By Michael Murillo

In places like New York, Missouri and Florida, patients have been treated by chiropractors named “Dr. Scheu” for several decades. But, many of those patients did not see William (Bill) Scheu, D.C., who sees patients at the New Tampa Chiropractic & Injury Center, located next to Marshall’s in the SuperTarget-anchored Northwood Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.

Instead, those out-of-state patients were seen by either Dr. Scheu’s father or grandfather. In other words, bringing relief to those in pain is something of a family tradition for Dr. Scheu, who graduated with his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University in Marietta, GA, in 1997 and received his chiropractic license in 1998. He also previously earned his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the same university. Dr. Scheu says he used to help out in his father’s chiropractic office, where he saw the success that the patients who came to see Dr. Edward Scheu, III, had dealing with a variety of physical ailments, and he says he was impressed with his dad’s ability to treat them successfully — in a natural way.

“Seeing people getting well with a guy using primarily his hands — without the use of medications- — was pretty significant to me,” says the third-generation chiropractor. “I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life, too.”

Despite what many people believe, chiropractors are able to help people with more than just issues relating to pain in the back, neck or spine. Dr. Scheu says part of his job is to dispel the misconceptions and confusion as to what chiropractors do and how important their work is to positive patient outcomes.

One such common misconception is that chiropractors do little more than “crack backs,” which sounds both painful and detrimental to a person’s health. “We don’t actually ‘crack’ anything,” Dr. Scheu explains. “We’re actually making specific spinal adjustments to enable the body to function better on its own.”

Common treatments available at New Tampa Chiropractic include adjustments using certain chiropractic tools or by hand alone, licensed massage therapy (License #MM29709), traction tables to work on the lumbar spine and even an intersegmental therapy chair, which focuses on the thoracic (upper) and lumbar (lower) spine regions. By utilizing one or more of these techniques, patients can find relief from many types of pain and even muscle and nerve spasms.

Another misconception is the educational background of a chiropractor. While a chiropractor is not a medical doctor and their studies are different, Dr. Scheu explains that it takes about the same number of years of post-Bachelor’s-degree schooling (about four years) to graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree as it does to obtain a medical doctor degree. “The primary difference is that chiropractors don’t have to complete a residency or fellowship after they graduate to begin practicing,” says Dr. Scheu. “But, we truly are trained to understand and treat the source of many different types of pain.”

The significant training chiropractors receive is what allows them to become familiar with many symptoms and causes of pain, and enables them to work in concert with a patient’s Primary Care Physician to ensure that each patient receives thorough and comprehensive treatment for their problems.

Kellie Parrish, Dr. Scheu;s office manager, says that patients don’t always understand how chiropractic care can help them until they try it themselves.

“It’s not just about your back,” Parrish explains. “It’s about your neck, your back…your whole being.” She adds that those who have never seen a chiropractor before are often apprehensive at first, but feel much better once they experience the benefits.

Scheu said that those benefits can even include relief from vertigo, dizziness, muscle weakness and digestive disorders. While those symptoms could indicate a variety of medical problems, people are often surprised to find that a chiropractor can help relieve problems aside from back pain, and help patients improve their digestion, sleeping habits and stress management. He also says that it’s important that a chiropractor work with a patient’s existing team of doctors in order to get a truly comprehensive look at each patient’s health situation. After an initial consultation, which includes an exam, recording of vital signs and computerized spinal tests, nerve scans and on-site X-rays, Dr. Scheu sits down with his patients to cover findings, treatment options and a time frame for the patient’s recovery.

Thanks to his background in nutrition and his ability to also provide physical therapy services, Dr. Scheu has the ability to see and treat a diverse range of physical issues. “We have many patients who come in for their health as a whole, not just for pain management issues,” he says.

He adds that patient convenience is paramount, and his office works to accommodate busy schedules while providing the one-on-one attention necessary to achieve positive outcomes. “We greet them with a smile and they leave with a smile,” he says….not surprisingly…with a smile.

Parrish, who worked in the same office before Dr. Scheu took over more than two years ago, agrees. “He really knows what he’s doing and he’s a very caring person,” she says. “It’s just warmer and friendlier here now with Dr. Scheu being here.”

While each patient is different, Scheu says that some visit his location once a week or even a few times a week to make significant progress, especially following traumatic injuries, such as a car accident. But, once each patient’s goal is achieved, he says that a “maintenance plan” can help the patients retain the progress they’ve made. These maintenance plan patients might visit only every 4-8 weeks, which he compares to visiting a gym to maintain the physical benefits gained from exercising.

Regardless of how far along his patients are on their path to feeling better, Dr. Scheu says he enjoys seeing his patients’ progress and working with them to improve their respective situations. Like his father and grandfather before him, Dr. Bill Scheu knows that a good chiropractor can impact many people’s lives in a very positive way.

“The overall goal is to make the patient happy and healthy,” Scheu says. “It makes you feel pretty good to make a difference in someone’s life.”

The New Tampa Chiropractic & Injury Center is located at 1283 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. It serves Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Lutz, New Tampa and Dade City and is affiliated with the Conforti Chiropractic & Wellness Centers in Trinity, Oldsmar, Carrollwood & St. Petersburg. The Wesley Chapel office is open Monday -Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and 9 a.m. -noon on Friday. For more information about the center’s chiropractic care, licensed massage therapy (LMT), exercise, physiotherapy or nutritional counseling, call 994-6111 or visit ConfortiChiropractic.com.

*Most Insurance Plans accepted, including but not limited to: Cigna, Medicare, Aetna, United, BCBS. The patient and any other person responsible for payment has the right to refuse pay, cancel payment or be for any payment or any other service, examination, or treatment which is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the free, discounted or reduced fee, service, exam, or treatment.

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