Shafer Chiropractic
Family-Centered
Health Care,
enabling your
body to heal itself.
If you are looking for friendly, professional
health care, where time is taken to educate you concerning your
condition and to make you comfortable with the steps toward better
health, Shafer Chiropractic is an excellent choice. Located in
Hempfield Township along Route 136, Shafer Chiropractic offers more
than relief from neck and back pain.
Modern chiropractic is a natural form of health care with a variety
of available treatments. It does not use surgery or drugs, but
focuses on enabling your body to heal itself. This is done through
removing nerve irritations and correcting structural abnormalities,
most often through adjustments to the spinal column. Treatment of
the extremities, including wrists, elbows, and knees is also common.
Most people who receive chiropractic therapy appreciate its drug
free, non-invasive approach.
In addition to helping with neck and back problems, Shafer
Chiropractic often sees patients with chronic pain, sports injuries,
and carpal tunnel conditions. People in auto accidents benefit from
chiropractic treatment, as even a minor whiplash can result in soft
tissue damage.
"A typical patient might come in with a neck or cervical disorder,
headaches, pain between the shoulders, or lower back pain,"
explained Doctor Dana Shafer. "We have even seen pediatric patients
needing treatment for birth injuries, balance problems, and bed
wetting. In determining whether chiropractic is appropriate, I
provide a thorough examination, and when necessary we welcome the
opportunity to work with other health professionals. My experience
includes working with MDs, osteopaths, occupational therapists,
exercise physiologists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and
dentists. We recommend, for example, that all of our pediatric
patients be screened by their pediatricians first."
Shafer Chiropractic stands apart from many health facilities by
treating you as a person first and not a number. Dr. Shafer takes
his time to listen to each patient, diagnose carefully, and consider
the best course of treatment. At this office, 'Family-Centered
Health Care' means making you feel as comfortable as possible in
their clean, modern facilities, and providing a range of effective
treatments, including:
- Chiropractic Adjustments
- Physiotherapy
- Physical Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation
- Myofacia Soft Tissue Treatment (Trigger Point Massage)
- Muscle Stimulation
- Ultrasound
- Mechanical Traction for Neck, Back, and Carpal Tunnel
"In 2004, we will be introducing Decompression Therapy to this
practice," Doctor Shafer continued. "It's the new standard in
therapy for chronic disc problems, a step above the regular traction
table. These new protocols help retrain the muscles of the lower
back, relieving tension on the spinal nerves. It's a powerful new
treatment for chronic disc herniations."
At Shafer Chiropractic, there are many courses of treatment,
depending on what is appropriate for you. These include massage
therapy provided by a Registered Nurse, nutritional therapies such
as Maximum Living dietary supplements with their unique,
high-quality products, and Foot Levelers, Inc's many orthotic
systems for maintaining the health of your feet and spine. Cervical
pillows, back supports, and braces are available as needed. Most
insurance plans are accepted, and the staff of Shafer Chiropractic
is willing to check on your insurance for you.
Your first visit to Shafer Chiropractic includes a comprehensive
orthopedic and neurological exam. X-Rays can be used as necessary to
help with diagnosis, and your therapy begins using methods
appropriate to your case, such as muscle stimulation, ultrasound,
and traction. A variety of osseous adjustments can be made, all the
way from manual adjustment to gentle techniques using a device
called an activator, well suited for use with geriatric and
pediatric patients.
A common misconception is that once you start going to a
chiropractor, you always have to go. One of the goals at Shafer
Chiropractic is to rehabilitate and strengthen patients' muscles,
making them able to return to their normal activities in a condition
of greater fitness than before.
"I became interested in chiropractic as an undergraduate," said Dr.
Shafer. "After sustaining a work injury, I eventually found
treatment with a gentleman who was both a physician and a
chiropractor. His ability to accelerate my healing left a
significant impression and changed the course of my studies." The
course of study for chiropractors is easily as rigorous as that for
medical doctors, but where a physician's training concentrates on
pharmacological remedies, chiropractors master anatomy and
manipulation skills.
Dr. Shafer has a wide range of experience. When completing his
internship, he joined the staff of a major medical center that saw
over 800 patients per week. Within two years, he rose to the
position of Director of Chiropractic at the center. Within two more
years, Dr. Shafer was also the Supervisor of Rehab and PT, managing
chiropractic care, rehab, and physical therapy for a wide range of
patients. Continuingeducation is a must
for chiropractors, and Dr. Shafer routinely exceeds the required 24
credit hours per two year period, concentrating when he can on his
main interests: orthopedic neurology and whiplash injuries.
Dr. Shafer moved into the new facilities in Hempfield Township in
April of 2002 and has been seeing patients not only from Greensburg,
but from as far away as Blairsville, New Alexandria, Latrobe, Derry,
Hopwood, Uniontown, Trafford, and the North Hills. His practice has
a sports focus, with much of the staff having a sports and fitness
background. Dr. Shafer's assistant Linda teaches a spinning
(cycling) class at the aerobic center at Lynch Field.
If you are looking for a healthier you in 2004 and have considered
chiropractic as means to alleviate those aches and pains, give
Shafer Chiropractic a call and learn what their family-centered,
natural health care approach can do for you.
Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to
7:00 pm; Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm; and Saturdays
by appointment. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are
preferred. Shafer Chiropractic is located at 2030 Frederickson Place
along Route 136. From Route 30, turn onto South Greengate Road at
the Water Authority building. At the end of the road, turn right at
the Stop and look for the second building on the right.
Shafer Chiropractic's natural health care approach helps you return to your normal activities, feeling
fit and ready to go.
For more information about
Shafer Chiropractic, visit their website at
www.InWestmoreland.com/ShaferChiropractic,
or call the office at 724-837-4559.