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The Truth About Chiropractic Care

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There exists an old misconception about those in the chiropractic field that seems to date back to the earlier days of this profession. This misconception is very similar to other professions such as used car salesmen and lawyers. When we think of a used car salesman a particular image may come to mind, and one that is not very flattering. The same can be said of lawyers, too. Does an ambulance chaser come to mind? However, one could argue that not all used car salesmen nor all lawyers are like that. In fact, one could also argue that they know of many individuals who are reputable and professional in each field. They know lawyers who have brought justice to those who deserve it the most. They know men and women who work hard to provide a previously owned vehicle to a family at the best possible price. Does one bad apple taint the field for the rest?

In the field of chiropractic, one of the biggest misconceptions is that once you start to see a chiropractor you need to see one for the rest of your life. That treatment never ends. This must be how urban legends begin, because under layers of falsehoods there exists a kernel of truth but it has been so misconstrued that even the truth is difficult to believe. So what is the truth as it relates to achieving wellness through chiropractic care?

Typically, people visit a chiropractor when they have an injury or are in pain. At that time a particular treatment plan is prescribed. At DCW that treatment plan includes not only the specialized care of the chiropractor but also the collaborative care of both the massage therapist and rehabilitation specialist. The reason behind this approach is so the body can hold the alignment the chiropractor has performed. By massaging the muscle that is restricting the mobility of the spine and then strengthening those muscles with rehabilitation, the success of chiropractic is amplified. Once the 6 to 8 week treatment has been completed, patients are instructed to come back either once a month or only as needed. DCW patients learn how to recognize how their body feels when it is out of alignment. They are then in control of their care. They come in only when they feel it is needed, not for life.

The goal of Damron Chiropractic & Wellness is to provide the highest quality patient care so people can get back to living life on their terms, not the pain’s.

Surgery Is the Last Option

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When you have an accident or get injured, surgery should be your last option, not your first. Granted there will be times when it is apparent that surgery is required, depending on the severity of the injury. But many times we mistakenly jump to the conclusion that the body is unable to heal itself and surgery is needed. In fact, the surgical option can come with another set of potential issues and complications whether it’s a knee replacement or a herniated disc. So, if the situation permits, exploring other treatment remedies may not only heal you but also prevent a longer road to recovery.

Strengthening the affected area through a series of specific exercises can significantly reduce the chance of surgery if you are working with a credible professional that is trained to do just that. Being actively engaged in physical therapy over a set course of time, plus eating the right foods and taking the right nutritional supplements can help to heal the body, too. But what if after all the effort to correct the problem it doesn’t work? Well, then surgery can be your last option. Surgery is invasive, not a guarantee, expensive, and many times requires physical therapy afterwards. Why not try other options first?

Your body is an amazing organism made up of many complex systems. Given the chance, it has the ability to heal itself if given the right tools. Perhaps the injury occurred in the first place because we lacked balance and were weak. Perhaps we overexerted ourselves causing our body to stain. Perhaps we thought we were okay after a minor car accident only to wake up two weeks later in pain. Seeking a holistic approach to our body can provide great insight as to the true cause of our problem and eliminate countless visits to other doctors who may opt for surgery first.

Patience, along with rehabilitation, is really a virtue, especially when it comes to the well-being of our body.

Car Accident Protocol

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The National Safety Council estimates that in 2015, 4.4 million people were injured on U.S. roads. This is a significant increase from prior years. In fact, “serious injuries,” which according to the NSC is defined as requiring medical attention, rose 30% from the same time period in 2014, and there was a 24% increase in the costs associated with these crashes. Costs can be anything from property damage, lost wages, and medical expenses. Many times the medical expenses can be significantly reduced if the right path is taken following a car accident, no matter how minor it is. To make things easier, we’ve created a “chiropractic car accident protocol” if you or someone you love experiences a car accident.

CAR ACCIDENT PROTOCOL

1. Seek the care of a licensed chiropractor 24-48 hours after your car accident.

2. If you do not have one, ask for a referral from a friend or Google “chiropractor” and look for one that has great reviews plus offers a special for new patients.

3. You may not experience symptoms up to two weeks after the accident, even if there was no damage done to your car. Your body absorbed the energy from the impact of that collision.

