Conservative Pain Management

Postural asymmetry (misalignment) is sometimes associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Using gentle stretching and strengthening techniques we attempt to restore the proper musculoskeletal postural relationships intended for your body. Over a period of weeks muscle lengths are reset and your skeleton is repositioned for a gradual return to the postural design originally intended for your body. Our method puts the client in control by providing him/her with techniques he/she can apply at home to conquer chronic pain.  There are clients for whom surgery, manipulation or medication is the best option and, for those individuals, we may not be able to help them.  When surgery is the best option for a client, the best we may be able to offer is to extend the time before the surgery.  If you’ve been told that surgery is the only thing that will relieve your pain, you may want to consider one more option. While we can’t help everyone, these techniques have provided relief to many people with low-back, hip, shoulder, neck and wrist pain, etc. - without the use of surgery, medication or manipulation.

Prior to your first training session, you will consult with Dr. Gustafson when you will be oriented to the program and the facility.  Dr. Gustafson will shoot four posture photos (front, back, left side and right side).  Wear shorts that reveal the knees, a t-shirt with the tail tucked in the waistband of the shorts and no socks or shoes. You may dress for the photos before you leave home or change once at the clinic.
 

Prior to your arrival Dr. Gustafson will, based on an evaluation of the posture photos, develop a therapy plan. When you arrive, Dr. Gustafson will gather information about the location of the pain, when the pain occurs and how long you have experienced the pain.
 

For all your training sessions you will wear a t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes for your appointment.  Some activities will be performed in shoes and some will be performed without shoes.  You will complete a number of movements (most of which are not effort-intensive) to begin modifying muscle length relationships which, over time, will modify your posture, leading to improved function and reduction of pain.  As you proceed through the training session, you will provide essential feedback to Dr. Gustafson which will be used to fine tune the training routine if necessary.  Dr. Gustafson will provide you with a routine to perform at home each day prior to the next training session.  If your feedback requires the training plan to be modified, Dr. Gustafson will email the revised plan to you within 24 hours.  Before you leave an appointment will be scheduled for your next session. 

In my opinion, Dr. Paul Gustafson is a lifesaver. I had been experiencing pain in the right side of my lower back off and on for several years. In 2014, it gradually worsened to the point that I could do very little without excruciating pain. Any movement at all was at times very difficult. Diagnostic tests were inclusive, and, needing some relief, along with fearing surgery, I decided to talk to Paul. Following his instructions, and doing the exercises as prescribed, I can now do essentially whatever I want with no back pain. At 71 years of age, it's a tremendous blessing to be able to move as if I were thirty or forty years younger. I give all the credit to Dr. Gustafson.
Kurt M. – North Augusta, SC

The full benefit of our method will not be realized in one visit.  However, if the client does not obtain some improvement in pain/discomfort level during the first therapy, there will be no charge and no obligation to continue. If the client does experience some level of pain/discomfort reduction, or the client requests a second visit, the client will be charged for the initial visit and any subsequent visit according to the published rate schedule.  It is Dr. Gustafson’s hope to put himself out of business with every client. The goal is to take each client to the point where there will be a final appointment where he/she leaves with a plan which, when applied daily, will help the client maintain the gains obtained during the previous visits. Of course, the client is always welcome to return in the future for further consultation.

Clients may elect to pay on a per visit basis at the rate of $59 per visit.  Clients may also purchase 6 visits in advance, for $249 to be used within one year from the date of purchase. If, after purchasing and completing a six-visit package, the client requires additional visits, the client will pay on a per visit basis at the rate of $29.00 per visit.  There is no time limit per visit although most visits can be completed within 1.5-2.0 hours.

Appointments are also offered via FaceTime, Facebook video chat or Zoom.  These appointments may take a bit longer, but rates will not increase as a result of the additional time.

Q:  Do you accept insurance reimbursement?

A:  We are not set up to accept insurance reimbursement.  We are a self-pay clinic.

Q:  Why do you offer a multiple session discount?

A:  The full benefit of the method will not be realized in one session.  So we offer and drastic discount per session when purchasing multiple sessions.  In generally takes 6 +/- sessions to realized the full benefit of the method, after which the client leads with a daily plan to maintain the gains achieved at the clinic.