My Experience at DiLorenzo Chiropractic, by Matthew Romans

I am currently taking an exercise science course online, and one of the course requirements is to complete ten observation hours in an exercise science-related professional setting. I completed my hours at DiLorenzo Chiropractic, which is located just up the street from my house in Leesburg. Dr. Matt DiLorenzo and his wife Mandy own the practice; they are long-term clients of our exercise studio and have referred several of their patients to us over the years, so I was somewhat familiar with Dr. DiLorenzo's philosophy. Dr. DiLorenzo is the sole chiropractor in the practice, and Mandy runs the office, takes care of scheduling appointments, handles payments, and communicates with the insurance companies. Dr. DiLorenzo treats patients with a wide variety of injuries and ailments, and some of his patients have worked with him for many years.

One of the key components to Dr. DiLorenzo's chiropractic treatment protocol is to understand the nature of subluxations. These are changes to spinal and postural alignment which can irritate nerves and cause pain. As Dr. DiLorenzo says, "The structure of the spine dictates the function of the nervous system", so he performs adjustments on his patients in order to restore proper alignment and relieve pain. He believes in sticking to the basics, as his practice is not a rehabilitation or physical therapy clinic. The specific nature of treatment will depend on the individual patient he is working with, but with new patients he will perform an initial consultation in which he learns as much as he can about a patient's medical history. He takes a series of x-rays on new patients (which is done on the premises), and prepares an oral report to explain the nature of the patient's structural problem. Although this rarely occurs, Dr. DiLorenzo can also prepare a written report upon request. Treatment frequency can vary, depending on the patient. Dr. DiLorenzo generally recommends that patients receive treatment twice per week for six weeks to start; by this point they should start to feel some relief and get an indication that the treatment is working. Beyond that point, patients might come more or less frequently. Some of the patients I observed come once per week, every two weeks, or even once per month.

Education is a very important aspect of the treatment philosophy of DiLorenzo Chiropractic. Dr. DiLorenzo talks at length with patients about the importance of supplementation, diet, and exercise, in addition to regular movement. He makes book suggestions and usually gives educational handouts about chiropractic treatment to his patients each week. I am very impressed at the rapport and the connection that the DiLorenzos have with their patients; they are well-liked and well-respected, which is one reason why so many of them are long-term patients. Dr. DiLorenzo talks to his patients throughout their treatment sessions; this helps to keep the patients at ease and feeling comfortable, even when they are in discomfort. I was slightly surprised at how brief each treatment session typically is, but Dr. DiLorenzo is very efficient at diagnosing where the patient is misaligned, and he is able to restore function and relieve pain very quickly.

I learned quite a bit during the time I spent at DiLorenzo Chiropractic. As I said, they have both been clients at my studio for over a decade, but I confess that prior to this experience, my knowledge of their practice was quite superficial. I had an opportunity to take an x-ray of Dr. DiLorenzo's knee (he is scheduled to have a meniscal procedure shortly), and he showed me how to do it. That was a great experience for me. He also went over patient x-rays with me, as well as strategies that he would implement to help restore function and relieve pain. I was given much reading material, and even got a few excellent book suggestions. I have a better understanding of the nature of Dr. DiLorenzo's chiropractic treatment, and feel even more confident in referring clients to him. Mandy was very generous with her time and knowledge as well, especially in discussing with me all that is involved with running the office on a daily basis, challenges that they face, and the most rewarding aspects of owning this practice.

Working with the DiLorenzos helped to reinforce my belief in what I am doing. The DiLorenzos and I share a similar outlook on life, and believe many of the same things that I believe, and I think it's important to have allies in life as well as in business. We had many discussions about things going on in the world and the challenges that come from running a business in the current political climate.

I am grateful to Matt and Mandy for being so generous with their time and knowledge, and for making me feel welcome at their office. I hope to return for another visit in the future. If you suffer from joint pain, headaches, or other maladies, I highly recommend you check out DiLorenzo Chiropractic.