4. Remember, all passengers should be seen by a chiropractor. Even infants in car seats.

If you have a car accident and do not seek treatment you run the risk of developing degenerative disc disease, arthritis, or disc herniation later in life. The other thing you risk is your sanity. It can take sometimes two weeks for symptoms to manifest themselves. By that time something else may have happened in your life that you think is the cause of your symptoms, opening the door for a misdiagnosis, needless visits to specialists, increasing medical costs, pain, and frustration. We hear it all too often. Patients will say “Had I only known I would have seen a chiropractor first.”

Remember that your body will absorb the energy from the impact of any car accident. Much like a lightening rod, your spine will bear the brunt of the collision. And that spine has vertebrae that are connected to every part of your body. While you might feel pain in your shoulder, hip, or even bladder, the source needs to be found. Seeing a chiropractor first after a car accident saves you money, worry, potential pain and suffering, not to mention needless frustration. It will be worth it!

Finish Your Treatment Plan

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If you’ve ever had a prescription filled, you know that the doctor tells you to finish the medication even if you feel better once again. The bottle also alerts you to the same thing. Why? Well just because you feel better does not necessarily mean that you are. The fact that you feel better is a great thing, but there is a reason that the course of treatment is the length that it is. Likewise, with the treatment plan you are prescribed by a chiropractor, there is a reason to finish it, even though you start to feel better once again. You want to stay better.

Not finishing your medication means there’s a high likelihood that your problem will return because it wasn’t entirely gone in the first place. Granted it was diminished substantially, but the remnants that had not yet been removed by the effects of the medication now have a chance to regroup and flourish once again. This situation leaves you back where you started from. When you seek the care of a chiropractor, the doctor always prescribes a treatment plan to address the pain. The typical length of a treatment plan is 4 to 6 weeks. At about week 2, if not sooner, the patient starts to feel good again. The pain is nearly gone, if not totally gone. While this is fantastic news, this does not mean that treatment is over. In fact, it has only just begun. Just like when taking medication. One needs to finish the course of treatment for it to be effective.

Know that there is a purpose behind each chiropractic visit. Know that each visit during your treatment plan is a step towards healing. Give your body the time it needs to reap the benefits of each adjustment, massage therapy, and strengthening you do during treatment. Feeling great is good, but staying that way is even better!

Live to Learn

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Imagine how your life would be if you stopped learning in grade school. What if you stopped learning in high school? Or college? Or at your very first job out of school? If you look back over your life, you probably realize that it has been full of life lessons. The times where we fell flat on our face but got up, brushed ourselves off and knew we would never make the same mistake again. A fundamental truth to life is that we live to learn. It never stops and that is good.

The milestones in life give us another opportunity to learn – getting married, having children, retiring, moving. Even when get sick or injured we learn once again. Preconceived ideas or beliefs, based on our life experiences, can limit our learning. We may unknowingly have on blinders that try to prevent us from learning a better or new way to do something. Take, for example, chiropractic care. Do we know that pain caused by an injury, such as with a fall, a car accident, or sports, can be successfully treated by a Chiropractor? Most of us probably do not. Most of us would take medication to address the pain versus addressing the source of the pain as a Chiropractor would. Most of us would assume that because there wasn’t an injury in the car accident that all is okay. Most of us would assume that playing sports means “no pain, no gain” – it’s just part of the territory. This viewpoint couldn’t be further from the truth.

The truth as we know it can be limited to what we actually know. In other words, if we stopped going to school in the 5th grade, our knowledge would be limited to that of a 5th grader. For the rest of our life we would be at a significant disadvantage to others who continued on with their education. We can use this same analogy with our health. We can severely limit our ability to maintain good health if we rely on what we learn from the media or commercials or pop culture. Rather, we should always be on a quest to learn more. Learning more can have a tremendous impact on the quality of our life. By living to learn, we take control of our destiny because we search for the truth versus making assumptions. We also come to realize that the many things we put no value in actually do. You see, depending on who is delivering the message, whether it’s on t.v. or an advertisement in a magazine, the truth is skewed in the favor of the company because they are selling a product. That’s not to say the product being advertised is of value, it simply means that there is a purpose to that ad – revenue. The truth is validated when YOU do your own homework. When YOU live to learn as much as you can about obtaining optimal health. Imagine the possibilities.

