PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Some people can just feel the stress of the pandemic all the way down to their bones.
Darlene is a retired police officer and current flight attendant. She knew it was time to get her back cracked, before her patience cracked.
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“I started feeling some stress, I said, 'well it's time to start taking care of me, I need to make my way back into the chiropractor, physical therapy, take care of myself first,' so I can take care of my family,” said Darlene.
Dr. Richard Tantillo, with Alexander Spine Center, said you can throw your body out of alignment from many different ways, including dealing with a pandemic.
“Emotional stress, physical stress, both can manifest itself in the same way, joint pain, neck pain, low back pain, mid-back pain, headaches,” said Tantillo.
So Alexander Spine Center is offering free chiropractic care to all Pinellas County first responders between now and the end of June.
“Each one of those first responders is out on that front line and doing what they are supposed to be doing and we just make sure we keep them going,” said Tantillo.
Alexander Spine Center said doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters have so much weight on their shoulders, physically and figuratively. It’s an honor to make sure those shoulders remain strong.
“It’s difficult enough to do their job and then compliment that with having some issue where it makes the job difficult because of their pain,” said Tantillo.
As for Darlene, she encourages all first responders to take advantage of the relief she is already feeling. She said it’s OK to take time out for your own well being.
“People around you, whether they are your patients, your clients, your customers, they are extra stressed and you are trying to help them with their stress so at the end of the day you bring home everybody’s stress,” said Darlene.
For more information, or to set up an appointment, click here or call (727) 397-3000.
