About Richetto Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, PC (dba Tempe Spine & Disc)

 

Serving the greater Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, and Phoenix Areas.

If Dr. Richetto could sum up in one statement on how Tempe Spine & Disc (TS&D) offers patients the highest quality of care...it is simply, "a fanatical focus on doing one thing well...listening to my patients."

Our main objective is to accurately detect, diagnose, and treat the regions of your body that are causing dysfunction. It is critical that an accurate diagnosis be obtained for proper patient treatment and recovery. This allows the appropriate treatment protocol to be administered. You can expect a specific treatment plan and protocol to be assigned to you at TS&D. If you have visited another Chiropractic clinic and found yourself receiving the same treatments over and over and feel like a number and not a patient...then visit us. No routine, run of the mill, nor generic programs here at TS&D. You will have a personal treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.

Meet the Doctor

Dr. P. Andrew Richetto DC, CSCS is a graduate of the Southern California University of Health Sciences (formerly Los Angeles College of Chiropractic). Only 3 of the 18 Chiropractic Colleges in the US bear the distinction and designation of “University of Health Sciences" which defines it as an evidence-based program rather than relying on a majority of philosophy based education as many other schools offer. The other two recognized universities are National University of Health Sciences and North Western University of Health Sciences. These three Universities are viewed by many practicing Chiropractors as “the medical schools” of Chiropractic acedemia, offering an extremely high level of education while excelling in academic challenges in hopes of preparing the Chiropractic Physician of tomorrow. They are fully accredited by regional accreditation associations recognized by the federal government, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges for SCUHS, and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for NUHS respectively.

Upon graduation in early 2007, Dr. Richetto worked as an associtate doctor with Dr.Timothy Hirst who runs a successful practice in Gilbert Arizona. Dr. Hirst is also a fellow graduate of SCUHS and is a very accomplished Health Care provider.

Dr. Richetto began his college education at the University of Alabama, home of the Crimson Tide! He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business and enrolled in the Manderson School of Business to pursue an MBA. Dr. Richetto then served a 2 year mission for his church in sunny Orange County California, where his life and career path would forever change. Having suffered from low back pain since youth, Dr. Richetto received his first Chiropractic Adjustment at the age of 19. This was his first real taste of relief in over 4 years of pain. While serving his mission in California, he developed an intense sharp pain in his jaw that left him unable to chew solid food for over 2 weeks. With no resolution in symptoms after treatment from MDs and Dentists, Dr. Richetto visited his Chiropractor for a low back adjustment. When asked by his Chiropractor, Dr. John Holland, "Is there anything else?" Dr. Richetto hesitated and said, "well, you're just a Chiropractor...but my jaw is killing me..." With a grin on his face, Dr. Holland delivered a TMJ adjustment that immediatley relieved all my pain, and the rest, as they say...is history.

Dr. Richetto also is a certified Physiotherapist, which is a separate certification above and beyond his Chiropractic Degree. These include therapeutic exercises, joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, and manual therapy. Lastly, Dr. Richetto is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) which is a certificate that can only be obtained after a 4-year Bachelors degree or any Doctorate Degree. For more information on this, please visit the NSCA website.

What to expect on your initial visit

Dr. Richetto will perform a detailed health history, orthopedic examination, and refer out for xrays if needed.  You should set aside 10-15 minutes to fill out the new patient forms, or you can download them here to save some time on your first visit.  All patient information you fill out is completely confidential and all of your personal and health information is protected by HIPAA.  Depending on the outcome of Dr. Richetto’s findings, a new patient can expect to be given some treatment therapies immediately following the examination to provide temporary relief of pain or other symptoms. However, Dr. Richetto will make a determination as to whether or not Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy (CMT) is warranted on the first visit. 

What to expect on your second visit

Dr. Richetto will be with you one on one to go over a Review of Findings (ROF).  During this time, Dr. Richetto will review with you his findings from the initial visit and make recommendations on what direction and treatment protocol will best be suited for your needs and goals.  This would be an appropriate time to discuss with Dr. Richetto any needs or concerns you have with Chiropractic care, or even any expectations you may have concerning your course of care.

What to expect from treatments

TS&D is what we call a “closed adjustment environment” meaning that CMT is administered in the privacy of a closed room located within the office.  Having worked in other offices that provide an "open adjustment environment," where there is no privacy between the patient and doctor and the rest of the office patrons, Dr. Richetto feels it is in the patient's best interest to have a private adjusting room where the patient can feel free to discuss with the doctor any private or personal medical issues. Unfortunately, these matters cannot be discussed if an open adjustment pod is being utilized by a Chiropractor.

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a healthcare discipline that has been practiced for hundreds of years. The Americanized version was created by D.D. Palmer who cured an employee of his ear deafness by contacting and adjusting his thoracic spine, thus restoring the employees hearing.  From this, what is known today as modern Chiropractic care, was born. Chiropractic care addresses the musculoskeletal system by detecting misalignments (subluxations) of the spine or extremity joints, then applying a specific directional force to realign the spine or joint.  This method has been time tested and proven to be extremely effective in resolving several pain conditions.  Chiropractic has helped resolve or alleviate several conditions including tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, Migraine headaches, cervical radiculitis, pinched nerve, muscle strains, disc lesions/herniations, sacro-iliac dysfunction, Facet syndrome, Piriformis syndrome, Sciatica, Frozen Shoulder, ear infections, TMJ, fibromyalgia, non-viral/bacterial vertigo, and rib pain.  This is just a quick list and should not be viewed as an all inclusive list. 

Is a Chiropractor a real Doctor?

YES. Chiropractors are highly knowledgeable and skilled physicians trained to diagnose and treat many conditions.  It is the responsibility of the Chiropractor to gain a full understanding of their patient’s condition, and if needed, refer the patient out to a specific specialist if the indicated treatment is out of the scope of Chiropractic care.  For example, a patient may present to the office with low back pain from an activity or injury they realize caused the pain.  However, a patient may present to the office with low back pain or numbness in the hands and feet from an unknown cause (insidious onset).  The Chiropractor must be able to perform a detailed history and examination to determine whether or not this patient’s particular condition warrants referral to a medical doctor for consultation or blood work/urine analysis to rule out internal pathology such as cancer or diabetes. 

After fulfilling undergraduate pre-med pre-requisites such as physics, biology, anatomy, chemistry, organic chemistry, and psychology, the Chiropractic candidate applies for acceptance into a Chiropractic institution.  Most universities offer a 10 “trimester” program allowing the Chiropractic student year round education.  This effectively condenses the standard 5 year academic program into a little under 3 and a half years.  The initial 2 years of classes focus on anatomy, pathology, pharmatoxicology, and neuroscience, a majority of which is taught by professors who are M.D.s.  We are taught from some of the same text books used in Medical Universities as well as Dental schools.  The main difference between our profession and the traditional medical profession is that we do not perform surgery or prescribe medication, as this is out of the scope of Chiropractic practice.  What we do share is the ability to be a primary care physician and diagnose a patient’s condition and recommend a proper treatment plan/protocol.  In some instances, a Chiropractor will pursue further education in the traditional medical profession by obtaining a medical license (M.D.) in order to increase their scope of practice. 

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2163 E Baseline Rd Ste 105, Tempe AZ 85283

© Richetto Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, PC. 2012 Tempe, Arizona 85283