment was Friday night and the second Tuesday afternoon. Theresa reported that Quinnessa had a major bowel movement on Friday about a half an hour after her adjustment, and ever since has been a regular 2 to 5 times per day baby.

Thank you, Theresa, for honoring us with serving you and your baby. Her potential is looking up already.

About four years ago Dave was in a car accident while he was working, clearly the fault of the other driver. Initially he was cared for by the medical and physical therapy communities, and even found relief with a chiropractor. Then came 2 to 3 years of pain, suffering and fighting with the insurance company to continue his care.

In 2010, Dave and I met at one of our chiropractic community service booths. It had been years since he had had care for his injuries and he was continuing to get worse. He was at wits end because he knew that he needed something. During the first couple months of his care, Dave's greatest hope was when it felt like his lower back stopped getting worse. If your child is in a wagon rolling down a hill, you need to stop the momentum downhill before you can pull them back to safety at the top of the hill. He was encouraged, as was I.

About that time, the insurance stepped in again. They had approved a surgical fusion of his lower neck to relieve the pressure on the nerves that were causing so much dysfunction that he was in constant pain, with symptoms into his shoulders, arms and hands. Dave knew that this would be the last chance the insurance would approve of this option, so he decided to go through with the surgery.

This is the portion of the story that is inspiring. Eleven days after his surgical fusion, he was back in the office for his adjustments. As his neck heals from the surgery we will let it be for a while, and that doesn't mean that there aren't many other areas of his spine that we can work on. Dave said himself, of his quick return, “I don't want to give any other area of my back the chance to get bad enough to go through this again.”

Many people believe that chiropractic is no longer an option after surgery. That is not the case. In many cases it is more important to take care of the rest of the spine after one portion has been surgically altered. Dave, I acknowledge you for knowing that your healing will take time, and that while we take pressure off of your nerves, you are the one doing that healing.

A 58 year old woman who has been under corrective care for a little while said something interesting. “I've got a crazy story for you and it probably won't be good for one of these,” motioning to a wall of testimonials in room 3. That piqued my curiosity.

Her tale of woe extends back 2 generations, with a grandmother who died suffering with colon cancer and continuing through her mother to her, all suffering with digestive issues. For my patient, the biggest issue has been constipation. The type of constipation that a regular person, pun intended, cannot understand. Without intervention, nearly constant constipation for as long as she can remember.

This woman is very natural in word and deed. She's used chiropractic, in hindsight sparingly, for decades. She's changed her diet, used vinegar and water, and rarely if ever used heavy medication. More experimentation with diet and supplements caused changes in color, consistency and frequency of elimination, still only changing the problem, not relieving it.

In November, she was referred to our office by her former chiropractor who was no longer convenient. She started the course of corrective care that will allow her spine to function in a stable manner, something that is new to her use of chiropractic. In February she and her family took their annual trip to Mexico, and while there she suffered with cramping. As her body worked through the last of it and the cramping stopped, she has been wonderfully regular ever since. What a wonderful life she has ahead of her.

I suffered from constant back pain, especially after getting an epidural during the birth of my first son, Mason. I used to get eyelash extensions and I couldn't lay flat.

I never saw other professionals other than the occasional chiropractic adjustment here and there, never consistently.

I've been plagued with headaches, pain in my lower back and between my shoulders. The problems started at a young age due to various accidents.

I did not realize how serious my situation was until my second car accident. The x-rays were very depressing. Long term damage.

Webster's Dictionary's definition of a doctor is “a person licensed to practice any of the healing arts,” and I have to tell you I thought that was the farthest thing from the truth until I met Dr. Anderson.

Let's travel back in time a bit to Kansas City, April 1996. I had just suffered a horrific auto accident.

Hi, my name is Pete and my biggest symptom is sciatic pain when I sit. The radiating pain goes into my left buttock. Pain also travels into both feet when I overdo it with exercise, lifting, or working in the yard.

This all started when I hurt my back a long time ago. I had lower back surgery years ago.