As the name implies, the team at Optimal Spine and Wellness puts the emphasis on helping patients embrace the lives they were meant to live, pain free

By Patricia Nugent

Not many people can say they began chiropractic care while they were still in diapers.

For Dr. Michael Abood, it’s an all-in-the-family career path. His uncle is well-known chiropractor Dr. Noel Abood.

“Since I was a child, I knew I wanted to heal people,” says Dr. Michael, who joined Optimal Spine and Wellness in Twinsburg last year. “The practice is a great fit for me. Working with founder Dr. Paul Bizjak, who has been in the area for 25 years, and building my patient base has been an amazing experience.”

Personable and passionate are two good words to describe Dr. Michael, a local person who enjoys caring for others. This St. Ignatius graduate studied kinesiology for four years at Miami University and then went on to four years of chiropractic school at Life University in Atlanta.

The Vitalism Paradigm
“Humans are dynamic beings,” he says. “We are the sum of our moving parts, and they are all directed through the spine. My passion is to help my patients achieve their most vital level of wellness and peak performance whether it be in everyday activities of life, performing on the job, or as an elite athlete. The spine is the gateway to keeping the rest of your body functioning properly. I help people stay out of pain and reach their best level of mobility.”

Both doctors begin their journeys with patients by taking digital X-rays to get clear pictures of the spine. In addition to backs, they also treat joints such as hips, knees, ankles and shoulders.

“I don’t start adjusting a person until I know exactly what’s going on with their body’s structures,” he says. “Using the X-ray, I educate them about their back and identify goals for treatment.”

Dr. Michael says he hopes people who struggle with nagging back pain—about 8% of the population—stop putting up with it.

“We can almost always make it better,” he adds. “No one should be limited in their everyday activities due to pain. I also hope seniors don’t accept pain as a normal function of aging, because it isn’t. There’s no reason you can’t thrive into your later years. The longer you stay active, the better the outcome in preventing conditions like arthritis.”

The doctors feel that one of the biggest things that separates their practice from others is the accessibility and amount of time they spend with patients.

“Our staff is wonderful,” says Dr. Michael. “We can usually get people in the same day they call. Unlike the direction healthcare is heading today, since we are a small, private practice, we take a more personalized approach and spend time educating and treating patients.”

Here’s What Patients are Saying
Jillian C., who came to Optimal Spine and Wellness looking for treatment for her chronic lower-back pain and sciatica, says, “I felt like I could trust him from day one. He is professional, kind and truly cares about changing the outcome of my discomfort. I leave every appointment feeling some sort of relief and look forward to each adjustment. As I was relocating for my job, Dr. Abood took the time to research chiropractors in my new area and personally called the office so I didn’t have to start from square one. I can’t thank him enough and would recommend him to anyone.”

Thomas H. has this to say, “Dr. Abood is great. I had low-back pain and some bad pain in my right foot. He explained to me what was going on and how the back was causing my foot pain. A few treatments on my back and my pain was gone. I was back to work, back to golf and back to softball.”

The doctors believe in treating patients to achieve their optimal level of wellness and vitality, so, in addition to chiropractic care, they also offer massage therapy and infrared sauna, as well as cryotherapy and a host of whole-food supplements.

Tips for a Healthy Back
Taking a preventive and vitalistic approach to your back health, Dr. Michael Abood offers these tips:

• Keep your computer screen at eye level so your neck stays in a neutral position.
• Stay hydrated. People often don’t realize how much of their spine’s functionality depends on fluid cushioning the disks. Becoming dehydrated can cause back pain when the disks lack necessary fluid.
• If you experience a minor injury, always reach for ice, not a heating pad. Your goal is to reduce inflammation and swelling, and that’s done by cooling the affected area. Heat only worsens it by increasing circulation.

Optimal Spine and Wellness is located within a plaza at 9630 Ravenna Road, Suite 100, in Twinsburg. Call 330-405-2751 or visit OptimalSpineWellness.com for more information.