Has your quality of life been affected because of back pain? You're not alone - Harvard Health tells us that almost 85% of people in the US have back pain so severe that they see a doctor at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately, these problems often start small but end up becoming severe issues like sciatica. For active people and athletes, dealing with back pain isn't just compromising; it's life-changing.
And while many people will tell you that having a "back problem" is something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life, that's far from the case. The good news is that seeing a chiropractor in Union Beach can provide you with the relief needed to live a healthy, active life without giving up the things you love most, like sports and spending time with your family.
Of the millions of Americans who suffer from back pain daily, many have found long-lasting relief through the same chiropractic care offered at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness. But what exactly is chiropractic care, and how does it help?
Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to overall wellness and healing that focuses on correcting issues with your musculoskeletal system. When performed by a licensed chiropractor, it can alleviate and even eliminate common problems such as:
To treat your conditions and help reduce your pain, chiropractors use time-tested, hands-on techniques to adjust your spine, neck, back, and other joints throughout your body to restore proper function, mobility, and alignment. Once your body is in proper alignment, it functions optimally, leading to improved overall wellness and health.
Unlike some sports rehab clinics in The Garden State, chiropractors from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness work with you one-on-one to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific goals and needs relating to your pain and ability to live a normal life. Because our team takes a holistic approach to healthcare, we cover all aspects of your health and wellness when developing your chiropractic treatment plan. That way, we increase your chances of living a fulfilling life free of pain and worry about throwing your back out.
Seeing a chiropractor can quite literally change your life for the better. According to the American Chiropractic Association, in general, chiropractic therapy is a more effective solution for back pain than other treatments like addictive pain pills, surgeries, and yoga. When combined with services like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and acupuncture, chiropractic care may be the key you need to open the door to a pain-free life.
Contact UsSome of the many benefits of seeing a reliable, licensed chiropractor include the following:
Perhaps the most obvious reason to make an appointment with a chiropractor is for back pain relief. Some people only need to see a chiropractor when they have occasional back pain, such as when they wake up in the morning. Others, such as those who have been in serious car accidents, need regular chiropractic adjustments and therapies, which are often supplemented with techniques like physical therapy and acupuncture.
There are many causes of back pain that range from advanced conditions like having sciatica and herniated discs to everyday issues like poor posture and sleeping in a harmful position. Your chiropractor's job is to pinpoint the cause(s) of your back pain and build a customized plan to address your musculoskeletal conditions. Once that happens, pain relief follows shortly after.
At New Jersey Sports Spine & Wellness, we craft personalized chiropractic plans for every patient we treat, with the goal of avoiding harmful surgeries and addictive medicines.
If you've never experienced a headache in your life, you're exceedingly rare. Just about every American will suffer from a headache at some point or another. For some, headaches only happen occasionally and are not much more than an annoyance. For others, headaches evolve into crippling migraines that can affect quality of life, ability to work, and much more.
If you find yourself digging into a bottle of Aspirin or something stronger when you have a headache, it might be time to visit an NJSSW chiropractor.
Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you didn't sleep a wink the previous night? Do you have to take sleep aides like Ambien in order to drift off to dreamland? If you have chronic back pain, getting a full night's rest is easier said than done. From misaligned spines to improper sleeping posture, your chiropractor in Union Beach can use manipulation therapy and other techniques to boost blood flow and align your vertebrae, so your body can heal itself and help you rest better.
One of the best things about seeing your chiropractor is that when your session is over, you often feel great. The pain relief feels phenomenal. When you're not in pain, you have a more positive outlook on life, and often enjoy better sleep, blood pressure, and even sexual relations. It makes sense, then, that chiropractic care has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, which promotes relaxation and improved mental health.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, we work with a long list of athletes who suffer from sports injuries and other problems that can manifest from being active. For professional athletes, having a trustworthy chiropractor to care for them is needed for their careers. But you don't have to be a pro athlete to benefit from chiropractic care. Ordinary people that enjoy active lifestyles can reap tremendous rewards through chiropractic care, such as improved range of motion and relief from compressed discs.
Whether you enjoy impromptu games of tag football or simply want to play with your kids, seeing a chiropractor can help you be healthy and active without fighting back, neck, and joint pain. That's especially true when chiropractic therapy is used in conjunction with acupuncture, physical therapy, or occupational therapy.ies and addictive medicines.
Your NJ Sports Spine & Wellness chiropractor in Union Beach may use a range of techniques to restore function and alignment in your body. Some of the most common techniques our chiropractors use include:
Life has a habit of being unexpected. Sure, some surprises only hurt your bank account, like last-minute renovations in your home. But severe incidents, like car accidents, can inflict physical injuries that cause you long-term pain. These problems, like neck and back injuries, affect many Americans daily. Even worse, many hardworking people turn to risky surgeries and addictive pain medications, only to find themselves deep in a hole that seems impossible to get out of.