 

Seeing Is Believing

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Why is it that we seem to believe something more if we see it with our own two eyes? We are skeptical of anything that is different from what we know whether it’s food from another culture, religious beliefs, political stances, or even miracle cures. What is it that makes us feel like seeing is believing? That one must witness the event firsthand in order to fully believe?

Chiropractic care tends to be one of those things in life that for most of us is vastly different from what we know. Almost 80% of us know what a chiropractor is however, for whatever reason, still choose to not seek the care of one. So, what is that 80% doing instead? Many times it’s simply nothing at all. Choosing to live in pain, however mild, rather than believing in something that is different from what we’ve always known. Or, depending on the product and the amount of money a company invests in advertising, we believe what we continually see on a screen. Should it really be that “he who has the most money wins?” Or should it be more of a grassroots thing, more of word of mouth advertising?

A great place to begin with a grassroots approach to chiropractors is through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/damronchiropracticandwellness/. We have countless testimonials from people who went from skeptics to true believers in chiropractic care. One message we hear time and again is that our patients wish that they had sought the care of a chiropractor first instead of last. Many times they did not see any correlation between the pain they were having and the nerves that are running down their spine, so why would they even consider seeing a chiropractor? The reality is that there is always a root cause to the pain. The other reality is that all too often that cause resides within the spine, as each vertebrae contains nerves that are connected to certain functions of the body.

If we truly understand how intricately connected the body is, we could resolve our pain much sooner. We would also be able to maintain better health and wellness with the care of a chiropractor, and less time invested in the management of disease care.

Disease Care

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Think about the times when we would go to see a doctor? We are feeling sick, we’ve injured ourselves, we aren’t getting better, we are experiencing pain, we found something suspicious on our skin, the list could go on and on. Essentially, we visit a doctor to treat a problem, for disease care.

In the chiropractic field, the opposite is the case. These doctors are in the business of health care. Working to ensure that their patients stay healthy and well versus only coming in when there is a problem. This approach is proactive and requires a different perspective, similar to a healthy lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle means making choices every day that align themselves with that mentality. Exercising several times each week. Eating fruits and vegetables every day. Skipping the fast food and opting for cooking at home. Drinking plenty of water versus carbonated drinks. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. We have decided that maintaining good health is a priority and will take the steps necessary to ensure that it stays that way.

The best case scenario is to have a family chiropractor, just like you would have a family dentist, an optometrist, or orthodontist. A chiropractor is someone you and your family visit regularly for preventative disease care. This type of care is proactive not reactive. Think about the condition of our car if we chose to maintain it only when we had a problem. Never got the oil changed, rotated the tires or filled them with the correct amount of air. Never refilled the washer fluid or replaced the wiper blades. Never got the car washed of all the salt from winter. How good do you think our car would run over time? Would we significantly shorten its the life of the car? This is the approach of disease care. Why would we treat our bodies any differently than we do to properly maintain our car?

Remember to think about your health and wellness as something to be maintained, as a lifestyle, not something to tend to only when there is a problem. Say goodbye to disease care.

Myofascial Release Therapy

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There’s massage, and then there’s massage therapy. Big difference that many people don’t realize. The first feels good, but only scratches the surface in terms of really addressing the muscles. Massage therapy on the other hand looks at the body from a therapeutic perspective. Digging much deeper into the foundation of the body through the muscles. One particular form of massage therapy is called myofascial release.  Myofascial Release Therapy is a safe and effective technique that involves applying gentle yet sustained pressure to the connective tissue that provides support and protection to our muscles and bones. This is a hands-on therapy to eliminate pain and restore motion. However, with this technique, slight discomfort may be involved because of the poor condition of the myofascial. This is normal and to be expected in order to properly heal.

