For the past 30 years Dr. Kathryn Stanek has been providing drug free treatment for ailments.
She began her career in chiropractic care in 1986 after graduating from the Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, Missouri. It was then that she and her husband, who was also a chiropractor, moved to Slidell where a friend of the family had promised to provide training and assistance in opening a practice here in Picayune.
The practice still operates out of the same location, a 3,000 square foot facility that employs eight people, seven full time and one part time.
Stanek was recently joined by Dr. John Varnado, and they both provide a plethora of treatments such as spinal manipulation, strengthening and rehabilitation for sports injuries. Her office also has state of the art digital x-ray machinery and massage therapy. At times the treatments can help people dealing with sinus and nerve problems.
“Some people think we just pop backs,” Stanek said.
Strengthening is not just so people can pick up heavier objects; in chiropractic care it helps spinal adjustments last longer. Stanek said the ultimate goal is to dismiss a patient so they don’t have to return for more treatment.
Another benefit to chiropractic care is that it does not require medication. Stanek said a study recently conducted by Blue Cross Blue Shield shows that patients who undergo chiropractic care are 63 percent less likely to require medical care and are 67 percent less likely to need medication. As such, they are less likely to need an MRI, take a trip to the emergency room and are less likely to require surgery.
“It’s a drugless approach to healthcare,” Stanek said.
Other care options offered at her office include diet and nutritional advice to help patients eat healthy and lose weight. Stanek can also offer advice on the best supplements to ensure patients are receiving all of their essential vitamins and minerals, which can help with digestive issues, acid reflux and thyroid problems.
There’s no age limit concerning those who can benefit from chiropractic care. Stanek said the youngest patient she’s had was a five-week old preemie diagnosed with swelling of the brain. The oldest patient she’s had so far is an 85-year-old woman suffering from a chronic condition for the past 20 years.
“She came back for a second treatment,” Stanek said of the woman suffering from the two decades old ailment.
Stanek has also served on many boards, including the Mississippi Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Mississippi Chiropractic Association, where she prides herself on working with the legislature to secure Medicaid coverage for chiropractic treatment.
Not only does Stanek look forward to going to work everyday, she said she enjoys her staff, who strive to make patients comfortable during their visits.
One of the things she enjoys most is being able to provide relief to patients who have been told a diagnosis to their ailment could not be found. Stanek said she became acquainted with chiropractic care as a patient. When she was in her teens she hurt herself while performing gymnastics. After the injury she suffered from headaches numerous doctors could not diagnose. But it was a chiropractor who was able to provide her with relief from the pain.
After deciding to become a chiropractor, she and the rest of the class was asked by an instructor if they were ready to fight for the rest of their careers because the practice was not universally accepted. Today, Stanek feels chiropractic care is finally getting the appreciation and acknowledgement it deserves.