Kostinas Chiropractic began in Pennsylvania. Twenty-one years ago, owner James Kostinas moved the business to Ewing.
Kostinas started as a straight chiropractor, which means he said means he only adjusted patients, rather than doing any other kinds of therapies or giving nutritional advice.
“I’m pretty much still a straight chiropractor,” he said. “I give some advice, but if there’s something else a person needs, I just tell them to go to that type of professional.”
One of the most important suggestions Kostinas makes is to drink water.
“If your muscles are tight from being dehydrated, they’re going to pull on the ligaments that pull on the bones,” he said. “If they pull on the bones, it’s pulling it out of position. If it’s out of position, that’s when you’re going to have pain.”
Kostinas said he doesn’t give patients other alternative methods of relief such as heat or cold applications.
“You can go home and put an ice pack on for free,” he said. “I’m not going to make you pay me $15 or whatever to put it on here.”
Kostinas said the main reason people are resistant to chiropractic is the fear of being hurt.
“In this office, you don’t get hurt,” Kostinas said. “I try to do everything by coaxing the bones to go back into place rather than forcing them back into place.”
Unlike most chiropractors, Kostinas almost always uses an instrument, rather than his hands, when performing adjustments.
“I found that a lot of people don’t like the crack,” he said. “A lot of people are afraid of the crack and tense up, which doesn’t allow the adjustment to work properly.”
Kostinas’ instrument looks almost like a hot glue gun and is applied directly to the spot that is out of place. Kostinas adjusts it in the direction it’s supposed to go, pulls the trigger and the adjustment goes in.
The instrument, unlike the direct pressure and weight of a human hand pressing against your bone, creates quick, rhythmic taps against your bone, so gentle it can also be used on infants.
Kostinas said the instrument works by softly swinging the bone, so it goes back and forth until it settles into its correct position.
“It’s like with a jar,” Kostinas said. “You don’t bang it once with a hammer. You get a knife and you tap, tap, and tap real gently until you break the seal.”
Kostinas said his favorite patients are pregnant women because they appreciate the instant relief in their lower backs.
Kostinas said although most chiropractors adjust pregnant women, he has a special technique and a special table.
The table has an opening for the stomach, so no pressure is applied to the fetus. The table is mechanical, and can be tilted straight up, so the women do not have to work at all to get onto the table.
“They lay here, and it’s the first time they’ve laid on their stomach in months,” Kostinas said.
Besides routine adjustments to help with back pain, Kostinas also works on the inguinal ligament with pregnant women.
Kostinas said the inguinal ligament allows the pelvis to open for the baby to come through.
Konstinas Chiropractic is located at 143 Upper Ferry Road in Ewing. For an appointment, call (609) 883-2225.
James Kostinas
