His DREAM, for YOU

Doctor pours his heart & soul into each patient by building an indoor utopia created just for them!

Eatontown, NJ — Local-bred doctor, Raj Gupta, member of the non-profit organization the Foundation for Wellness Professionals, has been donating his time educating the community on different health topics for the past 15 years.  Inspired by his father, Dr. Raj has dedicated his state-of-the-art wellness center, Soul Focus, to his dad who passed away prior to being able to realize his own dream of opening a health club.

Providing healthcare and self care, Soul Focus combines physical care with fitness, nutrition, and relaxation. Inside its’ doors you’ll instantly feel a sense of enchantment. With an exercise salon like no other, Focus Fitness, and a soon to open ‘ Mecca ‘ for relaxation, Soul Spa, it’s no wonder why visitors feel seduced. And for total piece of mind, all aspects are overseen by the doctors and staff of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute, which has long been known in the area as a premier doctor’s office for getting patients out of pain and into a healthy lifestyle!

For the GRAND OPENING, please join Dr. Raj Gupta, and the Soul Focus staff, as they team up with the AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY to fight and help find a cure for cancer, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011.

As a bonus on this day, the entire $125 enrollment fee collected from each new member will be donated to the American Cancer Society.Additionally, if a member prepays their yearly membership (where the enrollment fee is waived), Focus Fitness Exercise Salon will still make a donation in the member’s name to the American Cancer Society.

SOUL FOCUS
Garden State Spine & Pain Institute “The Doctors You’ve Been Aching For®”
Focus Fitness Exercise Salon “Catering to a Select Few”
Soul Spa “Treat, Pamper, Spoil”
Where YOU are the Soul Focus

Owning his own business is something my father had always wanted for himself. I had an opportunity to start another business and purchase a small gym. I mentioned it to my father on the phone one evening. Two days later, he called and asked if I would consider a partner. Surprised, I asked my father, “why on earth would you want to work again and why do you want to own a gym?” He said, “Americans are sick of being out of shape and are ready to embrace health and wellness.” He was furiously passionate about the idea of owning a gym. He wanted in! He and my mother missed their children and grandchildren and my father was now fixated on helping people reach their fitness goals. It was also an opportunity for him to work with his son. My mother and father decided to move back to New Jersey. We bought the gym!

He was very excited. The most excited I had seen him in a while. He had a new project, a new challenge. He had big plans for success. We were to work side by side. Garden State Spine & Pain Institute had been getting patients out of pain and encouraging a healthy lifestyle for years. Now the gym would help the same patients stay healthy through exercise. Health and Fitness, father and son.

While preparing to move, three days after closing on the sale of the gym, my father was cleaning out the attic, (above the garage), when he slipped, fell through the attic floor, through the ceiling of the garage and struck his head on the cement floor which ended his life and changed mine forever. He died a month before his 61st birthday.

The show must go on
I was determined to succeed in his name. I lost 45 pounds, got in shape and wanted to help people follow in my footsteps. The gym we purchased was a ladies only gym that catered to entry level exercise goers. A definite challenge for me, a man in his mid thirties. However, the staff and I overcame the obstacles and were able to provide personal attention like no other gym. We would even open the front door for you! It was a safe haven for women to begin their journey toward a healthier lifestyle. The only obstacle we could not overcome was the lack of space. We didn’t have the proper facilities to truly spoil our members. We didn’t even have showers!

I began to conceptualize the perfect gym. A Co-Ed gym with luxurious locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms and beautifully tiled showers. I envisioned the gym having doctors, physical therapists and personal trainers on the floor coaching members while protecting them from injury. A gym and spa side by side, spa music playing throughout, a total Zen feeling. The perfect mixture of East meets West. That is exactly what my father would have wanted.
Five years later

The one thing common to every construction project, is that the job is never done when expected. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the opening day for Focus Fitness kept getting pushed back. First a month, then a week, then a day, then another day. Finally, we received a certificate of occupancy and were set to open. After all the postponements, Focus Fitness Exercise Salon ended up opening on the five year anniversary of my father’s death. Five years to the day!

Much more than he could have ever imagined, Focus Fitness is truly spectacular. It is like NO other gym, but everything a gym should be. It is everything you want and nothing you don’t. It is personal attention like you have never experienced before. From the unique specialty classes to the expert personal training, Focus Fitness is beautiful. It is serene. Towels, bottled water, soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, razors, cotton swabs, deodorant, mouth wash, and anything else you require are all waiting for you. Focus Fitness Exercise Salon is refined. It is NOT for everyone. We “Cater to a select few.” Avid gym goers have been waiting for a workout facility like this for a long time. Entry level members are comforted by the warm surroundings and greatly appreciate the special attention. Want help reaching your goals? How much help do you want? We give as little or as much as you want. Shower and pamper yourself.

