By Shay Moser
Photos by Kimberly Carrillo

During her undergraduate years in public health science, Dr. Taylor Haller had chronic, idiopathic migraines, which means the cause was unknown.

She’d been in a bad car accident in high school but, without visible injuries, wasn’t examined by medical experts. Eventually, she needed migraine and anti-nausea medication to manage the chronic migraines. Several doctors, including an eye doctor, said everything was fine. Another doctor recommended advanced imaging of her brain.
Then a guest lecture by a doctor of chiropractic in one of her classes changed everything.

“In the one-hour lecture, everything I thought I knew about the human body, sickness, and health was turned upside down,” Dr. Haller says. After the lecture, she spoke with the doctor and became a patient. After three months of care, her migraines were nearly non-existent. Even the chronic pain she’d been having from fibromyalgia was gone. And she didn’t need brain imaging.

“That’s when I knew that Chiropractic care and Functional Medicine were what I wanted to practice,” Dr. Haller says.
Given the new lease on life and the motivation to share the same healing methods with others, she attended Chiropractic school and worked as an integrative and Functional Medicine doctor before opening Haller House of Chiropractic in Scottsdale.

Since opening in January, Dr. Haller has been listening to her patient’s health histories to uncover the root cause of their issues.

Conditions Treated by Chiropractic Care
Haller House of Chiropractic can help with more than issues like backaches, stiff necks, slipped discs, and whiplash injuries.
“I can help with various symptoms, including stress, fatigue, thyroid imbalance, gut issues, immune system imbalance, physical pain, sleep issues, nervous system imbalance, and more,” says Dr. Haller. “Notice how I called them symptoms? These problems are symptoms of an underlying issue — my goal is to uncover it and then develop a plan to help patients start living an optimal life.”

The Unique Chiropractic Technique
While Dr. Haller is trained in the techniques that often elicit a big “crack,” she’s one of the only female chiropractors in the Valley focusing on the “upper cervical” spine, using gentle, specific adjustments that don’t make any sounds and don’t require any neck rotation, which Dr. Haller noted many patients prefer.

“Making a specific adjustment to the upper cervical spine allows more neurological information to be sent to the brain,” Dr. Haller explains. “Because the brainstem is in this area, it’s important that the bones are in the correct position, as the attachments from the bones to the brainstem can become stretched or twisted, also known as subluxation, and cause many problems.”

Subluxations obstruct the communication between the brain and the body, reducing the ability of the tissues, muscles, and organs to receive and transmit the correct information to and from the brain.

“This is one of the ways organ dysfunctions occur,” Dr. Haller explains. “For example, if there is a subluxation in the upper to the mid back area, the nerves that supply the tissues and organs in that area aren’t able to send and receive all the proper information, so you may experience issues in the stomach that show up as stomach ulcers, indigestion, or acid reflux.”

After thoroughly examining the entire spine, if Dr. Haller finds subluxations, she makes a gentle adjustment, a small thrust into the affected joint.
“Most patients comment that they didn’t feel the adjustment; that’s how gentle it is,” says Dr. Haller.

Where Functional Medicine Meets Chiropractic Care
With nerves connecting all body parts to the brain, Dr. Haller embraces the holistic modality called “Functional Medicine,” or the practice of addressing the root causes of chronic diseases through dietary and lifestyle changes rather than diagnosing them and prescribing traditional medicine to treat the symptoms.

“Because I’ve worked solely as a chiropractor, and I have worked only as a Functional Medicine practitioner, I experienced an uphill battle as a doctor,” Dr. Haller says. “Working in each modality separately, I learned you need both to make the most significant impact. Using one or the other individually is helpful, but you need all pieces of the puzzle to address the whole person and get to the bottom of their chronic illness.

“With chiropractic, you’re removing interference from the nervous system,” she continues. “But sometimes, your body doesn’t have all the necessary tools to get better, and that’s where our physician-grade supplements are needed. If you have interference in your nervous system, your body may not get the information you need to utilize and synthesize the vitamins; that’s why we use both Functional Medicine and Chiropractic.

Once someone becomes a patient, Dr. Haller orders a comprehensive lab panel to examine the state of health in their body’s primary physiological systems. It also gives a window into the body’s nutrient status and where the patient is on the health spectrum.

“Everyone is different,” she says. “What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. That’s why we offer individualized care through Functional Medicine testing and treatment.”
Well-Adjusted Babies, Kids, Athletes, and, Soon, Pets
Although more people know about the benefits of chiropractic care, it has yet to be widely known in the pediatric community or as necessary for kids. “Many infants and moms get spinal subluxations from the birthing process, and this is usually when everyone develops their first spinal subluxation,” Dr. Haller says. “Depending on the case, kids may not need Functional Medicine, but I encourage regular Chiropractic care for a healthy nervous system.”

Athletes are also welcome at Haller House of Chiropractic. With advanced athletic taping added to its services, Dr. Haller can support athletes’ typical shoulder, knee, and ankle injuries from sports. “It helps the healing process go quicker,” says Dr. Haller. “And it can help prevent further injury.”

Haller House of Chiropractic has room for animals, too. Soon, it will offer chiropractic care to household pets suffering from arthritis, sprains, joint pain, and other ailments.

“We’re excited to be here for the growing community — from new residents and businesses to visitors of all ages.”

Learn about educational lectures on office ergonomics and more by emailing [email protected].

Call 480-238-5670 to learn about home visits (mobile chiropractic) for Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, and Cave Creek residents.

Book a free virtual consultation with Haller House of Chiropractic on the website at hallerhouseofchiropractic.com.

This content is sponsored by Haller House of Chiropractic.