The way we treat our bodies at various times in our life is troubling. We punish it with overuse, improper restoration, and disregard. It’s only later that we feel the effects of how we treated it – aches, pain, weight gain, inflammation. A traditional massage, like a Swedish Relaxation Massage, is exactly what the name implies – relaxing. Myofascial Release is different. While it is a form of massage therapy, the purpose is not to be relaxing. The purpose is to heal the body and sometimes healing can create some discomfort. The discomfort is coming from the restrictions in the connective tissue brought about by surgery, trauma, and inflammation. The punishment we gave our body over the years.

The good news is what the end result means to the patient:

  • Decreased Pain
  • Alleviated Pressure
  • Restoration of Full Motion
  • Reduced Inflammation
  • Improved Function

The old exercise motto “No Pain, No Gain” can also be applied to Massage Therapy. Proper healing cannot occur without some type of discomfort or minimal pain. The massage therapist is breaking down the muscles from their current state so that they can return to how they should be. This breaking down process is what causes the discomfort. It is normal and to be expected. The relief you feel after Myofascial Release Therapy is somewhat surreal. You simply cannot believe how good you feel. It’s almost as if your entire body is thanking you.

Passing the Buck With Pain

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Sometimes it takes a health crisis to realize that the healthcare industry has a tendency to pass the buck more often than not. A patient came to us recently who had seen various doctors regarding unexplained pain she was experiencing. Each doctor essentially did nothing to help her except tell her to see another doctor. It was obvious she was lost and frustrated, not to mention still in pain without any answers.

One of the first questions Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW) asked her during her consult was, “What happened around the time you began experiencing this pain?” She replied, somewhat hesitantly, “A very minor car accident.” It was right then and there that the doctor realized what was causing the pain and the X-rays confirmed it.

The “very minor car accident” was causing pain in her lower abdomen, specifically her bladder. The various doctors she had seen kept testing for a urinary tract infection that continued to come back negative. One doctor suggested it could be interstitial cystitis, an incurable inflammation of the bladder lining. The X-rays revealed a compression in her lower spine involving the vertebrae that contained the nerves affecting the bladder and lower abdomen. After one decompression treatment and a spinal adjustment her pain had noticeable improved. She was also prescribed supplements that aid in disc and connective tissue health. Fast forward one week and this patient is feeling like her old self once again!

You see, two things happened that left someone in pain:

  1. The right questions were never asked.
  2. Something as insignificant as a “very minor car accident” can have a big impact on a person’s body.

There is always a root cause to pain. And usually where the pain is felt is not the actual source. Plus, any jarring of the body, no matter how small can create havoc in the body because the body absorbs that energy. Slight shifts in the body’s alignment can be enough to create pain. Seeking the car of a chiropractor can not only heal a person, but also keep them healthy and well.

The Root of Pain

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A valuable lesson was learned recently about how even the most minor of car accidents can have a big impact on a person’s body. And the impact wasn’t even realized until almost 2 months later. Ironically, the M.D.s who were treating this particular person missed the root of the problem. Instead, they were more focused on treating the symptoms which merely put a band-aid on the problem. The root of the problem still existed and continued to cause pain. As an observer, watching someone suffer and not know the cause can make you feel helpless. So is trying to find a solution, yet only finding roadblocks. However, within 5 minutes of entering Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW) a question was asked that changed everything and shed the light on the root cause of the pain.

This particular question was not asked by any of the other medical professionals seen since the inception of the pain. This question should have been asked by all, but wasn’t. The question?

“What happened 6-8 weeks ago around the time that this pain began?”

The answer given? “A minor car accident.” But when it was said, it was almost with disbelief that that incident could be in any way related to the pain the person was experiencing. The x-rays taken of the affected area revealed vertebrae compression. This area directly correlated with the pain. The solution was to begin spinal decompression to relieve the pressure at the base of the spine, adjustments, electrical stimulation, and dietary supplements for disc and connective tissue health. After one visit, the patient felt better than she had in weeks.

This minor car accident turned out to not be so minor after all. While there was almost no damage done to her vehicle as a result of the collision, her body still absorbed the force of the impact. It was this force that changed the structure of her body. While the change was also very minor, it was enough to affect the nerves in her spine and create the pain she was sporadically experiencing. Sometimes pain that lasted hours at a time, without any rhyme nor reason to its appearance. On the surface it appeared that the pain was caused by something entirely different.

