Nevertheless, Dr. Mario Arroyo of Arroyo Chiropractic is
making this claim loud and clear, right from the front step of his new office
on Edison Street. The technique? A machine called the
DRX9000, something that looks and sounds like it belongs in A Space Odyssey,
but in reality has been revolutionizing treatment for serious back injury and
bringing suffering individuals permanent relief.
Some already may have concluded, wrongly, that Dr. Arroyo
and his wife, Antonia, are big-shot Los Angeles transplants who have come to
light up Santa Ynez with the chiropractic world’s
latest invention. Quite the opposite is true. Although Dr. Arroyo has operated
a successful practice in Huntington Park for 27 years, and the two spend most
of the week down south, it is equally true that Dr. and Mrs. Arroyo have been
involved Santa Ynez residents since 1986. Around here
they are best known for their exquisite horses at their ranch AYM Arroyo
Arabians, right down the road from the office on Edison Street. In a very
direct way, Antonia’s passion for showing her horses is what led Dr. Arroyo to
open a chiropractic office in the little town they consider home.
The story goes like this. While at a competition in Kentucky
in October 2006, Antonia seriously injured her back. An MRI in February
revealed that the pain was due to three herniated discs, for which she was told
surgery was the only option. Days later, while walking by a chiropractor’s
office in Scottsdale, Arizona, Dr. Arroyo spotted a banner advertising the
DRX9000 that proclaimed, “a true non-surgical spinal
decompression system.”
Ever curious, Dr. Arroyo said “Let’s check it out!” Ever the
skeptic, Mrs. Arroyo said “It’s a gimmick!” But she conceded that anything was
better than surgery and the heavy doses of pain medication every eight hours.
She began the spinal decompression treatments with the DRX9000 in Arizona and
finished in Los Angeles.
“Immediately, I felt a dramatic decrease in pain and now I
have no pain at all. I ride my horses, run and move with no pain and it’s been
months.” Said Mrs. Arroyo.
That was enough for Dr. Arroyo to bring this therapeutic
revolution to the Santa Ynez Valley. Described not
just as a doctor, but a healer, Dr. Arroyo seeks to find new means of helping
people feel better permanently.
“Because the Valley has many people with these types of
horse-related back injuries, it seemed natural to bring a surgical alternative
to their doorstep. I consider it a thankyou to Santa Ynez for being so good to us for so many years,” Dr. Arroyo
explains.
During an office visit, Dr. Arroyo’s assistant and DRX9000
certified technitian Guillermo Medina demonstrated
how the DRX9000 functions for those suffering from neck and back pain,
sciatica, degenerative discs, herniated and/or bulging discs, a relapse or
failed back surgery, Spinal Stenosis or Facet Syndrome. At first it looked
intimidating—lights, buttons, calibrations, straps—but after Medina puts the
various harnesses on a skeletal model and positions it on the table, it looks
rather comfortable, even relaxing. In fact the treatment room is known as “the
snoring room” because patients are known to fall asleep during the 30 minute
treatment by which the machine gently decompresses the spine allowing oxygen,
nutrients and, most importantly, fluids back into the disc where the damage has
occurred.
“Over time gravity compresses the discs and our spine
dehydrates. Combined with an injury the spinal fluid can bulge, herniate or rupture the disc, putting pressure on the
spinal nerves and causing constant pain.” Medina explains. “When a disc is
completely open again it can be nourished, decreasing pain and promoting
permanent healing.”
After a treatment, an ice pack is applied to the patient’s
back to reduced inflammation, then fitted with a “disc
disctractor” back support which is worn under
clothing for up to six hours after a treatment.
Dr. Arroyo’s patient, Alexa Morgan
of Equine Marketing Systems, is discovering the promise this treatment holds
for her.
“Right now I have my second back surgery scheduled for
October 15th, which I’m hoping to avoid. Today is my sixth treatment and if it
keeps going this well, I plan to cancel my surgery.” Morgan said. When asked
how a treatment feels, she went on to say, “No pain whatsoever. I actually look
forward to it now; a chance to be still and relax for an hour. Who gets that
anymore?”
Morgan admits at the beginning she was a pessimist, but Mrs.
Arroyo was so persuasive with her miraculous story of healing that Morgan gave
it a try. Mrs. Arroyo hopes Alexa is just the first
of many in Santa Ynez Valley who will experience
permanent relief from back injury. “I
know from first hand experience it really does work.” Mrs. Arroyo said.
Neck and back surgeries have only a 20 percent success rate,
according to Dr. Arroyo, and 5.4 million American are disabled annually due to
back or neck pain. He prefers to focus on another statistic: 90% of all back
and neck pain can be resolved in 4 -6 weeks. Dr. Arroyo is still a traditional
chiropractor with a faithful following, but in Santa Ynez
he and Antonia hope to offer much more. This makes Dr. Arroyo a familiar
neighbor, and also, perhaps, the new face of healing.
For more information:
Arroyo Chiropractic
1050 Edison Ave
Santa Ynez
(805)688-0692