Traditionally, spinal manipulation has been the focus for doctors of chiropractic, adjusting the spinal column with a variety of manipulation techniques to improve posture, relieve pain and promote general health. These days, most chiropractic offices have integrated additional modalities and some even specialize in treating particular dysfunctions or populations, just as medical doctors do. Indeed, the diversity available to patients is ever growing and leads to better outcomes through multidisciplinary approaches, which vary from clinic to clinic.

Whether the chiropractor herself learns additional modalities or brings in additional practitioners and specialists to offer adjunct treatments, patients can find chiropractic practices with acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, functional medicine and nutrition services, and a plethora of other assessments and methods to address health issues beyond back pain.

Locally, readers of Natural Awakenings of East Michigan are blessed to have an abundance of chiropractic specialists that provide multiple assessments and health and healing modalities in-house to complement their chiropractic practices and assist patients with myriad paths to healing maladies or simply achieving optimal health and wellbeing.

Here is a sampling of local practitioners and a snapshot of what they offer. For a more comprehensive explanation of tests, treatments, complementary modalities and integrative specialties, please contact these offices for a consultation or view their websites.

Dr. Jason Wills
Wills Family Chiropractic
Ortonville, MI
WillsFamilyChiropractic.com
Dr. Jason Wills furthered his education and expanded his practice by becoming certified in Applied Kinesiology (AK) and then Morphogenic Field Technique (MFT).

AK is used to determine the underlying causes to musculoskeletal disturbances, as well as emotional and nutritional needs patients may present with. It is a service that is unique and customized to the individual's concerns and needs. It has been used to help patients overcome health challenges such as thyroid disorders, bowel dysfunction, digestive distress, chronic and acute immune support, as well as low energy and fatigue.

MFT is a used as a means to find hidden health challenges or concerns in a minimally invasive procedure and is great for anyone who might be timid of traditional chiropractic care. MFT is a tool that can assess the state of a person’s energy field, allowing shifts to be made so that the goal to have the largest and most symmetrical field possible may be reached.

“By improving your energy field, a great health potential is achieved and often potential problems can show even before medical tests can pick them up,” says Dr. Wills.
Along with chiropractic care for all ages, including pregnant women and young children, the clinic also has a massage therapist on staff, offers trigger point work and custom orthotics for athletes as well as individuals with foot problems.

Dr. Theresa Pigott and
Dr. Regina Roberts
Authentic Living Center, Troy, MI
Authentic-Living-Center.com
The approach used at Authentic Living Center is called the “home run formula.” Health is modeled using a baseball diamond format and the goal is to touch every base for ultimate health. First base addresses the emotional component, second base is the toxic factors, third base is the nutritional factors and home plate is the structural components of health.

In addition to full spine, low force adjusting techniques, Drs. Pigott and Roberts offer upper cervical specific techniques, nutritional evaluation, infrared thermographic spinal scan, heart sound recorder, Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) and pulsed electro-magnetic frequency (PEMF).

NET releases emotions that are stuck in the cellular memory of the mind-body that can create dis-ease in all planes of the body: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The result of these stuck emotions and perceptions includes low back pain, headaches, high blood pressure, food allergies, sabotaging thoughts, negative self-image, anxiety and depression. Releasing the stuck emotions can help release the issues.

PEMF eliminates free radicals within the body, leading to homeostasis.

The Infrared Thermographic Spinal Scan reads temperature patterns along the spine and uncovers areas of increased inflammation, which may be too subtle to detect otherwise. This leads the chiropractor to areas of concern that need attention before they become bigger issues.

“This is much more complicated world…and our human bodies are more toxic, less healthy, more obese, dealing with intricate emotional insults…so it takes a holistic approach to get to the root cause of the issue,” says Pigott.

“Any modality that helps the body heal will assist the chiropractic adjustment to work and hold better,” says Roberts. “Ultimately, every system in the body affects the other, so fixing a structural problem will create health by removing the interference of the nervous system, thus boosting the immune and endocrine systems.” 

Dr. Eric Mintz
Synergy Chiropractic
West Bloomfield, MI
SynergyChiroMI.com
Patients at Synergy Chiropractic may receive a variety of beneficial solutions, which all help complement chiropractic care. “They allow for a greater depth of healing and support for the chiropractic adjustments. For example, our proprietary neurofeedback program allows us to help the brain regulate better and is a safe, natural, drug-free approach to helping patients with ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, stroke/TBI, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue,” says Dr. Mintz. “Neurofeedback is a very relaxing and non-invasive modality that helps the brain 'balance itself' and improves peak performance.”

In addition, Synergy offers functional medicine and nutrition, food sensitivity testing, adrenal stress index testing, network spinal analysis, essential oils, ozone therapy, audio visual entrainment and remedy testing.

“Bioenergetic Remedy Testing can help to identify resonating stress in relation to imbalances in organ systems, nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, emotional blocks, toxins, hormone imbalances and more,” says Mintz. The test is done with saliva and hair samples, so it’s completely painless and non-invasive. It can even be done for patients outside of the Metro Detroit area as the patient need not be present for the testing.

Dr. Sibyl Bence
Bence Chiropractic Wellness Center
Macomb and Sterling Heights, MI
BenceChiro.com
Chiropractors on staff at Bence Chiropractic Wellness Center have complementary areas of expertise such as treating ADHD, TMJ/TMD and the Webster Technique for expecting moms. The clinic also provides electromagnetic vascular therapy (EVT) using BEMER.

“During each BEMER session, healthy muscles are stimulated to boost and facilitate muscle performance. EVT also temporarily improves local circulation in healthy leg muscles,” says Dr. Bence. “EVT helps by increasing the function of the vascular system to deliver nutrients and oxygen to places in the body that could use some extra help.”

Expecting and new moms receiving chiropractic care report a broad range of benefits, including less sciatic pain, easier breastfeeding, less painful births, less nausea and morning sickness and reduced back pain. Mom and baby can receive gentle and safe adjustments that can help with issues that may have presented during the birthing process. Babies who are adjusted regularly also avoid distressing issues such as feeding problems, colic, ear infections and seizures.

Energetic nutritional testing helps patients to see further what is going on with their health and if they are struggling with chronic health issues that don’t seem to have a solution. The chiropractic care along with the nutritional regime provides great results for patients' health. Massage therapy is offered because it works great with chiropractic care to help patients reach results faster.

“From babies to senior citizens, we want to restore your hope that you can not only live free from pain but enjoy incredible vitality and participate in all your favorite activities over your lifetime,” says Bence.  

Julie Peterson writes about health and wellness from rural Wisconsin. Reach out at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..