Chronic pain is on the rise in America, but functional medicine offers the solution to improve your quality of life. 

Chronic pain affects over 50 million Americans every day. The most common pain locations are back pain and hip, knee, or foot pain. But this chronic pain does not have to be a lifetime sentence. 

If you suffer from chronic pain conditions and you’re tired of just trying a new pill or shuffling around from doctor to doctor, Dr. Llaird Likens is ready to help you. He uses a functional medicine approach to your health which focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of your condition so you can feel better. So, what is functional medicine? How does it work? Can it help you? Read this guide to find out.

If you’re feeling frustrated or hopeless about your pain and condition, functional medicine is the answer.

In this guide, we’ll explain to you why functional medicine is the answer you’ve been searching for. We’ll cover:

• What is functional medicine?
• How functional medicine helps diseases like myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome 
• Why chronic pain like lower back pain is best suited for a functional medicine approach

Read on so you can be one step closer to feeling better today. 

What is functional medicine?

Functional medicine is different from conventional medicine in that it seeks to find the root cause of a symptom and then treat it holistically. That holistic approach often includes exercise, nutrition and medical care along with lifestyle changes.

While conventional medicine has made incredible advances, people are living longer and feeling worse. Chronic diseases are on the rise and obesity is an epidemic. There are more allergies, digestive disorders than ever and people are more medicated than ever. 

For all the science, we’re not better.

Dr. Likens uses a holistic approach to your health to heal what is underneath the surface. That approach includes lifestyle, sleep, exercise, nutrition as well as chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture. When you relieve your body of these types of bio-stressors, your body can begin to heal naturally. 

How functional medicine helps diseases like myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome 

Often people with chronic conditions like myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome don’t feel hopeful about their outlook. They think their best hope is the medication they’ve been prescribed.

A functional medicine approach can change everything. For instance, patients suffering from piriformis syndrome can expect Dr. Llaird Likens to identify weak and taut muscles, make appropriate adjustments, apply trigger point therapy and recommend specific stretching and strengthening exercises. These practices can help the body heal, not just mask the symptoms like muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory medications can do. Acupuncture is also an option that can work well for piriformis syndrome. 

Another disease Dr. Llaird Likens’ functional medicine approach can help with myofascial pain syndrome. Many times a patient with myofascial pain syndrome does not realize he or she suffers from spinal subluxation, which is simply a misaligned vertebrae in the spine. Yes, something that simple can be causing chronic pain. Dr. Likens can also use myofascial release and recommend specific lifestyle and exercises that can help heal the body from the inside out.

This same, multi-faceted approach is applied to every patient that walks in. That’s because it allows true healing and relief for patients.

Why chronic pain like lower back pain is best suited for a functional medicine approach

Any sort of chronic pain, including neck pain, back pain, back spasms, middle back pain and leg cramps at night are best suited from a functional medicine perspective. While conventional medicine will seek to medicate or isolate symptoms, Dr. Likens will seek to find the underlying cause of your pain and apply treatments that allow you to find relief without any invasive procedures or medications. 

Dr. Llaird Likens has been serving Northwest Florida including Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway, Mary Esther for 18 years and has helped hundreds of victims of car accidents. He offers affordable self-pay options. If you’re in chronic pain, come in today!

Acupuncture is a popular treatment used to relieve pain, inflammatory diseases and other ailments. Read this guide to find out exactly what to expect during an acupuncture treatment as well as the benefits you can expect.”

Acupuncture has been used to relieve pain for centuries. Even still, it remains somewhat mysterious for some. Are you considering acupuncture? This guide will answer all your questions, calm any fears and help you prepare for your treatment.

Read on to learn about:

Common conditions to use acupuncture as a treatment

Why acupuncture is an effective medical treatment

All about acupuncture needles

What happens during the acupuncture session

Acupuncture as a treatment continues to grow in America because it is safe, effective and non-invasive. 

This guide will help you learn what to expect so you can be confident in seeking acupuncture treatment for your condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, the following conditions are the most common uses for acupuncture.

