Asthma American Canyon, CA

Asthma

The leading physicians at Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, provide non-invasive, drug-free treatment for asthma. They have been helping asthma suffers throughout the greater Napa area breathe easier for over two decades. They use their hands to free up the motion of the rib cage, calm down irritated nerves that involve the lungs, and relieve congestion and cough.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a common and sometimes debilitating chronic respiratory disorder that makes it difficult to breathe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 24 million Americans suffer from asthma, 6.3 million of whom are under the age of 18. Asthma is the number one chronic disease among children and one of the leading reasons for missed days of school. Asthma sufferers may also experience wheezing, tightness in the chest, and coughing, as well as a susceptibility to infections.

What happens during an asthma attack?

During an asthma attack, the airways narrow as a result of inflammation within the lining of the airways. Muscles around the airways tighten, making the swollen airway even smaller. This causes shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. These reactions may be triggered by an environmental substance such as pollen or dust mites, a specific food, like wheat or dairy, or fatigue or physical exertion.

What is unique about the way asthma is treated at Bay Area Osteopathic?

Conventional medicine treats asthma by masking symptoms with medication. However, as dedicated experts in osteopathic medicine, the physicians at Bay Area Osteopathic address the underlying neurologic, immunologic, and structural causes of the condition. Osteopathic treatment for asthma, or any issue, begins with an examination of the patient’s whole body. Osteopaths understand that the body’s functions are all inherently linked. When it comes to asthma, special attention is paid to the area where the head and the neck meet, where the parasympathetic nervous system is frequently impinged. Asthma sufferers have overactive parasympathetic nervous systems. Through osteopathic manipulative techniques, the Bay Area Osteopathic team balance the patient’s nervous system. They also focus osteopathic manipulation on the upper (or thoracic) back, the ribs, and the diaphragm. This helps relax respiratory muscles, improve lymphatic drainage, and relieve congestion in the lungs, sinuses, and air passages in the chest. In short, osteopathic manipulative medicine aims to decrease the amount of work the body has to do to breathe. They then apply the principles of functional medicine, which seeks to find what the body is lacking that made the patient susceptible in the first place and reverse that deficiency with nutrition and natural supplements to reduce the severity of the disease. Medication can be prescribed but is only used if all other choices are not sufficient.

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Cerebral Palsy American Canyon, CA

Cerebral Palsy

Babies and children born with cerebral palsy endure a wide range of difficulties. For over two decades, Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, has been helping young patients with cerebral palsy through drug-free cranial osteopathy.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is actually a group of disorders, characterized by low tone or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, uncoordinated or involuntary movements, crooked posture, and difficulty or the inability to walk. About 10,000 babies born in this country every year develop cerebral palsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Severity and the number of specific disabilities vary greatly. Many individuals with cerebral palsy also suffer from oral motor dysfunction, including difficulties in swallowing and speech. Most people with cerebral palsy also experience physical pain as a result of their impairments. Cerebral palsy is caused by a brain injury or brain malformation that occurs before, during, or just following birth, when an infant’s brain is still developing.

How does Bay Area Osteopathic help babies and children with cerebral palsy?

While cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, Bay Area Osteopathic’s doctors have helped improve symptoms and pain associated with this condition for a number of young patients, by performing Osteopathy in the Cranial Field. Cranial osteopathy is a gentle manual manipulation of the head and spine that seeks to free the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the nervous system, as well as freeing the movement of bones in the skull. Individuals with cerebral palsy also frequently suffer from digestive issues, such as reflux and constipation that manual manipulation can be effective in alleviating. The goal through osteopathy is to limit and reduce the unpleasant symptoms.

Is cranial osteopathy safe for babies and children?

Yes, it is. Bay Area Osteopathic has safely treated children, babies, and even newborns with great success. Cranial osteopathy involves an extremely gentle manipulation of the head and spine. Treatment can actually be most effective in newborns and young babies because their skull bones have yet to fuse. Please keep in mind that immediate reaction to treatment varies considerably. But many babies and toddlers experience extreme relaxation immediately following treatment and enjoy great sleep.

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Torticollis American Canyon, CA

Torticollis

Seeing your baby with a wry neck caused by torticollis is distressing. Fortunately, this condition can be treated with surgery-free, non-invasive and gentle osteopathic manipulation. Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, provides osteopathic manipulation that has remedied torticollis in even the youngest of patients.

What is torticollis?

