Chiropractor returns home, enjoys pace

WHO: Timothy M. Kelley, native of Ogdensburg, 1998 graduate of Ogdensburg Free Academy, 2002 graduate of St. Lawrence University, 2005 graduate of New York Chiropractic College in 2005, and owner of North Country Chiropractic, 34 State St., Heuvelton, 344-7296. Office hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, by walk-in or appointment.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU BOUGHT NORTH COUNTRY CHIROPRACTIC IN 2008? I was in Holliston, Mass., for about three years where I was an associate chiropractor. I worked in a really busy clinic I didn't like that I had limited time with patients. I was always on the move.

I got married in July and a little before that, I found this practice in Heuvelton for sale. When we saw this opportunity, we said let's give it a shot. My wife, LeeAnn, is from Massachusetts but she's gotten used to things here. It's a lot less stressful. Things are a different pace than they are in Massachusetts. We were both working long days and both had an hour commute to work. We're expecting a kid in July. It would have been difficult to have a lot of family time in Massachusetts.

I wasn't 100 percent comfortable living in Massachusetts. I'm a Yankee fan and it's really tough.

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTY? It uses manual manipulation to align your spine, but I also use nutritional supplements to help you live as healthy as you can. We're trying to get you to be the best person you can be. Small changes can add up to big changes. Life is full of stress.

WHAT INTERESTED YOU IN CHIROPRACTY? When I first learned about chiropracty, I was kind of young. I saw it at a career day at a booth. It always stuck with me. Being a chiropractor is kind of like being a teacher on a one-on-one basis. You can really have that person's attention.

I can get into the underlying causes of what's going on, including nutrition and different postural analyses. A lot of people don't have their work stations set up to lessen the stress on their body. I work a lot on ergonomics. We build on each visit.

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY PROBLEMS YOU TREAT? I see a lot of back pain and a lot of headaches, a lot of neck pain. I see a lot of wrist problems. With carpal tunnel syndrome, surgery should be a last resort. I see a lot of foot problems. Sometimes, it's just worn-out boots or shoes.

The nutritional counseling, that's one of the things I'm really trying to expand up here. Diets that are high in saturated fats and high in salt, the fast food diets, that fuels the inflammation process. By decreasing the amounts of bad fats, you really decrease our body's inflammatory properties. That really helps out. It helps with weight control. Being heavy exacerbates a lot of lower back pain.

WHAT IS A VISIT LIKE? We have a consultation. I just kind of ask them what's going on. We really dive in to get the whole story. We start right in with the treatment. I do send people for X-rays if it's necessary. I believe in not only working the joints but the muscles to release tension. I talk to the patients about a particular treatment plan geared for them. We set up a schedule and I usually give them one or two very simple exercises and we build on them. As of right now, it's just me in the office. I don't even have a secretary. You're always getting the information from the source. I know every aspect of what's going on.

"I accept most insurances. We talk about that aspect. I also offer different kinds of payment plans. I work around different budgets. My simple office visit, not the first one, is $30.

YOUR OFFICE IS IN AN AREA WITH A HEAVY AMISH POPULATION. DO YOU HAVE AMISH PATIENTS? I have a lot of Amish women. The thing with Amish women, they spend a lot of their life pregnant. Chiropracty helps out a lot with the pelvis. If the pelvis is flexible, pregnancy is a lot easier. They come in for that, to feel better through their pregnancy.

Since I've been here, there's been a lot more Amish men coming in. Before, the chiropractor was Doreen Forand. Amish men don't really like to be worked on by women. A lot of the Amish I've seen are from Ohio and they used to see chiropractors there too. It's something that's been a part of their lives. They like the ability to make themselves feel better without a lot of medication. They like the fact that I'm here because they don't have to travel very far.

I do take a lot of walk-ins and the Amish like that. I don't schedule myself so packed where I can't take a walk-in. I can usually see someone within 15 or 20 minutes. The Amish usually have other things to do in town. I do make some appointments by mail.

With the Amish, they have their beliefs, but Amish people are just like you and me. You have the ones that are funny. You have serious people. Their way of life is just a little different.

If you know someone who would be a good subject for a Times Q&A, contact Martha Ellen at mellen@wdt.net.