Common conditions to use acupuncture as a treatment

• Chemotherapy-induced and postoperative nausea and vomiting
• Dental pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches, including tension headaches and migraines
• Labor pain
• Lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Menstrual cramps
• Respiratory disorders, such as allergic rhinitis
• Tennis elbow

Why acupuncture is an effective medical treatment

Acupuncture is an ancient medical practice, part of Traditional Chinese medicine, that allows for the balance of energy or life force. This balance, known as chi (chee) is connected by pathways in the body. Chinese medicine believes that energy can be disrupted and there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points that can be utilized to rebalance your energy and improve health.

Acupuncture has steadily gained popularity in America but researchers still don’t fully understand how it works. There are two prevailing theories as to why acupuncture is an effective medical treatment for pain and other conditions. 

First, some researchers believe that acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system and causes biochemical changes. Others believe that acupuncture may encourage the release of endorphins, which reduce pain.

All about acupuncture needles

Let’s get the most common fear about acupuncture out of the way: don’t be scared of the needles! While you may have some anxiety about needles, you can put those to rest because the needles used in acupuncture are much smaller and are very thin like a strand of hair. In fact, people often don’t even feel them inserted. They are also typically inserted between tissues, reducing the chances of them being painful. 

Your comfort is a top concern for Dr. Llaird Likens, so if you find you’re more sensitive in one area, he can adjust the treatment accordingly. Dr. Likens uses thin, stainless steel needles that are sterile, disposable and single use.

What happens during the acupuncture session

Your session will start off with a typical doctor visit where you’ll talk about your medical history and your symptoms. Dr. Likens will also perform an exam of your symptoms, imbalances and other physical markers. 

Based on the exam, Dr. Likens will determine the best treatment, which will be immediately applied with the goal of achieving relief for whatever is most bothering you as well as addressing any underlying issues. 

Depending on the areas of treatment, Dr. Likens will have you sit or lie down on the table. He will insert the needles, typically 5 to 20 in a session, and they’ll stay in for about 10 to 20 minutes. Some patients even fall asleep during their appointment.

Once the needles are removed, you’ll likely feel either relaxed or even energized. Many patients of Dr. Llaird Likens have been able to reduce or manage pain as a result of using acupuncture. Others have been able to stop taking prescription pain medications or muscle relaxers and avoid fusion surgeries. 

Dr. Likens has been providing acupuncture treatment for 18 years. He is extremely experienced in the field of acupuncture and how to apply treatment properly. After studying acupuncture at the Logan College of Chiropractic, he went on to receive his certification from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and his Fellowship from the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. 

If you have any questions, call us today so we can help you get started. Dr. Llaird Likens accepts insurance and offers self-pay options. He services those living or visiting in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway or Mary Esther.

Meta The VA continues to expand chiropractic care for veterans. Read this article to learn why chiropractic care is vital for veterans and how to get started.

If you’re a veteran who lives in Northwest Florida including Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway, Mary Esther you may qualify for free chiropractic care as part of your Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. 

Read on to learn about:

How A Chiropractor Can Help Veterans

How Veterans Are Eligible for Free Chiropractic Care

The Growing Demand for Chiropractic Care for Veterans

Common Conditions Veterans Suffer From That Can Be Treated With Chiropractic Care

How A Chiropractor Can Help Veterans

Dr. Llaird Likens works with the VA to provide veterans with chronic pain and reduced mobility with chiropractic adjustments, pain management, acupuncture and other treatments as part of his work as a VA Community Care Network Provider. 

Dr. Likens provides chiropractic adjustments to veterans suffering from common service-connected conditions like back and neck pain coupled with spinal issues as well as headaches, migraines, knee pain and PTSD.  

He is dedicated to ensuring our Northwest Florida veterans receive quality and timely care in order to avoid surgery and pain medication, reduce pain and get their pain-free life back.

How Veterans Are Eligible for Free Chiropractic Care

As a veteran, you may qualify to receive chiropractic adjustments and other alternative treatments through the Community Care program. Chiropractic care is covered under the standard medical benefits package which is generally available to all enrolled veterans. 

The Growing Demand for Chiropractic Care for Veterans

The VA began authorizing chiropractic care in 1999 in response to demand from veterans and their health care providers. The demand was in large part due to the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among veterans, particularly documented in their service-connected disabilities. 