“Torticollis,” also called wryneck, is the Latin word for "twisted column,” or “collar." This condition, which most often occurs in newborns and infants under two months of age, is characterized by a baby’s head unnaturally tilting to one side and a difficulty in turning his or her neck from side to side or up and down. Sometimes, one side of the baby’s face and head looks flattened due to the child favoring the same side of the head. This is a commonly overlooked cause of breastfeeding difficulty. The baby appears to “prefer” breastfeeding on one side because he or she has trouble turning his or her head to feed on one side.

What causes Torticollis?

Torticollis in newborns is frequently caused by poor positioning in the womb or trauma incurred during birth. A baby’s skull is designed to be pliable in order to pass through the birth canal. However, in some instances, their heads get stuck, which can cause excessive molding of the cranial bones and injury to the spinal accessory nerve that is integral to neck muscle functioning. Torticollis is most common in large babies, difficult deliveries and in C-section or breech deliveries. It also often occurs in conjunction with congenital hip dislocation. Less often, torticollis in the result of an injury, infection, or congenital malformation of the neck.

How does Bay Area Osteopathic treat Torticollis?

The practice has had incredible results in restoring symmetry and health to babies suffering from torticollis. The doctors here always begins with a thorough examination of the child and questions parents in-depth about the pregnancy, baby’s birth, and postnatal course. They may also request imaging tests, such as x-rays and ultrasound scans of the child's neck and/or hips. Most often, treatment for torticollis involves osteopathic manipulation treatment of the cervical spine (neck), the occipital-atlantal joint (between the first and second vertebra), the upper ribs, and the back, base and sides of the skull. Everyone is different but in most cases, torticollis can be totally corrected. The length of treatment will vary with the severity of the spasm. In addition, other symptoms associated with torticollis. Feeding difficulties, constipation, sleeping difficulties) also resolve as the range of motion improves.

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Vertigo American Canyon, CA

Vertigo

Vertigo, the feeling that the room is spinning, affects some 40% of adults over age 40 at least once. However, if you are among those for whom vertigo is a chronic problem, Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, offers effective, drug-free, osteopathic relief.

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is characterized by the feeling of dizziness and spinning. It can be accompanied by a loss of balance, unsteadiness, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can come and go or disappear for a lengthy period time and then return later on. While not life-threatening in and of itself, vertigo is extremely uncomfortable and can put sufferers at risk for falling, which can be life-threatening in some cases.

What causes vertigo?

Vertigo is connected to structural issues related to the neck or inner ear. Sensory information from the neck is combined with information from the inner ear and eyes to determine position and balance. Muscle/fascial tension and altered spinal mobility and position can compromise the nervous system, causing abnormal feedback to the brain. The result can be a feeling of lightheadedness and dizziness. Neck tension can be caused by many factors, including whiplash, teeth grinding, poor posture or stress. The inner ear is integral to balance, as well. This structure is extremely important, as it contains fluid-filled canals, which help the body sense its body position and orientation, like gyroscopes. Conditions that can affect the inner ear also vary. These include Ménière's disease, motion sickness, and toxicity of the ear caused by medicines.

How does Bay Area Osteopathic treat vertigo?

As with treating any condition, the physicians at Bay Area Osteopathic begin by taking a full medical history and conducting a thorough physical examination to determine the origin of vertigo. While specifics will differ between patients, treatment for vertigo typically includes performing osteopathic manipulation to restore pain-free, full range-of-motion of the cervical spine (the neck), and surrounding muscles in the body. Osteopathic manual treatments improve equilibrium by balancing the signals the body sends to the brain. Gentle and precise osteopathic manipulation is less invasive than drugs or surgery and addresses the underlying cause of problems, rather than merely offering a temporary fix.

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Constipation American Canyon, CA

Constipation

Whether you’re five days, five years, or fifty, constipation can be incredibly uncomfortable. It’s also highly treatable with non-invasive, drug-free osteopathic manipulation treatment. The team of physicians at Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, has relieved constipation with this technique for patients of all ages throughout the greater Napa area. Applying the principles of functional medicine can also prevent its return.

What is constipation?

Constipation is a condition in which a person suffers from infrequent or hard, dry bowel movements or a combination of these. Although everyone is different, generally infrequent bowel movements are considered less than three per week. Constipation, which can become chronic if not treated, may lead to abdominal pain, rectal prolapses and anal fissures (painful tears in the skin around the anus). It can also cause bladder infections by not allowing the bladder to drain completely. Constipation is especially common in children and pregnant women.

How does Bay Area Osteopathic treat constipation?

