Dr. James Freitas – a pioneer with almost 30 years experience in improving bad backs in greater New Bedford

Chiropractic as been around for almost 5,000 years – being mentioned in ancient Chinese documents as early as 2,700 B.C.E. The 5th century B.C.E. Greek physician Socrates who published many texts on spinal manipulation, declared “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.”

The modern version of Chiropractic began in 1895 with Iowan Daniel David, an expert in anatomy and physiology who practiced medicine and called it “The science of healing without drugs.” He had enough practical success applying his chiropractic method that he founded the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1897.

What is Chiropractic?
What exactly is Chiropractic and what does a Chiropractor do? Are they doctors? Are they accredited? Is it quackery or placebic? Once a person goes to a Chiropractor, do they have to keep going back for life?

In a nutshell, Chiropractic is the largest form of alternative medicine that focuses on mechanical or joint disorders that lead to dysfunction, pain, and/or discomfort. Like any profession, including doctors, there are differences in method and philosophy among chiropractors. Many utilize one or more methods like manual joint and spine manipulations, soft tissue massage, diet and lifestyle recommendations, and exercise. All agree that your spine and health are related in a very fundamental way, connected by the central nervous system.

Today all 50 states legally recognize Chiropractic and millions report relief and positive benefits. At any given time, approximately 10% of America is utilizing chiropractic care. Chiropractic is gaining wider respect around the globe and many medical professionals are realizing that Chiropractic can aid, supplement or compliment what they are doing. There is no reason for it to be one or the other. In fact, both can work together with the primary and end goal being the patient’s well-being and health.

Accreditation, schooling and practice
To receive a degree in Chiropractic one must complete four to five years at an accredited chiropractic college and pass the national board exam and all exams required by the state in which the individual wishes to practice. In addition to learning basic medical sciences, including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and biochemistry, they must also be schooled in clinical sciences and related health subjects. They are then considered a D.C. or doctor of chiropractic.

An Acushnet native, Dr. James M. Freitas has a chiropractic office on 33 State Road in Dartmouth. He earned his chiropractic degree in 1987 from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. In 2000 he attended the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, graduating in 2002 with an Advanced Certification in Whiplash and Brain Injury Traumatology.

He then spent the next decade and a half attending numerous conferences, staying on top of important issues and advances. In the last 4 years Dr. Freitas has dedicated his time into the study of diet and human health.

In 2001 after viewing a “motion x-ray” he dedicated the next 10 years to the study of how the muscular system of spine is responsible for accurate movement and stabilization of the neck and lower back.

All of this experience culminated in Dr. Freitas pioneering two rehabilitation techniques, one that uses the natural movements of the neck through what is known as spinal coupling and another in the area of the lower back called “lumbar spinal bracing” utilizing a technique that involves strengthening the spine along with all the abdominal muscles, with one exercise movement using resistance bands.

Spinal Stabilization Therapy and the myth of the “pinched nerve”
These exercises have been shown to offer substantial relief for patients with neck pain, arm pain and headaches. These exercises can be seen in the video section of his website. Together they are coined, “Spinal Stabilization Therapy.” When asked to explain it, Dr. Freitas said “It involves specific movements that will activate muscles that lie closest to the spine. These muscles control the most finite movements of each vertebra. These muscles move our spinal joints as accurately as the muscles that move our eyes. If these muscles are not working properly due to weakness, a person will always experience some sort of pain. Recently Dr. Freitas wrote an article on how insulin resistance effects these muscles and why pain would be produced. The spine has to move as accurately as your eyes to be pain free. Unless the treating chiropractor and or physical therapist truly understands this it is unlikely that they will be able to provide one with the most beneficial care.”

He also stated that most cases of lower back and neck pain attributed to a “pinched nerve” are actually not a pinched nerve. He often sees patients who have been treated by other chiropractors and/or primary care physicians who have been diagnosed with a “pinched nerve.” On careful neurological examination it is determined in most cases that no nerve is pinched/compressed. “If a nerve is truly pinched/compressed it dies rapidly over a 10 to 14 day period and whatever muscle it leads to atrophies/shrinks in size. If your muscles are not wasting away or uncontrolled muscle twitching known as “fasciculation” is not present, you do not have a pinched nerve” in most cases. Truly pinched nerves require immediate surgical decompression. This is not the case in most people.

Often this pinched nerve is something else altogether and it requires attending to or it will persist. Recently a patient came to Dr. Freitas with throbbing pain in the right leg and weakness in the right foot. “Initially I thought it was actually a genuine pinched nerve,” Dr. Freitas explained. “Upon examination and review of her medical records from her primary care physician, I saw that she had been on cholesterol medication for 5 years and that her current cholesterol level was very low. One thing that cholesterol does is repair nerves. Scientific research shows that cholesterol lowering medications can cause nerve damage if taken for greater than 2 years.

I sent her back to her primary care physician with this information and she was taken off her cholesterol medication. Two weeks later, this patient came into my office stating that the pain was greatly reduced and in about 4 weeks the leg pain was gone. After 27 years of providing chiropractic treatment I never stop reading and as such it was easy for me to identify this individual’s problem.”

Misconceptions about Chiropractic; Advice for Bad Back Sufferers
We’ve all heard the almost mythical anecdote that once you go to a chiropractor for a course of treatment you will need to see a chiropractor for life. He feels that if a chiropractor tells you that you need to be seen on a weekly basis for life, it is to benefit that chiropractor’s bank account and not your health. “If a chiropractor is treating someone and tells them that they need to be seen every week for life, DIVORCE yourself from that chiropractor.” he advises.

As a bad back sufferer myself, and one that has to mitigate everyday activities, lest I get a flare-up and be virtually disabled for a week or more, I was curious about his exercises and advice for myself and fellow back pain sufferers. Dr. Freitas, leapt at the chance to fire up his computer, explain to me how my spine was engineered and what was causing my pain. He then walked me through 20 repetitions of his lumbar spinal bracing exercise. While I was not in the middle of a flare-up, when I stood up, the mobility in my lower back and waist, made me realize I hadn’t noticed how stiff and immobile it was. A pleasant surprise. He gave me the information, then had me apply it.

When asked to offer some advice that we can apply straight away, he was more than happy. “For maintaining a healthy spine, the first thing is to eat healthy. Greatly reduce the amount of sugar/carbohydrates and grains. Since glucose is stored primarily in muscles and excess sugar/carbohydrates cause insulin resistance, the muscles that stabilize spinal movement are greatly affected. This results in a loss of ability of these muscles to move spinal joints accurately. Next is some exercise. Daily exercise, even if for only 20 minutes – it will be helpful.”

Dr. Freitas is a rather approachable and friendly individual, who is an open book. His thirst for knowledge and passion for what he does is evident with the simplest of interactions. His warmth, hard work, family values and eagerness to help others is something he feels his parents, Antonio and Norma Freitas, infected him with. They encouraged me to seek my personal best. Though they have both passed on, they have left in indelible mark, evident by the fact that he mentioned them numerous times in our interview. Dr. Freitas has enough confidence in what he does that he offers your first two visits for FREE. If you don’t begin to feel improvement, it costs you nothing.

If you would like to see further testimonials, there are a number of videos on Dr. Freitas’ website. While not active on social media, he is easily accessible by phone and visit. His office has a parking lot, and ample street parking.