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Writer's pictureDr. Andrew Heib

My Road to Becoming a Chiropractor

Updated: Jan 13

“The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” ― Thomas A. Edison

Why did I become a Chiropractor?

I was introduced to the chiropractic profession at 8 years old. My dad was injured in a work-related incident and was off work for 11 months. After seeing numerous medical specialists that could only offer him mind-numbing medications, physical therapy, cumbersome back braces and then surgery, someone suggested that he should see a chiropractor. Our family all went to his first visit. We watched my father hobble in and walk out. I was intrigued by this and began to collect literature from the doctor’s office. I remember well how I brought this literature to my third-grade class and began to share the brochures with pictures of x-rays and explain what a chiropractor did and how he helped my dad. Long-story-short, within a month my dad was back to work. No drugs, no surgery, no more complaints.


My dad was very impressed with his new-found health, so he made sure all our family could experience the benefits of chiropractic care. At the time, I was experiencing regular ear infections and bedwetting issues. Within a short time, I no longer struggled with those issues. When I was a freshman in high school I played football. I was a guard on the line and didn’t make a big enough opening for the running back, and he smashed into my back and I felt everything crunch from my tailbone to my neck. After that, I suffered episodes where I would bend over and couldn’t straighten up. After a visit or two with a chiropractor, my pain was gone and I regained mobility. I almost had to quit football because my ankles hurt to run. When I mentioned it to the chiropractor, he manipulated my ankles, and I no longer had any pain. Another time while playing racquetball I overreached for the ball and fell on my behind and slid backwards into the wall slamming my head against the wall. Shortly thereafter I began experiencing petite and grand mal seizures and was subsequently diagnosed with epilepsy. I was put on medications. In the meantime, in college, I suffered another injury trying to push a truck that was stuck and injured my mid back. I remember trying to walk down steps in college and every step caused a stabbing pain in my spine. Once again, a few visits to the chiropractor and I no longer had any problems. During this time, I also quit taking my epilepsy medications and never experienced any seizure episodes. Studies show a correlation with all these issues in various cases.




In my own family, I have seen my children grow up with hardly any need for antibiotics or any other medications. If this was genetically predisposed, my children would be susceptible due to the history on both sides of their parents. I see this same trend with patients who follow through with care in my office. The body wants to be in balance physically and physiologically, and the two are interconnected. The body reacts to physical, mental and biochemical stressors. As a chiropractor, eliminating physical stress helps the body deal with the other stress. Biochemical stress in the form of toxins or poor diet are also addressed in the wholistic realm by eliminating toxins and feeding the body nutrients that maintain or correct biochemical imbalances. Medical doctors use drugs and surgery to suppress symptoms and reconfigure the body to eliminate symptoms. Chiropractors eliminate physical stress to allow healing and work with the nutritional status of the body to restore health. That’s the bottom line.


Feel/Form/Function Concept:

Feel = the balance of your Form + the degree of your Function

Patients come to us usually because of something they feel; pain, discomfort, loss of function, etc ...I care about how they feel and by restoring form (alignment/posture) and function (mobility), I can help patients feel better usually without drugs or surgery.



Dr. Heib and his Father Egon Heib at the Fall 1988 Palmer College of Chiropractic Graduation Ceremony

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