“About 4 years ago, my family doctor, a doctor of osteopathy, began treating me for severe back pain and numbness in my right leg that caused my foot to drag and sometimes I’d fall. I was a student so I carried a heavy backpack and did a lot of walking across campus, which just aggravated my symptoms. She ran some test, took a long history, and then announced to me that she thought I may have the beginnings of Multiple Sclerosis. My shock was great but my fear was worse.

I saw a neurologist who performed some tests and then sent me to Indiana University School of Medicine Hospital for further evaluation. Tests there were inconclusive (technically my diagnosis was “poly-neuropathy”) so I continued treatment with my D.O., only my symptoms became worse. I was losing my balance, the numbness in my leg was so bad that I was finally fitted for a leg brace so that I could walk and walk without falling. The neuropathy was spreading to my left leg and both my arms and hands, although my right side was affected more than the left. I’d often drop things and lose my balance just trying to sit down or go through a doorway.

I had finished my B.A. degree and was accepted into a PH.D. program at the University of Notre Dame. After being there a year and trying to get around campus the size of a small city, I was very discouraged about being able to complete my goal. I was not getting better, felt hopeless, and became depressed. I had to give up many of the things I did with my kids like rollerblading, roller-skating, walking, biking, and my favorite, playing racquetball. I was even having trouble getting everyday household chores done. The most difficult and humbling thing was to apply for a handicapped parking sticker - I felt as if I was giving in to the illness that plagued me. Then Dora Ross, a friend from my children’s school, told me about Dr. Schneider and the success she had at his clinic for her back problems. I knew that I had to do something different before I ended up in a wheelchair, so I made an appointment and went in.

I was apprehensive about seeing a chiropractor because I had learned to depend on medicines for pain relief and knew he would not be able to prescribe medicines. I immediately found that the traditional idea I held of a chiropractor (twisting and contorting my body in all sorts of ways) did not hold up with Dr. Schneider. His technique, tests, x-rays, procedures, everything, was explained to me thoroughly. For the first time in several years I had hope that I could be well and feel better about myself.

I am healing and I do feel better. Within the first 2 weeks of treatment, the neuropathy began to disappear. The numbness, tingling and “restless leg” symptoms I had were rapidly dissipating and I was able to throw out my leg brace! I am now 9 months into treatment and not only has all the feeling and strength come back to both arms, hands and left leg, I have 90% of the feeling and strength back in my right leg, the leg I thought was “dead” forever.

I am beginning my third year at Notre Dame and LOVE walking around the beautiful campus - the same campus I saw a year ago as an obstacle to my future. I have enjoyed playing racquetball again and have the strength to rollerblade, bike, and walk with my kids. They think Dr. Mark is the best ... and so do I!”
— Chris P., Goshen, IN