Traditional medicine generally treats constipation with medication – over the counter or prescription – fiber supplements, laxatives or changes in diet. Most of these approaches, however, only address the symptoms. Dietary changes may help in some cases but aren’t always effective. Many individuals have a well-balanced diet and still suffer from constipation. This is because constipation can be caused by underlying restrictive tensions of the visceral organs, such as compression, adhesion or strain of the ligaments and connective tissues around these organs. Injuries and falls, particularly those on the buttocks and tailbone, can cause such tension in the last part of the colon. Tension at the base of the skull can also cause the small intestine and first part of the colon to slow down. The body’s organs move in sync with one another, as well as with the motion of the diaphragm, ribs, and spine. When motion is limited it can slow down the movement of organs  in the abdomen. The result is often constipation. At Bay Area Osteopathic, mobility is restored with osteopathic manipulation. While specifics may differ between patients, these techniques will likely include fascial release of the iliopsoas (hip flexor) and release of the sacrum and cranial base. Gentle visceral manipulation of the bowel can be particularly helpful to mobilize if there are any adhesions.

Is osteopathic manipulation safe for babies and children?

It absolutely is. Osteopathic manipulation is extremely safe and effective in treating a wide variety of issues suffered by babies, including newborns, as well as children, adolescents, and adults. In addition to constipation, these include reflux, colic and other feeding issues and various problems with sleep.

Osteopathic manipulation has been shown to be safe and effective in pregnancy, decreasing pain, and complications.

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Ear Infection American Canyon, CA

Ear Infection

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics now advocate against the routine use of antibiotics for treating ear infections. The doctors at Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, have been remedying ear infections with drug-free osteopathic manipulation for over two decades.

What is an ear infection?

Ear infections are among the most frequent reason for early childhood visits to the doctor. In fact, five out of six children have at least one ear infection by the age of three, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). These infections occur in the small pocket of air behind the eardrum, that can fill up with fluid or pus. This buildup can cause extreme pain. There are many reasons that can cause fluid and pus to accumulate in the middle ear. Among the most common causes is early childhood trauma to the head, either during the birth process or as the result of childhood injuries. Allergies and exposure to smoke or pollution can cause congestion of the ears and sinuses and predispose a person to ear infections.

How can I tell if my child has an ear infection?

To ascertain whether there is an ear infection, a pediatrician must examine the inside of the child’s ear with a special instrument called a pneumatic otoscope. However, there are many signs that parents recognize as likely indicators of an ear infection. These include:

  • Pulling or tugging at an ear
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Excessive crying
  • Excessive irritability
  • Difficulty hearing
  • Difficulty with balance
  • A fever
  • Fluid draining from the ear
  • A headache

How are ear infections treated at Bay Area Osteopathic?

For years, conventional medicine has treated childhood ear infections with the use of antibiotics. As a result of such overuse, ear infections are becoming antibiotic-resistant. Exposure to antibiotics can disrupt the gut biome, the normal bacterial balance in the gut. This can permanently affect the digestive system, the whole immune system, and lead to later complications such as obesity.

Osteopathic practitioners have long advocated treating ear infections by correcting the underlying structural restrictions of the ear. These are responsible for fluid accumulation in the first place. To correct structural restrictions in the ear, osteopathic doctors uses various manipulation techniques. Though the pain is in the ear, osteopathic medicine recognizes the connection between all areas of the body. For that reason, remedying an ear infection may entail manipulation of the head, upper ribs, sacrum and cervical and thoracic spine. In addition, they may recommend functional medicine intervention to support the immune system naturally, removing environmental triggers and repairing the gut biome.

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Autism American Canyon, CA

Autism

A diagnosis of autism or autism spectrum disorder can be challenging for parents and their children alike. Bay Area Osteopathic located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, has helped improve the quality of life for children with autism and their families in the greater Napa area, through the uses of drug-free cranial osteopathy.

What is Autism?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a group of complex disorders that are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as, repetitive behaviors. ASD is caused by issues in the earliest brain development, although signs of the disorder usually don’t become evident until about the age of 2 or 3. These problems with brain development appear to have a variety of causes, including both genetic and environmental factors. Autism seems to have underlying problems with the immune system and a high burden of inflammation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 68 children (one in 42 boys) in this country are on the autism spectrum. In some but not all cases, autism is associated with intellectual disabilities, attention issues, and other health issues that typically include: seizures and sleep and digestive issues.  Social interaction is usually markedly impaired and language, executive functions, and self-care skills can be seriously impacted as well. Sometimes, children with ASD have exceptional talent in a particular area, such as music, art, or mathematics.

How does Bay Area Osteopathic treat children with autism?