The care received by a Chiropractor is truly unique in the healthcare field. It is within this specialty that cures are found without the use of medications or surgery. It is a holistic approach that utilizes the structure of the body to self-heal.

Imagine the difference in people’s lives if they chose the care of a Chiropractor first when experiencing pain and discomfort? There’s nothing worse than living in the dark, without answers as to what is causing you pain. A person’s quality of life simply starts to diminish.

Together, let’s continue to shine the light on the countless benefits of chiropractic care.

 

OUR TEAM

Dr. Andrew Damron, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Damron established DCW because he was fed up with the current health model. Statistics continue to show an increase in pharmaceutical prescriptions to patients every day. Although he does believe some medications are necessary, he believes the majority of what is prescribed is actually harmful to the patient’s long-term health, creating another set of healthcare issues as a result. Dr. Damron believes DCW’s unique approach to achieving overall wellness will revolutionize the healthcare industry through collaborative care utilizing chiropractic, massage therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. The DCW focus addresses the whole person versus a only symptom and uncovers the root cause. He also believes that education is vital to sustaining a healthier more vibrant lifestyle as well. His goal is to create a healthier society and a better place for our children to live.
Dr. Damron began his medical career with a Biology Degree from Wright State University in 2002. He went on to receive his Doctorate of Chiropractic from the prestigious Palmer College of Chiropractic in Port Orange, Florida in 2007. While attending Palmer, he had the opportunity to travel abroad to Madagascar and provide chiropractic care to the native Malagasy people. Dr. Damron has continued his post-graduate studies with a focus on nutrition, rehabilitation, and functional medicine.
Dr. Damron and his wife, Kristy, reside in West Chester with their two young children, Graden and Isabelle. An avid Buckeye fan, Dr. Damron enjoys playing the guitar in a band with his college friends, watching/playing any sport, cooking, reading, and attending concerts, especially the Dave Matthews Band and Foo Fighters.

Dr. Greg Washam, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Washam was introduced to Chiropractic by his mother at the age of 16. She was working for a Chiropractor at the time, experiencing all the benefits that Chiropractic care had to offer, and thus began taking Dr. Washam and his siblings in for regular adjustments. Dr. Washam had been experiencing painful bouts of Strep Throat from the age of 8, which always included a 10 day course of antibiotics. While under Chiropractic care his doctor convinced him to avoid the antibiotics and receive Chiropractic adjustments instead. To his amazement, Dr. Washam’s strep throat symptoms had vanished within three days and he never had an issue from that point forward. He was so astounded by his experience that he fell in love with Chiropractic and decided that was the path for him. He wanted to commit his life to helping people through the power of Chiropractic, just as it had helped him.
Dr. Greg Washam began his college education at the University of Cincinnati, studying biology. After he made the decision to become a Chiropractor, he attended Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO. While at Logan, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Life Sciences in 2009. He received his Doctorate of Chiropractic in 2011. Dr. Washam was presented with various awards upon graduation. These included Dean’s List honors, the Senior Intern Assistant Award, and the Award of Excellence from the Division of Research. He has completed many hours of post graduate education focusing on nutrition, supplementation and injury recovery.
Dr. Washam and his wife Kassie reside in Mason, Oh with their two daughters, Lillian and Wren. In his free time, Dr. Washam enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants, touring local craft breweries and reading. He also spends a great deal of time outdoors with his family and his Beagle, Willow. Dr. Washam is a music enthusiast and listens to all genres of music. He especially loves classic rock from the 60’s and 70’s. His favorite band of all time is Led Zeppelin.

Brooke Snyder, Operations Manager

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Brooke had never been to a medical office where she really felt like they cared more about her than her money until she came to DCW as a patient. DCW made it so easy to arrange financial payment with, they were compassionate, dedicated and most importantly 100% honest. The team addressed all aspects of her health and well-being, above and beyond chiropractic care. Her initial impression of chiropractic offices were that they would only adjust then send her on her way. She realized that she was wrong. Because of her experience as a patient at DCW she realized she wanted to pursue a career within it. She saw everything she wanted in healthcare at DCW. Finally, a place where patient care really comes first! She comes to DCW with a degree in Nursing and a background in finance. When someone asks her “Why DCW?” she cannot think of one reason why not.
Brooke has a background in business finance and computer technology prior to the start of her medical career. She attended Southern State and obtained an Associate’s Degree in Science, R.N. Sh began working from DCW in December of 2014.
Brooke has five beautiful girls from 15 to 6 years old. She is married to Jamey Snyder who has two boys of his own. She lives on a two acre farm in the country with horses, dogs, cats, and a pot belly pig. Brooke enjoys spending time with her very active family and watching their kids play sports.

