It's been a few years since I've gone to see Dr. Loughlin at Larger Life. For one thing, my back has felt pretty good throughout that time. For another, I moved; his office is about 20 miles away now, and not at all on my commuter route.
A recent acute back problem prompted me to get online and search for chiropractors closer to my area. I was surprised to discover very few reviews for this kind of practitioner. Without the benefit of patient feedback, I called a few practitioners, asked questions, and chose one based upon what I hoped was an educated decision.
Note to self: don't trust any more of my ""educated decisions"" ;-) Although I made a questionable choice of providers, my visits to that individual reminded me of what an outstanding chiropractor Dr. Loughlin is.
I have made many purchasing decisions based upon online reviews. Despite having benefited from them, I have not taken enough time to reciprocate and post my own. This fact, along with my recent chiropractic experience, motivated me to post a review of Larger Life at this time.
I have now been to four chiropractors. Of those four, two were (in my opinion) mediocre, one was excellent, and one was simply the best by a long shot: Dr. Loughlin.
Part of Dr. Loughlin's treatment regimen includes a discipline called ""Sacro Occipital Technique"" (SOT). I won't presume to make any attempts to summarize what SOT is, how or why it works, or how it compares to other chiropractic techniques. I can however attest to Dr. Loughlin's ability to apply its principles to my particular situation.
I made my initial visit to Dr. Loughlin during an acute episode: my lower back muscles were in spasm; I couldn't stand up straight, sit comfortably, or walk with a normal gait.
Dr. Loughlin evaluated me and determined that my sacrum -- my pelvis -- was out of alignment, causing my lower back muscles to go into spasm.
He performed several manual techniques that seemed geared toward stretching and loosening the muscles in that area, as well as a few manipulations of the traditional audible-crack-inducing variety.
The last stop in his treatment arsenal was an adjustment that appears to be unique to SOT. While lying on my back, Dr. Loughlin placed two ""wedges"" (imagine door stops, only cushioned and much larger) under my hips, higher on the right side, lower on the left. Careful positioning of the wedges -- determined apparently on a case-by-case basis -- causes your own body weight to move joints -- the sacrum in my case -- toward proper alignment. It's an odd feeling at first, but as you settle in and let your body relax, it becomes more comfortable, and soon starts to feel good.
When I stood up after that first treatment, I was absolutely amazed. Whereas I was stooped over and very uncomfortable when arriving, I was able to leave walking normally and had far less pain. I was still sore, but I was significantly more comfortable than when I arrived.
Beyond the technical, Dr. Loughlin is personable and approachable, always willing to talk about the news topic du jour, or the latest innovation in running shoes (he's an avid runner). He's enthusiastic about answering questions about his craft and seems appreciative that you took an interest. (In this respect, he is the complete antithesis of my most recent chiropractor.)
Because I moved, I am trying to find a good chiropractor in the Newton, MA area ... if anyone knows of one, please post a review here! Until such time however, despite the geographic inconvenience, I'm going to trek out to Southborough the next time I require chiropractic care.
Pros: I have yet to visit a better chiropractor
Cons: Refuses to move his office closer to my home ;-)
more