As long-time practitioners of osteopathic medicine, the doctors at Bay Area Osteopathic recognize the inherent connection between structure and function in the body. As such, they use their extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system to diagnose the unique structural problems in each patient. With this information, they use osteopathic manipulation, including Osteopathy in the Cranial Field to remedy these structural problems. In doing so, they have helped improve the quality of life and symptoms of numerous children with ASD. The doctors  manipulate and stretch specific muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons to restore structure and improve nerve function. In addition, functional medicine principles are used to identify environmental triggers, support any genetic problems that are causing increased inflammation or impairment of the immune system.

Is cranial manipulation safe for toddlers and children?

Absolutely. In fact, due to the gentle nature of the treatment, it is often used, for a variety of issues, on pregnant women and newborns who’ve suffered difficult deliveries. Many patients, especially those with autism, find treatment calming.

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Concussion American Canyon, CA

Concussion

The expert team of physicians at Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, bring two decades of experience to providing osteopathic manipulation treatment for concussions and other types of traumatic brain injury (TBI). These doctors have helped speed recovery from concussions and TBIs for children and adults throughout the greater Bay area.

What are concussions and TBIs?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that alters brain function to varying degrees. Concussions are usually caused by a blow to the head, a common occurrence in contact sports like football and soccer. However, a concussion can also occur as the result of a car accident or even a slip and fall. Sometimes people suffering concussions lose consciousness, but often no loss of consciousness occurs. As a result, individuals may sustain a concussion and not appreciate how severely they have been affected until the symptoms last longer than expected. Mild concussions typically resolve themselves with rest in a few days. However, in an estimated 15% of cases, effects are experienced longer-term. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that roughly 1.4 to 3.8 million concussions are sustained annually in the United States.

What are common symptoms of a concussion?

Concussion symptoms can range from subtle to severe and may appear immediately or hours and even days after the injury. The duration of symptoms ranges widely as well, from days to weeks or longer. Among the most common symptoms of a concussion are:

  • Headache
  • Amnesia
  • Temporary loss of consciousness
  • Confusion and an inability to concentrate
  • Dizziness
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Slurred speech
  • Fatigue
  • Sensitivity to light and/or noise
  • Problems sleeping

How does osteopathic manual manipulation treat concussions and TBIs?

In treating a concussion or other traumatic brain injuries, the doctors at Bay Area Osteopathic start with a complete medical history and physical examination to determine the exact origin and severity of the brain injury. They will develop a personalized treatment plan utilizing osteopathic manipulation to aid the body in restoring the flow of cerebrospinal fluid through the central nervous system. Numerous studies have shown these techniques, which include manipulation of the skull, and the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, to be highly effective in relieving symptoms, speeding recovery time, and improving outcomes for patients with concussions and TBIs.

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Neurobiofeedback American Canyon, CA

Neurobiofeedback

Whether you're struggling with traumatic brain injury, concussion, depression, sleep disturbance, dementia, stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, anxiety, balance issues, autism, ADHD, or another neurological condition, neurobiofeedback can help you improve your cognitive capacities. It can also ease depression and anxiety, and retrain your brain to proper functionality. This revolutionary therapy is only available at Bay Area Osteopathic on Broadway Street located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, so call or click to schedule an appointment today.

How does the nervous system work?

Found in the brain and spinal cord, the autonomic nervous system keeps your body in a state of balance, whether you're awake or asleep, from the day you're born until the day you die.

The rest of your body's functions, walking, running, chewing, reading, or any other voluntary movement is controlled by the peripheral nervous system. This circuit of nerves originates from the brain and spinal cord and travels through the rest of the body, collecting information along the way and sending it back to the autonomic nervous system.

What is the difference between Biofeedback and Neurobiofeedback?

Biofeedback uses technological readings of your autonomic nervous system to provide you with feedback on what is happening in your body. That, in turn, allows you to learn how to control what happens in your body without your awareness and improve your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Neurobiofeedback takes the process of feedback about the body's functions to the next level by enhancing brain function and its ability to regulate the body. Through repetition and reinforcement, neurobiofeedback rewires your brain to process information differently, leaving you with lasting changes to your physical, emotional, and mental health.

Patients have reported that this drug-free, non-invasive process is relaxing. Research has even linked neurobiofeedback to:

  • Better memory
  • Higher levels of attention
  • Relief from chronic pain
  • Decreased stress levels

What happens during a Neurobiofeedback session?

Bay Area Osteopathic uses the state-of-the-art eVox Brain Map system, specially designed for neurobiofeedback.

Patients wear a painless EEG cap that monitors brain activity in real time. The patient then performs a series of exercises while the EEG cap measures brain function.

