Mark McFarland has more than 25 years’ experience as a chiropractic practitioner. He recently moved to Central Oregon and opened McFarland Chiropractic of Redmond in early August. It is one of more than five locations he has opened in Oregon, California and Utah during the past 20 years. The difference in Redmond is he plans to stay here for the foreseeable future.

While McFarland offers a full array of chiropractic services, he also offers massages, nutritional information and health classes. His uncle, who also practiced, invited McFarland to find out more about the career after his collegiate sports career ended.

“I originally thought this was just for backaches,” McFarland said.

McFarland said the main thing that got him into the practice was seeing the effect it has on multiple children. One child his uncle treated suffered from chronic seizures and, after treatment, suffered only one in about an hour window. Another child suffered chronic headaches, and after about a month of treatment the headaches were gone.

“It’s awesome to be able to help people with injuries from auto accidents,” McFarland said. “But helping those kids was special; it’s where it became more than just backaches.”

For McFarland, being a chiropractor is about helping people — something he is passionate about.

“It’s an honor to be able to help people — it’s really what it’s all about,” McFarland said.

He has spent the almost 20 years opening offices, and eventually selling them to an associate doctor. McFarland plans to stay in Redmond because it is closer to his family, which has been in Central Oregon since the late 1940s.

He currently shares his location at 1421 S. U.S. Highway 97, but hopes to have the entire building within three months. One portion of the building will be dedicated to chiropractic services and massage therapy, and the other will be for nutrition, exercise and health. McFarland also offers athlete training and body analysis, including computerized spinal examination through Surface sEMG.

“This is where we want to live — it’s not too small, not too big,” McFarland said.

McFarland decided on moving to the area almost a year ago and has established himself in the community. He said he has seen more than 100 new patients since opening. He also offers free health classes that are open to the public, with the next on Jan. 10. RSVP is required.

He also wants to raise awareness of chiropractic treatment being more than just for backaches. McFarland said education about treatment options is important, and that chiropractic treatment affects the whole body because it works from the nervous system outward. He said it can often be more effective than taking medication.

“Chiropractic is going to the control center of the body,” McFarland said. “Therapy is great, but chiropractic helps more than just therapy. … I don’t tell people not to take drugs; I just want to get people fit and healthy and only use drugs as a last resort.”

McFarland Chiropractic is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is open to walk-ins. He said he estimates an average visit could cost around $89, without unforeseen ailments.

Early in his sports career, McFarland was told he was going to have to have surgery to fuse his back because of an injury. Before being laid out on the surgeon’s table he visited a chiropractor, and after continued treatment he was back on the field and continued into college. From his own experience, McFarland wants to raise awareness that chiropractic services can be an effective alternative to traditional medicine.

— Reporter, 541-548-2185, cbrown@redmondspokesman.com