If you suffer from serious range-of-motion issues or you're in chronic pain, it's important to know that you have treatment choices. You don't have to put your health at risk to relieve your pain. One of the most successful non-invasive treatments offered for pain is physical therapy. The main goal of physical therapy is to restore movement and function to patients affected by illness, injury, or disability.
Physical therapists work with patients of all ages and abilities, from children to elderly adults, to help them overcome physical limitations and improve their quality of life. At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our physical therapists help treat a wide range of conditions, from neck pain and spinal cord injuries to back pain and arthritis.
Once our PTs have made headway, they will often use our chiropractic therapy to provide the patient with more relief. Having the option of both chiropractic and physical therapy is often very effective, because your chiropractor in Union Beach can address nerve irritation and joint dysfunction while your physical therapist helps retrain your musculoskeletal system, allowing your body to heal faster.
Some of the biggest benefits of using physical therapy along with chiropractic care include:
Occupational therapy, or OT, is to help patients of all ages and abilities engage in activities of daily living, or ADL. Often, that means helping patients reclaim the ability to continue working, going to school, accomplishing day-to-day tasks, or other activities common to daily living.
Occupational therapy can benefit individuals going through many conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and chronic pain. The end goal of occupational therapy is to help patients achieve the maximum level of independence and participation in their daily lives. If pain, discomfort, weakness, fatigue, or fear prevent you from participating in activities you love, an OT from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness could become the MVP of your wellness journey.
To give our patients the most complete pain relief and recovery options, our doctors and practitioners will often lean on the expertise of both a physical therapist and a chiropractor in Union Beach. By working together, your PT, OT, and chiropractor can provide you with a comprehensive approach to total-body functionality, from your spine and joints to your mind and range of motion.
Some of the most common benefits of using OT with chiropractic care include:
Acupuncture boosts your body's functions and helps improve its ability to heal through anatomic site stimulation - usually called acupuncture points or acupoints. To stimulate these points, acupuncturists at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness insert fine, sterile needles into your skin. Most patients don't feel any pain as needles are applied. Typically, needles are left in the skin up to 30 minutes. After your session, it's normal to feel incredibly relaxed.
While some practitioners still adhere to traditional philosophies, modern acupuncturists take an integrative approach to the therapy. Today, professional acupuncturists use these techniques to stimulate your body's natural healing and pain-fighting processes. When coupled with personalized care from a chiropractor in Union Beach as well as physical or occupational therapy, you can find real relief from the physical and emotional roadblocks holding you back. Some of the most reported benefits of acupuncture treatment include:
During an acupuncture session, you may feel a slight sensation of warmth or tingling at the needle's site of insertion. Generally speaking, acupuncture is painless and perfectly safe for you to consider. In fact, many practitioners and doctors recommend combining acupuncture with other treatment options like chiropractic adjustments.
Though acupuncture and chiropractic therapies come from different origins, both include non-invasive, holistic, and gentle approaches that don't require drugs to work. They also both facilitate total-body healing by addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms - not just the symptoms themselves.
Because acupuncture is known to release endorphins and improve blood flow, having a session prior to a chiropractic adjustment can be very beneficial. That's because, after acupuncture, your muscles are less stiff, more relaxed, and easier to adjust effectively. Over time, as you combine acupuncture and chiropractic therapy, you'll benefit from less inflammation and less pain as you heal from injuries or musculoskeletal conditions. That same truth applies to patients who undergo serious chiropractic adjustments.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our staff consists of licensed and highly-trained professionals, including specialists focusing on:
Every member of our team believes that the path to wellness and a pain-free life begins with customized treatment plans that cater to your needs and body. Unlike some chiropractors in Union Beach, we do not treat on-the-surface symptoms with one-size-fits-all therapies. We do not rely on powerful pain medications to mask your pain or invasive surgeries that require weeks of recovery. Instead, we address the root causes of your pain so that we can help you live the happy, healthy life you're craving.
To achieve that goal, we'll conduct an in-depth evaluation to learn about your medical history. We'll also perform diagnostic tests and speak with you one-on-one to get a better sense of your needs. From there, we'll recommend the therapies that can give you a new lease on life and be there for every milestone you hit.
If you're fed up of living with the limits of pain and lack of mobility, we're here to help you break free. Contact our office today to get started.
Five-minute readAsbury Park Press0:001:32UNION BEACH - For the past several summers, longtime Aberdeen residents Bob and Mary McKenty have made the short trip to JakeaBob’s Bay restaurant and bar on Raritan Bay in Union Beach.This summer, something was different.The bay that made this bayside haunt so appealing was gone from view, vanished behind a huge berm — a long sand dune built during the offseason by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.“The food is good, the prices are ...