Common Conditions Veterans Suffer From That Can Be Treated With Chiropractic Care

In fact, according to the VA, Musculoskeletal conditions are the number one reason veterans seek treatment at VA. These conditions affect the body’s movement and mobility while often causing chronic pain. 

For veterans, these conditions may have been caused by an accident, overuse, repetitive motions and carrying heavy gear. The VA knows it is important to get treatment for Musculoskeletal conditions because they can cause long-term chronic pain if not treated. 

Conditions and disorders that affect the musculoskeletal system and our veteran community include back pain, muscle spasms, tendinitis. Fortunately, Dr. Llaird Likens is highly experienced with treating these conditions. 

The best way to get started is to reach out to your VA Primary Care Physician (PCP) and ask for a consult. If you have questions, you can call our office and we will assist you. Dr. Liken has been treating veterans Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway and Mary Esther for 18 years. 

Traditional medicine isn’t always available or optimal depending on your condition. So what do you do? Acupuncture is an alternative healing method used to treat chronic pain. Learn how it might work for you in this article.

If you’re in pain and pregnant, trying to avoid surgeries or pain medications, you’re in the right place

In this article, you’ll learn what you need to know in order to decide if acupuncture is the right treatment method for you. We will cover three different times you should consider acupuncture as a treatment instead of traditional medicine:

• Acupuncture For Pain Relief While Pregnant
• Acupuncture to Avoid Addictive Medications
• Acupuncture as an Alternative to Surgery

Choose Acupuncture For Pain Relief While Pregnant

Christine Warren came in to see Dr. Laird Likens when she was pregnant.

Christine suffered from several conditions including foot pain, lower back pain, PTSD, tension and migraine headaches. She had been suffering for a while but when she became pregnant she could no longer take the medications she’d been prescribed.

Enter acupuncture. One of the biggest benefits of acupuncture is that it is non-invasive meaning that you can avoid surgery and medications. 

In Christine’s case, it allowed Dr. Likens the opportunity to get to the root of her pain and help her body heal naturally. That was particularly important since she was expecting a new child.

It’s important to note that Dr. Likens is extremely experienced in the field of acupuncture and how to apply treatment when serving pregnant patients. After studying acupuncture at the Logan College of Chiropractic, he went on to receive his certification from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and his Fellowship from the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. 

Dr. Likens has 18 years of experience which allows him to help patients like Christine.

After acupuncture and chiropractic treatment from Dr. Likens, Christine was able to lower her feet and lower-back pain from a 10 to a level 2. That was all without medication.

Even more exciting was when they were able to eliminate Christine’s migraines using adjustments and acupuncture. Christine was able to end her painful migraines without any medication.

It was a particularly happy story because the chiropractic treatment allowed Christine’s pregnancy to be much more comfortable. 

Choose acupuncture when you don’t want to use addictive pain medications

In 2012, Bryan Tena was in a car accident and suffered injuries that his doctor prescribed highly addictive pain medications for. 

Bryan found that those medications were hindering his day-to-day life. That’s when he came to see Dr. Llaird Likens. Using a treatment plan of acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments, Bryan was able to manage his pain and has now been medication free since 2014.

Many people have an aversion to these highly addictive pain medications because they do not want to become dependent or addicted. In fact, in America, 9.3 million people were using prescription painkillers illicitly in 2022.  They also know that these medications can cause their quality of life to decrease. 

This is precisely why acupuncture is a great alternative. It’s non-invasive but can truly help you manage your pain and feel better.

Choose acupuncture as an alternative to surgery

Joseph Kalbaka had been suffering since 1967 with pain and stress on his shoulders, neck and lower back. Traditional medicine told him he needed to completely fuse his back through highly invasive surgery.

Instead, Joseph sought alternative treatment. Dr. Likens was able to prescribe a treatment plan with pain modalities and acupuncture and Joseph is now managing his pain with continual treatments without surgery.

If you are experiencing pain and considering alternative, non-invasive treatment, and you live in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway or Mary Esther, please call us. Dr. Llaird Likens is ready and available to schedule an appointment for you. Heis highly trained and experienced with acupuncture and looks forward to the opportunity to help you feel better.