Lo joined our team almost three years ago to provide front office support, and for a year now she’s been our official Chiropractic Assistant (CA), using therapeutic ultrasound, e-stim and cold laser by prescription to support our patients’ healing. You’ll still see her at the front desk when you come in, but her role has deepened our offerings to help with acute and chronic pain and injury. Today, we asked Lo about what inspires her chiropractic assistant work.
What is your favorite of the therapeutic modalities you provide?
Ultrasound is by far my favorite modality because not only can it provide pain relief for a vast variety of injuries, it is literally the healing power of sound! As a vocalist, sound is my artistic medium, and I’m blown away by our ability to use sound waves here at Wellspring Centre as a sustainable and safe way to communicate with the body and facilitate its healing potential. The head of the ultrasound wand holds a quartz crystal and when energy passes through the wand it causes the crystal to vibrate, creating sound waves that penetrate deep within the body’s tissues. This activates a chemical reaction within the body that facilitates healing by increasing blood flow to the treated region, stimulating the nervous system to assess the area and activate the immune system response for tissue repair, in addition to helping break up regional adhesions or scar tissue
Can you share a success story you’ve seen in your work as a CA?
I have a patient that had been suffering from Carpal Tunnel syndrome for years. The patient’s job requires extensive hand and forearm engagement that inflames the syndrome on a daily basis. They had tried different healing modalities with little or no relief from pain and tension in both wrists and hands.
Seeking an alternative to surgery, the patient sought the advice of their Wellspring Centre chiropractor, who prescribed ultrasound therapy. They began receiving ultrasound on both forearms and wrists. Within five weeks, we had achieved the relief they were hoping for.
Now, that patient is actively working, and they can get through their work week and only need to come in every three weeks for maintenance. Ultrasound provided an alternative to surgery and a sustainable care plan that continues to work for the patient!
What inspired you to become a CA?
I love to learn!! I am constantly inspired by the human body, its systems and the brain! I wanted to be more of an asset here for our patients and doctors and the first step in that direction was to become a Chiropractor Assistant. In addition to the Oregon Board of Chiropractic CA requirements, I chose to go to Ashland Institute of Massage (AIM) and take Kinesiology and Anatomy so I would have a broader understanding of what my patients were going through. I now am a teacher’s aide for AIM, and love learning more and more about the human body!
How does Wellspring Centre benefits from having a CA
In addition to providing therapeutic ultrasound, cold laser and electrical stimulation modalities for acute and chronic pain at an affordable rate here at Wellspring Centre, I also act as a patient advocate in my role as CA. This means that I can help facilitate communication between our doctors and their patients, as well as answer questions about symptoms a patient may be experiencing and provide education about our gentle upper cervical chiropractic techniques and the workings of the human body. Ultimately, I am here for the patient with a compassionate ear, a head full of knowledge, and the courage to say “I don’t know, let’s check in with the doctor” when needed.