Nicole Foreman, Licensed Massage Therapist

Why MassageProfessional Experience Personal Information
Nicole always wanted a career that was focused on helping people. It wasn’t until she drove past the Dayton School of Medical Massage on a daily basis that it became clear what she was meant to do. She enrolled as soon as she could and it has been the best decision she has ever made. She loves the feeling of knowing she has alleviated someone’s pain and possibly made their day better in some way. She had been working alongside chiropractors for over 7 years before joining the DCW team. Before DCW she never really felt her opinions and insights were valued or even asked for, which she felt hindered patient care and the effectiveness of each treatment. At DCW she feels valued and part of a practice that is focused on changing the approach of wellness with cohesive and effective patient care.
Nicole is a graduate of the Dayton School of Medical Massage and obtained her license in 2008. She utilizes Deep Tissue, Swedish and Thai massage techniques to relieve pain, tension, and stress while increasing range of motion and flexibility.
Nicole is married to her husband of 5 years and they one daughter, Rylee, and one child on the way due in September 2016. As a family they enjoy camping, hiking and spending time at the lake during the summer.

Erika Pantona, Insurance Specialist

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Erika started coming to DCW in 2010 after spending two years in substantial pain after an injury. She had spent those two years at various specialists and taking medications to simply get up in the morning due to the pain. She was 18 when she found herself facing a major, life altering surgery (SI Fusion) and realized there must be another way. When she began her treatment plan at DCW she started to have days with little or no pain. She stopped taking her medications and realized they had been affecting her overall mood. In 2015 Erika joined the DCW team because they allowed her to live her life once again. She wants to prevent others from living in pain like she did unnecessarily, and to receive the benefits of chiropractic care.
Erika is well versed in the insurance industry with her previous employment at Express Scripts and Anthem.
Erika has two siblings and resides in Liberty Township. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and hiking with her family.

Amy Faris, Patient Care Coordinator

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
After moving to Ohio in 2010, I was in need of some relief from minor pain associated with working in customer service fields for 15 years. I was interested in seeking alternative forms of therapy and found a chiropractor in our small town. After going for a few visits, the therapy seemed somewhat outdated compared to what I had researched. In talking with my husband, he remembered that he knew someone who was a chiropractor. After just a few visits with Dr. Damron, I definitely noticed a difference in his techniques and style. It was nice to see results and feel like I was being listened to as a patient, not just heard…something you don’t always feel with doctors. After being a patient for several years, the opportunity came about to join the DCW team. It would be something different from what I had done in my past, however I knew my passion for working with people would translate well into helping patients receive the best care possible. I believed in the mission of DCW as a patient, and I am excited to be part of living that mission every day. 
 I am originally from St. Louis, MO. I graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a degree in Secondary Education – Language Arts. I worked in restaurant/catering management for several years before starting a career in retail management and training.
In that position, I met my husband, Matt, who is from Wilmington, OH. After we got married in 2010, I moved to Wilmington. Realizing retail wasn’t where my heart was any longer, I began working as a substitute teacher in the Clinton County area. Matt and I live in Wilmington with our 6 year old German Shepard, Dale. I enjoy camping, boating, riding 4-wheelers, and spending time with family and friends. I love St. Louis Cardinals baseball and am a recently converted Cincinnati Bengals fan.

Hours

Monday 9-1 & 2-6

Tuesday 9-1 & 2-6

Wednesday 9-1 & 2-6

Thursday 9-1 & 2-6

Friday 8-11

Saturday and Sunday CLOSED

Contact information

 3187 Western Row Road Suite 114
    Maineville, OH 45039

Office:
     (513) 770-3434

Email:
    info@damronchiropractic.com