Membership not your thing? No problem. You can pay for an individual class, buy a book of classes, a personal training package, or just buy a day pass. No need to become a member to enjoy all of the amenities. Of course membership has its privileges including member only events and special discounts on all gym and spa services. However, with membership capped at 500 members, (yes really), the time to join is now.

I know that my father would be proud. I dedicated the gym to him. On the glass shelving outside of the entrance to the gym from the atrium sits a picture of my Dad. Who is that guy in the picture? He is the guy who passed on a dream and his passion. My father. Come work out in Anand Gupta’s gym!

Check out the class schedule on our website: www.SoulFocusFitness.com

—Dr. Raj Gupta
Got questions? Just want to say Hi?…
email me! DrRaj@GardenStateSpine.com

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Anthony Sparano, M.D. trained at some of the most reputable institutions in the country. Across his training, Dr. Sparano performed among the top in his field, and has been awarded numerous awards and prizes. Dr. Sparano has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and has taught several courses around the country. Dr. Sparano has made a commitment to excellence during all stages of his professional development, and today practices with the highest standard of care.

Dr. Sparano initiated his medical training with research endeavors within the health system of Harvard University. Dr. Sparano graduated with Summa Cum Laude Honors at the top of his medical school class with numerous scholarships, awards, and research distinction. Dr. Sparano continued his training within the Ivy League at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. There, Dr. Sparano completed a General Surgery Internship and an Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Residency. He established himself as a prolific surgeon-scientist with numerous publications and awards, and became Chief Resident. With a decided commitment to Facial Plastic, Reconstructive, and Skull Base Surgery, Dr. Sparano advanced his training across a Board-certified Fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Dr. Sparano is one of the only surgeons of the Monmouth County region with such a prestigious and specialized training dedicated to facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Sparano has passed the most rigorous testing standards of the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery, and is a diplomat of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is a Double Board-Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon, credentialed by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Sparano’s interest in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery stemmed from the surgical challenges therein, and from the joy derived in helping patients achieve a certain vision of themselves. Dr. Sparano stresses the importance of preserving a natural appearance when reshaping the face more beautifully. He offers the most cutting-edge techniques for surgical and non-surgical enhancements of the face and neck, and customizes each patient’s care individually.

Dr. Sparano primarily practices out of his office in Wall, NJ—Sparano Face and Nasal Institute. His professional partnership with the team at Soul Focus is exciting and promising, as all members are working together to provide the best treatments with the best outcomes.

MediSpa Services We Provide:

• Botox
• Juvederm
• Laser Hair Removal
• IPL Laser Therapy
• Eyelash Extensions

Garden State Spine & Pain Institute and the future Soul Focus encompass wellness with an approach that blends both traditional and alternative medicines. In addition to chiropractic and physical therapy, they also have two acupuncturists on staff. Both Steve Lassen and Scott Bendell are certified acupuncturists, and although each came to study the ancient medicine in different ways, they both realized that it was their destiny to practice a technique that has been around for over three thousand years.

Acupuncture—the procedure of inserting and manipulating needles into various points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes—has been known to treat maladies from infertility, migraines, back pain to rheumatoid arthritis.

“I didn’t like Chinese food, why would I ever consider acupuncture.” Steve Lassen jokes when talking about how he ended up as an acupuncturist. A pre-med student in college, he had hopes of one day becoming a doctor. However, when his third car accident left him with partial paralysis and in need of spinal surgery he started considering alternative medicine for his own health. A friend had suggested acupuncture and Steve gave it a try. After ten sessions his problem was alleviated and he didn’t have to get the surgery.

Still hoping to continue on to his dream of becoming a doctor, health problems plagued him again and at the age of twenty-five, detached retinas in both his eyes caused him seventy percent blindness. Again, he turned to acupuncture for treatment.

“Acupuncture is a natural anti-inflammatory. It allows blood to flow more freely, increasing circulation,” Lassen says.

After the treatments, he got his vision back and realized that something was telling him to pursue a career treating people with acupuncture. After attending the Tri State Acupuncture School, he has been practicing since 1986.

“The essential part of acupuncture is giving it enough time. One session isn’t promised to cure immediately,” Lassen says.

Lassen has been with Garden State Spine for a little over four years. He shares in their philosophy of an open modality approach because acupuncture does have some limitations. Although acupuncture can boast a three thousand year old history, there are many misconceptions about the science and technique.

“Acupuncture works hand in hand with chiropractic. Inflammation is such a root of so many common problems.” Lassen says.

Lassen explains that the body responds to clear concise messages. A well trained acupuncturist is going to be extremely selective when using needles. Sometimes less is better. Lassen explains, “The body does not like to be shouted at.”

