By Jenn Watt

Since opening the Complete Spine Care Clinic in Haliburton this September chiropractor Travis Bissonette said work hasn’t felt much like work at all.

“That’s how you know you’re doing something you love” said Bissonette from his new location at the corner of Maple Avenue and Victoria Street in town.

He recently graduated from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where he was trained in anatomy physiology and biomechanics. Before his four years there he completed an undergraduate degree in physical and health education at Nipissing University.

“I chose Haliburton for a variety of personal and professional reasons. Personally I’m originally from Bracebridge so I like the small town feel of Haliburton and the natural beauty of Haliburton – it’s great. I love all the outdoor activities that are available here” he said. “Professionally I saw the need for an evidence-based chiropractic office. As the population is growing and the population is aging there comes more of a need for services like chiropractic.”

Bissonette said evidence-based care “is guided by the best available scientific research the health-care practitioner’s experience and importantly the patient’s values and preferences. For example some people may be afraid of receiving acupuncture but even if I believe it will benefit them I take that preference into account and I would recommend other options instead. It’s a style of health care that really takes into account the patients’ wants and needs rather than the treatment being completely about the doctor.”

An interest in chiropractic care emerged when he was 13 after a trip to the chiropractor for elbow pain. Bissonette said he hadn’t been able to find anyone who could help him figure out what was wrong but treatment from the chiropractor did the trick.

“They really sat down with me talked me through everything and developed a treatment plan that actually helped and after that I got interested in chiropractic and started researching the profession and found out that hey this is something I want to do for the rest of my life” he said.

So far the most common ailment Bissonette has seen is back pain followed by neck pain and headaches. However he points out that chiropractors can treat much more than spine-related issues.

“They really treat all areas of the body so shoulder pain hip pain knee pain arthritis sprains and strains” he said.

“For every new patient I take a detailed history where we chat about what’s going on and what your goals are for treatment. Then I do a physical exam to help identify the cause of the problem. Finally I talk with my patients about the diagnosis and what can be done to help them. Often that involves a combination of manipulation soft-tissue work for the muscles acupuncture and exercise. Other times if I find the problem is not something that can respond to chiropractic care I would refer the patient to a health-care practitioner that can help such as a family physician” he said.

If a patient wants to keep their doctor in the loop Bissonette said he will send a letter to them with detailed diagnosis and treatment.

One of the most common misperceptions about chiropractic practice is why adjustments create a cracking sound.

“The cracking noise you hear during a manipulation is just gas bubbles in the joint forming when a joint is opened up. It’s not the bones cracking or anything like that and it’s usually painless” Bissonette said. “It provides a good stretch to the muscles around the joint and gets you moving better and therefore feeling better.”

Complete Spine Care Clinic is located at 49 Maple Avenue in Haliburton on the second floor. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. By appointment only.

You can contact Bissonette at 705-205-1685 or go to completespinecareclinic.com to book an appointment. The clinic is also on Facebook and Instagram.