First, look to the spine
By Anya Tikka
MILFORD — Dr. David Cenci, who opened a chiropractic office in Milford in June, says it’s the only one in the area with a holistic approach.
“It’s an alternative approach to health care," he said. "If you don’t want prescription drugs for neck and back problems, carpal tunnel, or headaches, you can go to a chiropractor."
He pointed to the widespread dependence on drugs in this country.
"We in U.S. are less than 5 percent of the world’s population, but we consume almost 75 percent of all prescription drugs," he said. "It’s a scary number to me.”
The new practice is Cenci's first, after working with Dr. Hartey in Matamoras for one year.
"I built up experience and wanted do my own thing," said Dr. Cenci, now 27.
After first studying business in college, he realized he’d made a mistake.
“I decided I didn’t want to be in business, so I switched to biology,” he said. “Around the same time, my mom went to see a chiropractor for her neck after her doctor told her she was going to need neck surgery. The chiropractor prevented her from having surgery, and that impressed me.”
He said it takes time to establish a clientele.
“It’s picking up," he said. "Every day we pick up new clients. I accept walk-ins, and we also do appointments.”
Cenci said it takes eight years of study to become a chiropractor — four undergraduate years, and four to become a doctor of chiropractic. He studied chiropractic at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and completed his undergraduate degree at East Stroudsburg. He studied nutrition at the master’s level.
“I did a dual degree,” he said. “Nutrition is a very integral part of my practice. If the clients are interested in really changing their lifestyle, it’s something I’m really interested in. It’s something I want to do. I talk to my patients a bit, I’m not forcing it on anyone, but if they show interest, we’ll discuss it.”
Treatment time depends on the problem involved.
“If it’s mild back pain, a couple of visits are enough," he said. "But anything major, like after a car accident, might take longer. It’s hard to put a number on it, everybody responds differently. But my goal is to get them better as soon as possible. Some people want to come back once a month.”
Not just lower back painMany patients who go to see Cenci are seeking relief from fibromyalgia. His office also treats some of the symptoms of Lyme disease.
“People are not sure of the cause of fibromyalgia," he said. "It may be PTSD, or many different things. Some people believe it doesn’t really exist, but among symptoms are various body aches. Lyme’s disease is also hard to diagnose. It attacks your joints all over the body. We can help with symptoms, but we can’t cure it.”
Cenci also treats many cases of rheumatic arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, and any autoimmune disease with accompanying pain.
“A lot of time people are overmedicated," Cenci said. "They can’t get through their day. They feel foggy, and they want to get off their meds. We’re the alternative."
Chiropractic treatments include adjustments of the back, as well as exercise, nutrition, and rehabiltation.
What’s the difference between chiropractors and osteopaths?
“Osteopaths don’t use manipulation anymore," Cenci said. "They’ve definitely become more Western Medicine, with medication. They’re less holistic, more like a medical doctor now."
He said many people believe chiropractors treat mainly treat lower back pain. “But," he said, "most conditions are responsive to manipulation of the spine. Everything’s connected to the spine."
He’s fond of quoting Hippocrates, who said: “When in sickness, look to the spine first.”
Cenci Chiropractic is located at 510 Route 6 and 209 Suite 102 in Milford and can be reached at 570-409-4747.