Although Lassen still keeps a western mind when it comes to modern medicine, he has been forever changed on his perceptions of the eastern philosophy.

“Sometimes people are brought to their destiny kicking and screaming. I was humbled beyond belief after my experience with acupuncture” Lassen says.

Scott Bendell started his college career planning to be a civil engineer but soon found that he wanted to do something more meaningful with his life. A friend had suggested alternative medicine as an avenue, and Bendell took to the idea of helping others.

“I really got into this by fate,” Bendell says. Searching for schools, he settled on the New England School of Acupuncture and studied Chinese, Japanese and Korean methods. Graduating in 2002, he went on to apprentice with a Qigong master. Qigong, the basis behind acupuncture, focuses on feeling and moving energy within yourself and how to apply it in order to self-heal. Bendell has also studied Tui na or acupressure, a medical massage to treat illness.

In his practice, Bendell incorporates all these methods in his treatments. “People have to get in touch with their own body. They need to learn how to breathe right. In order to be human, it starts with you. If you are not taking care of yourself, no one is going to do it for you.”

Both Bendell and Lassen agree that there is a great need for a wellness center like Soul Focus.

“Acupuncture needs the exposure that Soul Focus can give.” Lassen explains.

“The concept of a holistic wellness center is age old.” Bendell says.

With technology and medicine evolving at a rapid rate, it is comforting to know that all of the physicians and specialists at Garden State Spine Institute are on the leading edge, blending modern design and ancient science to find the best treatment plan for you. It is the appreciation they have for health and wellness that drives their desire to want to take care of you.

A building focused selfishly on improving you. Appealing to the inner peace and tranquility found deep within you, the Soul Focus building will make you want to turn off, tune out and lose yourself in a yoga or tai chi class followed by a massage or body wrap. Or, challenge yourself physically in a spin class or personal training session. Correct faulty joints, improve body mechanics or eliminate wrinkles and unsightly blemishes. Have unwanted body hair removed on the same day as sun damaged skin or age spots. Why not sit in the steam room or chill out by the fireplace all afternoon? Rekindle the mind, exhilarate the body and rejuvenate the spirit.

Owned and operated by physicians, the Soul Focus building offers self care and healthcare. Soul Spa will not only offer luxurious personal services but medical cosmetic procedures as well. The health club, Focus Fitness, will provide “one on one” personal training with individualized physical enhancement programs combined with challenging, cutting edge classes. The medical rehab office, Garden State Spine and Pain Institute, will continue to excel at getting people out of pain in a fun, friendly atmosphere.

Eastern philosophy combined with western medicine. Alternative health care with traditional medical care. Medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and personal trainers. Tai chi, yoga, spin, state of the art fitness machines and full service spa. Soul Focus, where you are the sole focus.

Soul Spa - Treat, pamper, spoil
You just finished a personal training session. You enter the locker room and the pampering begins. You undress, slip into a shower and lather up with an all natural, organic, pineapple mango body wash. You put on a comfortable robe and slippers, and enter a long hallway that appears to be in a forest. At the end of the corridor you enter into a lounge that makes you feel as if you are in the lap of luxury. You help yourself to a cup of green tea, some dates and a bottle of water. You sit on the couch and enter into a state of relaxation that is usually reserved for vacation. You then have the massage of your life. By the end of the treatment you can barely 
utter a word. You are then escorted to a room where you are offered a drink, treated to a warm foot soak and are then left alone to reflect on your Zen moment in front of the fire place.

Relaxation Services:

• Massages
  Unique specialty massages, massage club.
• Facials
  Customized and designed to maintain a youthful appearance.
• Body therapies
  Detoxifying and rejuvenating body wraps for cellulite reduction and relaxation.
• Couple treatments
  Pamper each other while enjoying special time alone.
• Male menu
  Specialized treatments designed for the executive male.
• Spray tanning
  Avoid sun damage and save time sun bathing.
•  Tranquility Lounge
  Comfortable, quiet, tranquil.
• Sauna
  Warm, soothing, detoxifying.
• Steam room
  Eucalyptus permeates your respiratory and nasal passages while you sweat out toxins.
• Group services
  Catering to bridal parties, employee appreciations, sweet sixteen and other private parties.

Medical Services:

• Laser hair removal and waxing
  Using the latest and most sophisticated lasers available, laser hair removal is now fast, painless and effective. Full body waxing also available.
• IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
Reverses the signs of sun damage and aging along with facial redness, freckles and pigmented lesions.
• Botox
  Used for wrinkle reduction for lines on the forehead and crow’s feet around the eyes.
•  Spider veins
Yag Lasers are used to treat larger, deeper veins. Over time, the vein will be absorbed by the body and will disappear from sight.
• Juvederm
Restores volume to deep facial folds and smile lines with an all natural collagen that is already found in the body.
• Chemical peels
Used for acne, mild scarring, wrinkles, dry skin, age spots and sun damaged skin.
• Microderm abrasion
Can be used in conjunction with chemical peels for the reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, active acne & acne scars, uneven skin tone, brown spots & sun damaged skin.
• Eyelash extensions
Longer, thicker, luscious and natural looking eyelashes.
• Visia skin analysis
Helps identify problem areas of your complexion allowing experts to set up a personalized approach to your skin treatment.

