Hello/ Welcome, I'm Patrick, a fully qualified Chiropractor based in Solva, Pembrokeshire.
Below is a little introduction to me, providing an insight into how I got to be where I am now...
My Story
From broker to Chiropractor
My background isn’t in complementary health or medicine - I spent 16 years working in London as a futures broker. Looking back, I would have been a prime candidate for chiropractic had I known anything about it!
Sleepless nights
It wasn’t until 2002/2003 that I first came across chiropractic. My daughter was nearly 4 at the time and had yet to sleep fully through the night. As I was getting up at 5:15 every day at that time I was feeling exhausted to put it mildly. Having tried Physiotherapy, Cranial Osteopathy and Homeopathy without any success i was beginning to think there was no solution. It was in early 2002 when a friend suggested that a chiropractor might be able to help. I had no idea what to expect and was a bit sceptical but was prepared to do or try anything at this stage.
The chiropractor examined my daughter and did thorough orthopaedic and neurological tests to try and pin down the problem. Very little information was gained from this testing but on further examination he found “triggers” to her sleep pattern. He explained that her nervous system was not balanced and the issue affecting her was an irrational fear of the dark. Although the birth was no more traumatic than any other birth she had an irrational fear when left alone in the dark. Following what appeared to be very light but fast and precise adjustments....
Something wonderful happened........
I remember distinctly it was a Friday as I was looking forward to a lie in the next day. I went to bed as normal but it wasn’t until 9:30 the next day that I woke with a start, jumped out of bed and rushed up the stairs to where my daughter was as I had this horrible feeling something was not right. To my surprise and delight she was fast asleep and blissfully unaware of the excitement around her.
She had slept 14 hours without a murmur.
It was like someone had performed a magic trick. She had to go back for follow up sessions but the frequent disturbed nights did not return I am pleased to say.
What this meant for me
I decided I wanted to learn more and train to become a chiropractor. I enrolled on an Access course to see if I had the aptitude and to see whether I would enjoy it. After 5 long years later I qualified as a chiropractor and now I am helping people with all sorts of problems although I specialise in neck pain, back pain, headaches/migraines to name but a few. I feel very humbled and privileged to be serving my local community and I treat every patient as an individual.
Many people have been kind enough to thank me for “healing” them or “curing” their pain. In reality I am just a facilitator to each person’s problem and every problem is individual so healing is specific to each individual. What chiropractic does is remove nerve pressure at specific points along the spine.
Life in Solva
I have spent 14 years working as a Chiropractor both in clinics & independenlty. In 2021 my wife & I moved to Solva where I am fortunate enough to have a space to continue the work I love.
My Approach
There are numerous ways to adjust and treat the spine.
I trained initially as a McTimoney chiropractor which uses speed as the basis for effectiveness rather than increased tension around the joint. It therefore does not create the “crack” or popping sound some patients say they dread. McTimoney is considered to be one of the gentlest forms of chiropractic care.
I realised that we are all individual and that some people do like and actually look for the”crack” or popping sound. I subsequently trained in diversified techniques as well and will use as required with prior consent from the individual..
Having the ability to treat children and newborns with the gentle approach, and use more force where needed, I believe I have got your back covered.!!