MY APPROACH
My approach emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention. It provides all the benefits of modern medicine, including prescription drugs, and the use of technology, to diagnose disease and evaluate injury, while focusing on the individual.
MY JOB
The human body has the amazing ability to heal itself. My job as an osteopathic physician is to facilitate your body to open the restrictions, enabling self-healing to occur. This process requires looking at the whole, in addition to understanding the parts.
As a board certified and fully-licensed physician, my goal is to provide hands-on healing by providing sound medical assessment and advice. I specialize in musculoskeletal and medical consultations for patients suffering from injuries, as well as, longstanding complex conditions. I help you interpret your medical data and keep you informed on the best available practices specific to you. My experience with medicine leads me to recommend that patients adhere to evidence-based practices, when available.
1ST APPOINTMENT
In our first appointment, to determine your base level of movement, I will examine: your shoulder and hip heights: shifting and flexion tests; and palpate the tissues. Two-way communication between us is very important as it helps me find areas of concern and gain an integrated understanding of the patterns affecting you.
I believe in making healing a partnership between a doctor and patient. During your appointment, I perform an in-depth exploration to understand your injury. Together, we can plan your course of treatment, in an effective and efficient way. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can assist you in achieving your health goals. Call my office to make an appointment.
Acute injuries often self-perpetuate into chronic patterns; layer after layer. The best time to treat an injury is after the initial trauma starts to heal and the tenderness is resolving (about 3-7 days). Some injuries can be fixed in 2 or 3 visits. Joint replacements and spinal fusions are often approached gently, at first, to improve drainage; 4-6 weeks post-op, sites become more amenable to deeper tissue structure treatments.
Chronic injuries often have a harder and cooler feel because remodeling has become fixed and stagnated. Immobilized holding patterns waste metabolic energy and change the way we naturally move. The first step is to “unzip and rezip” the soft tissues to smooth out kinks in the fascia. This opens the tissues to bring in circulation and healing. Neurovascular bundles that become entrapped, as they pierce through fascia layers, are painful but can be released. Misaligned joints can then regain alignment, ease and range of motion, because the supporting muscles and ligaments aren’t causing guarding and splinting.
Congenital and developmental issues can also be addressed, balanced and optimized. These include leg-length discrepancy, scoliosis, connective tissue disorders, arthritis, and other joint issues, old scars, and remote trauma. Sometimes issues cannot be completely fixed, but they can become unlocked and smoothed out, improving function. Building body intelligence keeps things moving and helps to avoid bad habits, leading to exaggerated wear and tear.
WHEN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
It is valuable to prepare for your appointment, with Dr. Vanzura, by writing down questions and concerns to address during your appointment. Because of the complexity and scope of patient care, appointments are longer than a typical medical doctor visit. To make an appointment, please leave a message at 720-259-4609.