Life always brings its share of stress, which typically manifests itself in some all too familiar health complaints: headaches, heartburn, insomnia and back pain to name only a few. And if these complaints are anything to judge by, then a lot of us are feeling the effects of stress. "Eighty-five percent of Americans suffer from back pain," explains Dr. Virgilio Castillo, "and that's documented with research." Stress isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but there is something that we can do to ease our aching backs in the meantime. Dr. Virgilio Castillo and Dr. Bernadine Reyes at Lincoln Square's Alliance Chiropractic Health Center help patients get through their debilitating attacks of back, neck or other musculoskeletal pain. They also advocate good spinal health practices in order to avoid pain or injury in the future. And if you're experiencing pain from being out on the tennis court, from training for a marathon or from that game of pick-up basketball you played last week at the gym, Dr. Castillo is the man to see. He specializes in treating the repetitive injuries that active people and athletes often experience. Dr. Reyes specializes in treating another group of perpetually aching people: women who are pregnant. She also treats children of all ages. Alliance Chiropractic is a place you can bring the whole family for care.
What if you could stop back and neck pain before it started? Would you take the steps needed to keep your spine healthy? Chiropractic care is not only about treating problems, but also about promoting lifelong wellness. "Chiropractors believe in balance within the body, so we always look for an underlying cause of your problems," says Virgilio. "We treat the whole person," says Bernadine. "Your back pain could be coming from something in your history that needs to be addressed." They both believe that the body should be viewed as a complete whole, in which a change in one part of the body will affect other parts. "If one part of your body is injured, it makes sense that it will affect other parts," explains Virgilio. "Chiropractors address not only the pain that may be the result of your body compensating for something, but also what is causing you to compensate in the first place." Every nerve in your body runs through your spine, which is why the spine tends to be a conduit for pain.
Both Dr. Castillo and Dr. Reyes do a great job of educating their patients about how to care for their spinal health. Alliance Chiropractic offers a wellness program for patients who want to prevent problems by keeping everything in balance. About half of the people they see are wellness patients, visiting to maintain their current pain-free state rather than to fix a problem. "Our wellness patients understand that the body is so dynamic that they want to get adjusted to keep up with these changes," says Virgilio.
 When treating patients, Dr. Castillo and Dr. Reyes work in conjunction with the other healing arts to ensure their patients receive the best possible care. "We're not the type of practice that feels we can do everything," says Virgilio. "We often recommend that our patients see their primary care physician if there are more needs to be addressed," says Bernadine. Since Alliance Chiropractic focuses on the benefits for patients, that may mean it's necessary to refer them to other specialists such as orthopedic surgeons, pain management specialists, podiatrists or acupuncturists. They also suggest that some patients see massage therapists. "We try to keep our recommendations within the neighborhood," says Bernadine. Although they do send patients to other experts as needed, Virgilio and Bernadine treat more than backs. "There is this misconception that chiropractors only treat necks and backs," says Virgilio. "The reality is that we can focus on treating any part of the body that's musculoskeletal. That's why you're starting to see lots of chiropractors working full-time with professional sports teams."
Treating sports-related injuries is something close to Virgilio's heart. An avid tennis player, he has been involved in the local tennis community for many years. Chiropractic care is a natural solution for treating and preventing the type of repetitive injuries that athletes face, but it's also a great method for maintaining your peak performance—whether it's on the tennis court, softball field or during a long-distance bike ride. "The type of work we do is also good to prevent injuries before they happen," explains Bernadine. "You should not be hurting at all when you're playing a sport. You should be out there moving freely, able to make your best effort." Virgilio explains from experience, "You won't be able to hit a 100 mile an hour serve if everything in your body is out of alignment."
While Virgilio treats many athletes, Bernadine treats her share of moms-to-be. And there is hardly another group with more back problems, aches and pains than expecting mothers. Bernadine has been specially trained in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can help establish balance in the mother's pelvis so that both the mother and baby are comfortable. "You have to adjust pregnant women differently," she says. "There are totally different protocols." The Webster Technique, for example, is a specific chiropractic adjustment for pregnant mothers. It balances pelvic muscles and ligaments in the patient's pelvis, allowing the baby to get into the best possible position for birth. Women who come in for prenatal visits use a special pillow designed to protect their bellies while they receive a spinal adjustment. Adjustments can actually help with the birthing process, even down to the last moments before labor starts. "The adjustments I do can prevent what we call distocia and can help move the baby out of constraining positions." During her recent pregnancy, Virgilio's wife came in for frequent adjustments. Once your baby is born, it's a chance to start fresh with good spinal health. Bernadine advocates treating children of all ages to ensure that they will grow up with healthy spines. As Bernadine explains, "Spinal health is typically not taught from a young age. When we were kids, it was never something that was dealt with. But it's so important to address these issues as kids are growing to help avoid problems when they're adults." You can tell that Alliance Chiropractic welcomes children, either as patients or while their parents are there for an office visit, as there are toys in just about every room to keep them entertained.
