Patient Testimonial

Cathy Burnat
Newcastle, Ontario
August, 2002

Five days ago, after working hunched over a piece of needlework for a short time, I stood up to find a dull throbbing in my lower back. It was not awful, just annoying and not something I have not felt before. I thought I would just be able to “walk it off” as I have done in the past. By the morning of day two the throb had turned to pain and I was finding it difficult to stand up straight. The pain increased throughout the day and I did not sleep much that night. The pain in my lower back seemed to have “rolled” to one side, and each time I tried to change my sleeping position it brought new waves and entirely new definitions to the term “shooting pain”. By day three, I was in agony.

I called my chiropractor.

The one-hour drive into Toronto was nothing short of unbearable, but I trusted that my visit would be successful. Dr. Borys Chambul is a gentle giant filled with compassion and the genuine gift of healing in his hands. His 6-foot-plus frame towered over my diminutive five-feet more than usual this day because I now could truly not stand up straight at all. Within a few direct questions, he had ascertained the cause of the pain, a bulging disc, and proceeded to treat me.

There was no high-brow medical terminology thrown into the mix. He explained the problem clearly and in simple terms and assured me there was nothing to worry about. Acupuncture needles were inserted, followed by manual adjustments and ending with a soothing ice pack. All the while Dr. Chambul spoke to me in a calm and comforting way. By the time he helped me off of the table and to my feet I was standing straight and there were no longer daggers of pain in my back and hip. A mere tightness remained. Oh, and did I mention that Dr. Chambul's treatment was completely painless?

I returned for a second treatment the next day. It was the same as the first. I joked this time and asked, “How long before I feel normal again?” With his non-nonsense attitude, he carefully explained that four to six weeks was not unreasonable, but he did not leave it at that. He explained gentle exercises that I could do on my own to relieve the discomfort and strengthen my back. He spoke to me of nutritional supplements that would help the healing process. And when I stood up from the table, I was amazed to discover that short of a slight tightness in my back, I was pain free. That was five hours ago. Dr. Chambul called me an hour ago to find out how I was, and I was thrilled to tell him there was no pain.

I now have a new empathy for anyone living with chronic pain. I could not stand it for three days, never mind years or a lifetime. But I really need to share this miracle with you. Chiropractic works, and when it is performed by a talented and educated practitioner it is a miracle. Dr. Chambul has been my own little miracle, and if I had to choose the one thing most impressive about him is that he treats the “whole” and not the “part”. Because he genuinely wants his patients to be happy and healthy, he is quick to advise easy “do-it-yourself” aids. He does not just treat the symptoms; he actually cares about the cause so it can be corrected at the symptoms' source.