Lasting relief

Anyone suffering from mild to acute joint pain, back or neck pain, headaches, low energy levels, digestive issues or depression may be doing so needlessly.

Dr. Pooja Patel, of Core Life Chiropractic, has amassed the latest healing treatments, from spinal decompression therapy and spinal manipulation adjustments to cervical extension, vibration plate therapy and shockwave therapy. 

“From the time we go through the birth canal, our well-being hinges on the central nervous system (CNS). It controls everything,” says Dr. Patel, who recently moved into a beautiful larger space in the heart of the Van Aken District to accommodate her growing patient population. “The function of the CNS is translating signals to and from the brain, along the spine, and through a nerve network that reaches all organs, tissues and cells. A spinal subluxation, which is a vertebra that’s misaligned, puts pressure on the nerve roots within the spine and eventually affects those signals.”

Connective Balancing Act

Dr. Patel explains the autonomic nervous system is a network of nerves throughout the body that controls functions you don’t consciously think about, like breathing and your heart beating. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for “rest and digest” functions, calming the body down after a stressful situation, while the sympathetic nervous system controls “fight or flight” feelings during times of danger or stress. 

The bottom line is, your physical and emotional wellness are dependent on the signals sent between these systems, a highly connective balancing act.

“Our treatments, such as spinal decompression therapy, address the root problem to pain, stiffness and loss of mobility and function,” she says. “It gently stretches the spine back into alignment. My patients often tell me they can go off their pain meds and no longer need surgery.”

It’s not uncommon for a patient to come in for one issue and, after treatment, see improvement in other areas of wellness.

“I recently treated a dentist who was suffering from numbness in his hands,” she says. “After care, he ended up sleeping better without having to get up during the night and noticed improved energy levels and range of motion in his stiff, achy neck.”

Behavioral Issues

The patients the team sees range from newborns to seniors. Dr. Patel says it’s particularly rewarding to treat so many children. These are her favorite stories to tell…the little boy with ADHD who found focus and a sense of calm, or the girl who suffered from chronic ear infections and made it through winter without one.

Deja Pearson came here because every time she tried to put her baby boy to sleep, he cried as if he was in pain. “After one session, I brought him home and he fell peacefully asleep,” she smiles.

She says she later came to the practice to address her own pain, radiating from her lower back. “After two months of treatment, I was pain-free and also able to stop taking my depression medication,” she says.

Staying ahead of medical advancements in her field is a mission of Dr. Patel’s. She was thrilled last year to introduce non-invasive shockwave therapy for pain relief.



Through a hand-held device, high-energy sound waves stimulate the body’s natural healing process by penetrating deep into the tissue at the cellular level. They increase blood flow and cell regeneration by encouraging essential nutrients and oxygen to reach the damaged tissue, which promotes healing and reduces inflammation and pain. 

Core Life Chiropractic is located at 20140 Van Aken Boulevard in Shaker Heights. For more information and to schedule a consultation, call 216-675-1710, or visit the website CoreLifeChiro.com.