Here in Thurston County, we like choices in our life. You only have to listen to the orders at a coffee shop for confirmation. Our coffee tastes, however, are not the only ways in which we are unique. Each of us looks for something a little different, but ultimately, seeks a good match when selecting a health care provider. At Eastside Chiropractic, they understand and honor our individuality and now offer the choice of two wonderful doctors in their Tumwater office, ensuring their patients always have a good match.
Dr. Murray Smith has been treating patients in the Olympia area since the mid-1980s and has raised his family here in our community. The practice has thrived and serves the wide variety of chiropractic needs for its patients. Although his pain-free patients may claim he is magic, Dr. Smith just can’t be in two places at once. With a busy office, increasing patient load and a wide variety of patient needs, he knew it was time for Eastside Chiropractic to expand.
Enter Dr. Amanda Kugel. A recent transplant to the Thurston County area, Dr. Kugel, a newly-wed who married on a rare, sunny November day in the San Juan Islands, is settling in well and is enjoying the mildness of our Northwest winter. No snow tires on the cars? No shoveling the walk? No down parka and snowboots to work? The Wisconsin native is thoroughly enjoying the change from a cold Midwest winter. She and her husband chose our area for the climate. They are outdoor enthusiasts who love to run, hike, and shoot sporting clays and our area can support their hobbies year round.
Dr. Kugel started her career as a Nutrition Counselor with the Green Bay Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) and will be bringing her expertise with this population to her chiropractic care. She knows well, from her time at WIC, the issues that abound with infants and postpartum mothers – colic, feeding issues, trouble sleeping, reflux – and has learned that they can often be alleviated by a chiropractic adjustment. “Birth, either vaginally or caesarean involves a lot of twisting of the head and neck- especially in a hurried situation – to deliver the baby and can really interfere with the cervical region. There are great adjustments to help women in the weeks leading up to delivery, and for the infant in the days following,” shares Dr. Kugel
And, to complement her past work with infants and children, Dr. Kugel will begin additional course work this spring to earn a certification in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic. While both she and Dr. Murray are trained to work with this population, Dr. Kugel will be specializing in this field, offering a wonderful choice for new parents dealing with pregnancy, infants, and the growth challenges of childhood.
There is another reason that Dr. Smith sought out Dr. Kugel to complement the already top-notch services at Eastside Chiropractic. She is certified in soft tissue methods including instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), trigger point therapy (NIMMO) and kinesiology taping.
If you are saying to yourself, “What is that?” you are likely not alone. Dr. Kugel explains, “IASTM uses special tools, called ‘gua sha’ (pronounced gwah shaw) which means ‘to raise sand’. The tools allow me to feel the vibrations of the tissues, much like a stethoscope allows a doctor to hear. I’m able to detect and treat soft tissue restrictions that affect normal movement and function, such as scar tissue from both old and recent injuries, along with chronic, overuse injuries, such as tennis elbow or computer related issues.” You know those awful knots you can’t seem to get out of your shoulders? Dr. Kugel can help.
IASTM sessions are intense, and usually last around 5-8 minutes. The tools are used to break up haphazard scar tissue, increases circulation to the problem area and helps begin the healing process. To complement this type of soft tissue work, Dr. Kugel also focuses on Active Care – creating at home exercise programs to increase strength and flexibility, address postural imbalances, and correct compensations from longtime injuries. Her certification in Kinesiology taping comes into play here. Specialized taping methods can be employed in the office to create stability and strengthen problem areas for support between appointments.
It’s clear that Dr. Kugel loves what she does. “I really enjoy seeing how muscles move bones and if there is imbalance in that musculature, I want to address that so you can hold your adjustments better and longer and ultimately, feel better.” And those who visit Eastside Chiropractic do feel better.
So, do you want your latte non-fat, extra hot, 1 ½ pumps of vanilla, no foam and in a double cup? We get it…we live here too. And Eastside Chiropractic gets it as well, offering you choices in who you see for chiropractic care. While they may not have quite as many choices as Starbucks, you can be sure that Dr. Kugel and Dr. Smith will provide the best care around, tailored just for you.
1526 Bishop Rd SW
Tumwater, WA 98512
360.459.9000