Asbury Park Press
UNION BEACH - For the past several summers, longtime Aberdeen residents Bob and Mary McKenty have made the short trip to JakeaBob’s Bay restaurant and bar on Raritan Bay in Union Beach.
This summer, something was different.
The bay that made this bayside haunt so appealing was gone from view, vanished behind a huge berm — a long sand dune built during the offseason by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The food is good, the prices are good, and we like the folks who work there. They’re very nice,” Bob McKenty said. “But they put in all of that sand and now you can’t even see the bay from JakeaBob’s Bay.”
The berm is part of the long-awaited shoreline protection enhancements necessitated by superstorm Sandy’s flooding in 2012. The storm surge devastated much of the Monmouth County Bayshore and Union Beach in particular.
As a challenging 2024 summer season winds down for JakeaBob’s, which lost a big chunk of seating (32 tables, 74 total seats) due to the Army Corps project, the situation there highlights the balancing act between protecting waterfront communities and supporting their staple businesses.
JakeaBob’s first opened in 1999 as a brick-and-mortar establishment. In 2012 Sandy wiped the place out, along with much of the surrounding borough. In 2016, owner Gigi Liaguno-Dorr reopened it as an outdoor-only tiki bar and deck overlooking the Raritan Bay, with a spectacular view of New York City’s skyline.
The new view is a high mound of sand with vegetation growing out of it. Liaguno-Dorr knew this was coming, so she had applied to New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection for a CAFRA (Coastal Area Facility Review Act) permit to enable JakeaBob’s to expand and restore the view by building a raised deck up and over the dune. The permit, which also needs approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, did not happen for the 2024 season.
“She’s applied for permits with the DEP and the Army Corps to raise her property and get the water view back,” Union Beach Mayor Charlie Cocuzza said of Liaguno-Dorr, who declined to comment on the situation. “My hope is that the DEP and Army Corps approve her permits with what she has proposed. What she’s asking for is not radical.”
The new goal, as evidenced by poster boards throughout JakeaBob’s that read “Coming 2025” and feature an artist’s rendering of the proposed renovations, is to have the view restored by next May (the restaurant is closed from October through April).
“This is a very high priority of us,” Cocuzza said of Union Beach’s government. “(JakeaBob’s) employs over a hundred people, and a lot of them are college kids and residents. Overall, they’re the biggest draw in Union Beach as far as bringing people in from out of town.”
He added, “They are our local economy.”
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, whose 13th legislative district includes Union Beach, is no stranger to JakeaBob’s. When friends of his recently moved to Union Beach, “I said, ‘The very first thing you should do is to go JakeaBob’s, because it’s an institution,’” he said.
“Preserving JakeaBob’s is as essential as preserving Union Beach — it’s that loved, and it’s a great spot,” he said.
But O’Scanlon, who was a state assemblyman in 2012, also saw up close the destruction Sandy wrought.
“You hope that there’s a way that there can be an accommodation made (for JakeaBob’s) to make sure they have as much access to water views as possible,” he said. “At the same time the dune protects not only JakeaBob’s if we have another storm, but the whole town of Union Beach.”
He added, “It’s not if, but when we have another (major) storm. We will be tested, and we hope all these things we’re doing will dramatically reduce the heartbreaking losses we all saw with Sandy.”
The issue is not necessarily either/or in nature — either protect the borough or support JakeaBob’s. It’s more a matter of: Will the state and federal bureaucracy move on this time for summer 2025?
“I am hopeful, and we’re absolutely going to encourage them,” O’Scanlon said. “We have to make sure these places survive and thrive, and we will not stop working toward that.”
Cocuzza recalls that when Sandy first hit, Liaguno-Dorr volunteered to staff the borough’s emergency food pantry before she began to pick up the pieces of the old JakeaBob’s.
“Gigi lived through Sandy. She doesn’t want to go through that again and we don’t want to go through that again,” Cocuzza said. “They (JakeaBob’s) never stood in the way of the Army Corps project.”
Cocuzza cited the high level of cooperation between all involved as a reason why “it should not take the state and Army Corps very long to decide,” on the permit request.
“I’m sure the state and the federal government don’t want to be the ones responsible for killing the local economy here,” the mayor said. "We have a good relationship with them, so I’m very hopeful that they get this done as quick as they can so (Liaguno-Dorr) can open up in 2025 and be restored to what she had.”
He added, “One thing I can say with 100% certainty is that the town is not going to be the impediment here. There are too many people in town that rely on that income. We’re not going to see them get hurt. It’s on the state and the Army Corps now.”
There have been patrons who’ve shown up to JakeaBob’s this summer unaware of landscape change, and then turned around and left, but Bob and Mary McKenty were not among them — nor will they be.
“I feel bad for Gigi because she’s having all these obstacles,” Bob said. “But I’ll go even if they don’t do anything else.”
Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore’s interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.