Removing Barriers To Better Health
If it is possible to be both serene and passionate at the same time, then Anthony Davis is just that.
Davis (’97 genetics) practically glows as he describes the philosophy that drives his chiropractic practice in Ames.
“The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself from illness as long as there is nothing in the way. My job is to get those barriers out of the way,” he says. “There is so much joy in what I do. I help people get more control over their health. Having the opportunity to do that is such a gift. Every day is different, even when you see the same patients—your radar always has to be up to identify their current needs.”
Davis describes chiropractic care similar to repairing the wiring system in a house.
“We remove stress and interference from the nervous system by adjusting bones. It’s like a wiring system in a house and the vertebra are the circuit breakers. If one is out of place it leads to bad communication between the body and the brain. Discomfort or illness could result,” he says.
Those barriers may contribute to neck or back pain, which chiropractors are best known for treating, but Davis says his treatment can influence the gamut of health issues from digestion to asthma to allergies and beyond.
Davis may be unique in that he came to chiropractic medicine through agriculture.
He became interested biotechnology and genetics while a high school student in Madrid. A self-described “lifelong Iowa Stater,” Davis says once he discovered Iowa State offered a degree in genetics it never crossed his mind to attend any other university. He shared his enthusiasm while at Iowa State playing saxophone in the marching and pep bands.
“Going to chiropractic school was a bit of a left turn for me,” Davis says. “I was working in a lab at Pioneer in Johnston when I realized that I wanted to be more directly involved in helping people.”
A good experience with chiropractic medicine following a sports injury in high school made a lasting impression on Davis. As he explored his options, pursuing a career in chiropractic care rose to the top. His genetics degree armed him with the necessary prerequisites and a unique perspective to approaching chiropractic care.
Davis attended Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, Mo. He specializes in a method using a small handheld device called an Activator to gently tap vertebra in place. He opened his own practice, Complete Spine and Headache Center, in 2006 in southwest Ames.
Davis lists awareness and acceptance of chiropractic care as a top challenge for his profession. About 8 percent of the U.S. population sees a chiropractor in a given year. He says his ultimate goal is to create a world-class chiropractic center in Ames so he can work to improve the quality of life for his patients and raise awareness and acceptance of his field.