One of the reasons why Dr. Reyes and Dr. Castillo work so well as a team is that they went through the entire process of becoming chiropractors together. Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Bernadine attended university in London, Ontario where she studied biology. After finishing her degree, she moved to the Chicago area to study at the National College of Chiropractic (now known as the National University of Health Sciences) in Lombard, Illinois. That's where she met Virgilio. He grew up in Chicago and studied biology and biochemistry at the University of Illinois-Chicago. They both started the program in chiropractic and were classmates for the next three and a half years. When they graduated, Virgilio opened a new practice at Clark and Montrose in the fall of 2000. Not long after, Bernadine joined him as his business partner. In late 2002, they moved Alliance Chiropractic to its current location on Western Avenue.
 When new patients come in to Alliance Chiropractic, Dr. Reyes or Dr. Castillo will take a detailed medical history and then perform an initial orthopedic/neurologic and chiropractic evaluation. Based on this evaluation, Bernadine and Virgilio determine whether the patient is an appropriate case for chiropractic care. Many of their patients come in out of desperation, after they've tried everything—medications, physical therapy, traditional medicine—and their pain just won't go away. "Many of our patients go through the medical route first," explains Virgilio. "When they find that they're getting no significant improvement, they come to us. Often you need to combine both traditional medical treatment and chiropractic methods to get the full effect of healing." During the evaluation, the doctors may perform a special test called Myovision to detect specific areas that may need special attention. Six sensors are used to contact target areas along your spine so that a computer can measure the muscle tension. The resulting report helps give them an idea of areas in your neck and back showing imbalances and spasms. If, during their diagnosis, it appears that an x-ray or an MRI is necessary, the doctors will order one for you.
Once Virgilio and Bernadine have determined a diagnosis, then you can start a specialized treatment plan for your condition. Your customized treatment may include a gentle chiropractic adjustment or specific adjustments given on special exam/treatment tables with drop pieces that enable the treatment of specific areas of the body. Treatment may also include electrical muscle stimulation with heat or ice to help relieve muscle spasming. Therapeutic ultrasound is another form of treatment offered at Alliance Chiropractic. "This is a deep heating treatment that is very good for getting underneath tissue to promote the healing process," explains Virgilio. "It's very good for treating the shoulder, elbows and knees." The doctors might also ask you to lie on their intersegmental traction table, which sounds intimidating but actually provides a specialized mechanical back massage. "It stretches out the spine and muscles and helps mobilize the spine," explains Virgilio. Trigger point therapy, or myofascial release, is another option for patients. This is a highly localized form of muscle manipulation that puts firm pressure on areas of the muscles where pain tends to center as a result of bad alignment. This mode of treatment is used in order to increase blood flow to the area and remove any scar tissue that may be the result of a chronic condition. Many patients are prescribed rehab exercises to do at home so that they can continue the work of healing. Bernadine and Virgilio will teach you how to do these in the office, using the equipment they have available. Patients are encouraged to buy their own equipment, which Alliance is happy to sell at an affordable price, and practice at home as much as possible to get back on their feet. "Challenging the spine balance-wise is a good way to 'reprogram' your body to avoid certain positions," explains Virgilio. Whatever the doctors suggest as treatment, the ultimate goal is always the same. "We really want to do everything we can to relieve people of their pain as quickly as possible," says Virgilio.
Fortunately for those who suffer from chronic muscular or back pain, traditional insurance companies are starting to become more accepting of chiropractic care. "Patients understood the value and fought for these benefits," says Virgilio. Alliance Chiropractic accepts a variety of insurance plans for patients who are receiving active care for the treatment of a major problem. Medicare also pays for chiropractic visits. For more information about whether your insurance will cover a visit, give the office a call at 773.878.2660. Those who simply want to maintain their health can join Alliance Chiropractic's Wellness Program. If you're feeling great and want to stay that way, or you're suffering from regular pain that you just can't live with anymore, call Alliance Chiropractic to set up an appointment. Dr. Reyes and Dr. Castillo will help you find your peak performance, whether it's out on a tennis court or just sitting in front of your computer at work. Dealing with the stresses that life brings your way is unavoidable, but back pain certainly isn't.
Alliance Chiropractic Health Center
4539 North Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
773.878.2660
www.alliancechiropractic.net
Hours:
Please call for an appointment.
Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Closed Thursday
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 8:30am - 1pm
Closed Sunday
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