Most people find us by word of mouth. They come to us because they are in pain and have been reassured by a friend or family member that Russell can help them out. In this article we’ve used the words of our patients to give you a sense of how Russell works, what his values are and what makes him so well regarded in the community.
Ten promises from me to you
1. I won’t make rash promises
Sheila Oman
“After experiencing a constant head/neck pain day and night for 3 months, I booked an appointment with Hexham Chiropractic. I felt immediate relief after the first treatment and after the second session was pain free.
The service I received was personal and friendly and I would highly recommend Russell and his team. Many thanks to you all.”
If you read our Google reviews you’ll see several people who, like Sheila, are surprised and delighted by how quickly chiropractic treatment got them out of pain. I wish that I could promise this to everyone but it does depend on the person. By this point in my career I’ve treated thousands of people which means I can make a well-informed prognosis. Most people who come to me with conditions such as sciatica, neck pain and back pain do respond to treatment, many of them quite quickly. Others, like Michael, take a little longer. I will use all my expertise to help you get there, and I’ll be transparent about what I’m doing.
Michael Schofield
“What an experience I’ve had with this great place, I couldn’t recommend it more highly, I’ve had a month’s worth of intensive work on my neck, and back, and my sciatic has disappeared! Very very professional, enjoy every session, thank you”
2. We don’t give the hard sell
Nicola Alexander-Dent
“I like that he will be honest and tell you if he can’t help or the limits of his treatments. I wish I had found him earlier he has helped so much, worth every penny.”
One of the reasons why our patients trust us is that we always put their best interests first. Once I’ve diagnosed you I make a recommendation, but it is up you to decide whether this is something you can afford and fit into your life. You need to feel that you are embarking on a course of treatment that you have chosen, and I would never use scare tactics to persuade a patient that they really need to see me.
3. I won’t insist that you have more appointment than you need
Nigel Foster
“I was expecting to have more visits & the cost to be somewhat more than it was. The treatment may well have been simple & swift yet it was very effective, along with the exercises that I was given to carry out at home.”
Sometimes a patient improves more quickly than I expected. When that happens I’m glad to celebrate it with them and I alter my recommendations accordingly. If that happens to you I’ll reduce your appointment frequency – I will not oblige you to stick to an outdated treatment plan.
4. I will look for the root cause of your pain
Grant
“I can say I feel 110% better in myself, taking the time to get to know me, retracing what I’ve done, finding the problem and helping me overcome it, can’t rate Russell enough! Man’s a magician!”
One thing I can promise you is that I know the human body and that I’ll use that knowledge to work out what is underlying your particular pain. Sometimes new patients tell me they’ve been told that their problem is ‘wear and tear’, or ‘just aging.’ In response I point out to them that ‘wear and tear’ isn’t really a diagnosis. I’ll make a detailed diagnosis and explain it to you in plain English along with some recommendations of how you can help yourself.
5. Your treatment will always be bespoke to you
Stephanie Hill
“Russell is a super therapist whose knowledge and skill is reassuring. After each session I have left feeling appropriately adjusted and well-listened to. Highly recommended.”
Steve Roberts
“Hexham Family Chiropractic have maintained by body for over 20 years! Russell is always a pleasure to visit and has really tailored treatments to tune various ailments.”
I’m thorough, working out what is going on with your body and treating what I find. If you’re curious to know what that means you might find this article interesting in which I explain how I make these bespoke treatment decisions.
6. I will always explain what I’m doing
Christine Greiff
“Russell has genuinely saved my life. I was in severe pain and could hardly walk when I first arrived at the clinic. Russell was kind and reassuring, explaining to me what was happening in my body and how we could work together to help me to recover. I was very frightened at the time and he really helped me with this.”
If you have seen photos or videos of chiropractic adjustments, you’ll know that it is a very hands-on therapy. This can feel scary, especially for someone in pain, but I find that it reassures people if I explain what I’m doing in advance. I do have alternative ways of helping people that don’t involve clicks or cracks, so I explain that and make sure they feel comfortable with it before I proceed.
7. I’ll never move faster than you are comfortable with
Gilly Clark
“Russell’s gentle approach combined with the way he only carried out adjustments that were not “too much too soon” were a major factor in my husband’s improvement”
If someone’s in a lot of pain I’ll treat them with gentler methods until their problems ease. There is more than one kind of chiropractic adjustment, and I match my treatment decisions with what my patients are comfortable with. I encourage my patients to tell me how they feel so that I don’t end up moving faster than they would like me to.
8. I’ll listen to you
Dor Wilson
“I really appreciate his help in correcting and relieving my sciatic pain. He’s also made a difference when suffering with labyrinthitis – a good listener!”
GPs are really stretched for time, I’m lucky to have the time to really look at your overall health. One of the things I’m listening out for is other conditions which I might be able to help with or advise on. In Dor’s case it was dizziness, for others it could be a knee problem or a headache. I’m interested in helping my patients improve their health holistically, so I’ll listen to the full picture and sometimes I uncover other conditions that I can help with too.
9. I’ll respect your autonomy
John Preston
“I will continue to visit Hexham Family Chiropractic on a regular basis in the knowledge that this is the best insurance against the development of further problems.”
Sarah Curtis
“My job isn’t the best for my back or neck, but visits to this small, friendly practice every six weeks keeps any problems at bay.”
Sarah and John receive maintenance care, and I really believe in its benefits. I make sure I get regularly adjusted too – it’s an essential part of how I stay healthy. But I don’t pressurise my patients to keep coming once they’re out of pain. Many patients leave the practice once they feel better and I don’t see them again unless they experience pain. If someone doesn’t follow my advice to keep seeing me and then comes back to me in pain, there’s no lecture and I don’t roll my eyes. I just welcome them back and give them the treatment they need.
10. I’ll help you stay well (if that’s what you want)
Jamie Grummette
“I feel like I will be healthy enough to enjoy life. Russell and his team are on this journey with me.”
Adam Robinson
“Russell not only provided effective treatment but went beyond the call of duty in supplying further useful advice and recommendations for me.”
I know a lot about health and wellness, and if I see that a patient is serious about improving their health I’ll give them tailor made advice and lots of encouragement. Sleep, exercise, diet, nutrition – if these are things that you would like to know about then we can help – signing up to our monthly newsletter is a good place to start. We’re glad to share our expertise with those who want it but we don’t believe in lecturing those who don’t.
Can you help?
If you are already a patient at Hexham Family Chiropractic and if this article matches your experience, why not help us to spread the word by sharing it? If you shared it on social media or by email with a friend it might help to reassure someone who would benefit from chiropractic care but feels nervous about taking the first step.