The eVox system translates this information into a visualization on a screen that allows the patients to see when their brain is functioning poorly and rewards them when they can control it.

Are you curious if neurobiofeedback can help you with your mental, physical, or emotional condition? Take the quiz to find out if an eVox Brain Map is right for you, or call Bay Area Osteopathic for more information and to set up your consultation.

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Functional Medicine American Canyon, CA

Functional Medicine

Whether you or your child suffer from unexplained headaches, digestive problems, or frequent ear infections, traditional medicine only treats the symptoms. By contrast, at Bay Area Osteopathic Inc., located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area, our team of functional medicine specialists seeks to determine the underlying cause and remedy it for good. For long-term results and optimum overall health and wellness, call or book a functional medicine evaluation online with Bay Area Osteopathic.

What is functional medicine?

Functional medicine is a patient-centered, science-based approach to health and medicine in which the physician seeks to determine how and why illness occurs and address those causes, rather than merely temporarily treat symptoms. Practitioners of functional medicine view the entire body as an integrated system, not a collection of independent organs to be divided up among medical specialties. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. In addition, all aspects of a patient’s life - social, spiritual, and environmental, as well as medical, are considered. Also instrumental is the empowerment of patients to work in collaboration with their doctors to confirm diagnoses and devise customized treatment plans.

How does a functional medicine examination differ from that performed by a traditional physician?  

Expect to spend a lot more time with them than you would with a conventional provider. You can also expect to do a lot of talking, as a large part of Functional Medicine is exploring details of your unique family history and life experiences. By investing this time and attention to detail up front, many people find that working with an IFM-trained provider helps them finally uncover the cause of perplexing problems that have eluded other clinicians for years.

What are the advantages of functional medicine?

Though functional medicine has been practiced for nearly three decades, it is especially relevant today, as there’s a huge increase in the number of adults and children suffering from complex, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and autoimmune disorders. Traditional medicine doesn’t address or remedy the underlying causes of these and other complex, chronic disease. It merely seeks to “band-aid” symptoms. Functional medicine practitioners, however, apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent these illnesses.

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SculpSure

Are diet and exercise just not doing it for you? Even with the best intentions and workout regimens, fat can be stubborn and hard to lose completely. That’s why Dr. Susan Cislo and Dr. Thomas McCombs at Bay Area Osteopathic — located in American Canyon, where the Napa Valley meets the San Francisco Bay Area — now offer SculpSure® services. This noninvasive laser treatment allows you to trim down your appearance with no surgery or downtime. Get in touch with us today to schedule an appointment.

How does SculpSure remove fat?

SculpSure is a noninvasive, nonsurgical procedure that uses a heating technique to remove that unwanted fat you just can’t shed with diet and exercise. The treatments only last about 25 minutes with little to no side effects. The technology targets fat cells under the skin and heats those cells with the SculpSure laser, without actually affecting the skin.

The laser damages the targeted fat cells, and eventually, your body eliminates them over the three months following the procedure. Basically, your body’s lymphatic system responds to the damaging of fat cells by getting rid of them. You’ll notice the results in as soon as six weeks, and up to 12 weeks.

And, what’s more, fat cells will not regenerate. They are permanently removed with the SculpSure technology.

What will SculpSure feel like?

You’ll feel a cooling sensation at the start of the treatment, which helps you stay comfortable and balanced while the laser is doing its work. This ensures you don’t get too hot during the process. You may also feel a tingling or warming sensation, but nothing painful.

Is SculpSure safe?

Yes, the procedure is completely safe and was cleared by the FDA in 2015. You can receive the treatment on stubborn fat in a variety of problem areas, including your stomach, love handles, back, thighs, and under your chin. These areas have all been FDA-cleared.

Some patients see up to 24% destruction of treated fat cells with just one 25-minute treatment, completely without surgery. Of course, results will vary for each individual.

How long is recovery from a SculpSure procedure?

There is no recovery period or downtime with the SculpSure procedure. As soon as you’re done, you can get dressed and get back to your normal daily life.

Because the procedure has no effect on your skin’s surface, there will be no sign that you had the treatment, aside from the slimming effect you’ll notice in as little as six weeks.

Will I need more than one SculpSure treatment?

Usually SculpSure works best with a series of laser treatments. However, you are unique, so the team at Bay Area Osteopathic will discuss what’s best for you specifically.

If you’re ready to learn more about how this noninvasive treatment can help you reduce your unwanted “pudge,” schedule an appointment with Dr. Cislo or Dr. McCombs today.

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