Staff writer
Dr. Kodi Panzer traces her decision to be a chiropractor to when she was growing up in Clyde.
She took gymnastics classes but was inflexible, she said. Her coach recommended she see a chiropractor for treatment. Panzer’s experience as a patient taught her chiropractic could improve people’s quality of life.
Panzer Chiropractic opened Nov. 10 in Hillsboro after Panzer bought Scharenberg Chiropractic.
“This has just been a great two months,” Panzer said.
Panzer graduated from Kansas State University and earned her doctor of chiropractic at Palmer College of Davenport, Iowa. She has been a practicing chiropractor for two years.
Chiropractic can treat a wide variety of ailments, Panzer said. Back pain, headaches, asthma, and pinched nerves are some commonly-treated maladies.
The main treatment technique for chiropractic is spinal adjustment. It involves moving displaced vertebrae back to their proper position. This relieves pressure on nerves and tension on muscles and ligaments, Panzer said.
When a new patient seeks treatment, the first step is to evaluate what is wrong and what needs done with a variety of tests, which may include X-rays.
A patient can expect to see results somewhere between three and six treatments, but every patient is different, Panzer said. It takes time for inflammation and pain to subside after treatment.
Regular checkups are important to prevent problems before they begin, she said.
Some patients may find chiropractic preferable because it is noninvasive and does not include drugs.
“Sometimes medicines just hide the pain, instead of fixing the problem,” Panzer said.
Panzer Chiropractic also will begin a weight-loss program in February. She will act as a weight-loss coach for the program.
The business accepts health insurance, and most insurance companies cover chiropractic. A first visit takes about an hour because of the time it takes to evaluate a patient. Subsequent visits usually take less than 30 minutes.
Panzer Chiropractic is located at 122 S. Main St. in Hillsboro. Business hours are 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.