Focus Fitness -Catering to a select few
You are greeted by name, a warm welcome, a towel and a bottle of water. You are treated with respect and consideration while under the watchful eyes of doctors, physical therapists and the personal trainers on staff. The professional and courteous staff make your fitness goals their priority.

All this and you don’t even have to be a member to enjoy it! That’s right; you don’t have to be a member! Hire a personal trainer, take a class, use the gym for the month, for the summer, while here on vacation for the weekend or whenever you want. Pay as you go. Use Focus Fitness as your personal gym whenever you want it. Those that choose to become members will enjoy numerous benefits including member only discounts on spa services.

Featuring:

• Certified personal training department
• Les Mills Classes
Certified class instructors teach various cardio, step and spin classes designed to increase strength, stamina and endurance
• Tai chi & yoga classes
• Elliptical machines
• Treadmills
• Stationary bikes
• Weight lifting machines and equipment

Leave your towel and toiletries at home! At Focus Fitness, all water, towels and shower necessities are provided for you.

Garden State Spine & Pain Institute - The doctors you’ve been aching for!SM
Our practice is simple! Medical doctors, physical therapists and chiropractors working together as a TEAM. Complete musculoskeletal care is only complete when it addresses both the muscles and the skeleton. Physical therapists work on muscles and chiropractors on the skeleton, and our medical director supervises both sides of care. This TRIAD of care is the hallmark of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute and it is the combination of care that leads to permanent correction. Getting people out of pain while providing the highest level of patient care is our number one priority. We have always provided a genuine interest in our patients and enjoy showing people how to become healthier. We treat everyone the way we would want to be treated ourselves, like family, which is why we are very excited to now be able to refer patients to the gym and the spa that will be right across the hall from our office in the new Soul Focus building.

Get up. Get out of pain, and get going!
All you have to do is show up and we will do the rest. Our mission at Soul Focus is to make you healthy. Regardless of your current health or fitness background, if you desire pain relief, physical fitness, cosmetic improvement, or total relaxation allowing you to breathe easier, think more clearly or bath in self indulgence, at Soul Focus, YOU are the sole focus. Indulge the senses. Feed the soul. Soul Focus—coming soon!

• Soul Spa -Treat, pamper, spoil
• Focus Fitness Exercise Salon -Catering to a select few
• Garden State Spine & Pain Institute - The doctors you’ve been aching for!SM

LASER THEM!

The doctors and staff of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute are now proud to offer new medical spa treatments! Patients of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute have always been accustomed to receiving the best service and quality of care. Our staff would have it no other way as they take pride in being able to deliver tender loving care to each and every individual. In addition to Botox for fine lines, Juvederm for wrinkles and Latisse eyelash extensions, the doctors now offer numerous cosmetic lasers. One removes facial imperfections and blemishes and others were purchased to focus on spider and varicose veins.

Sunspots, Age spots and other Blemishes
As we age, we begin to notice our skin showing the signs of time. This is most visible in a person’s face, hands or body. Facial imperfections can especially detract for our appearance.

What is Intense Pulsed Light?
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL®) technology is a treatment breakthrough that can correct a variety of benign skin conditions, such as facial skin imperfections, the signs of aging, birthmarks, unwanted hair, unsightly small veins, and other blemishes. It offers a safe, non-invasive solution that can be tailored to your individual condition and skin type, and provides superior cosmetic results and outstanding satisfaction.

IPL (Intense pulsed light source), using a process called photorejuvenation offers dramatic improvement to multiple conditions creating strong, smoother, and healthier looking skin with virtually no downtime. The IPL provides a spectrum of light that can seriously diminish lines, wrinkles, dilated blood vessels, sun damage and brown spots all while stimulating collagen production. The advantages of IPL over other resurfacing methods are tremendous. A treatment only takes 20 minutes, and you can return to work and daily activities immediately. A series of 4 to 6 treatment sessions provide gradual, natural improvement with excellent long term results and studies show improvements of up to 85% of wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

Next generation, state of the art results for treating:

• Spider Veins
• Birthmarks
• Age Spots
• Sun Spots
• Sun Damage
• Broken Capillaries
• Mottled Pigmentation
• Ruddy Complexion
• Freckles
• Rosacea
• Facial Veins
• Facial Imperfections

How is Photorejuvenation Using IPL Performed?
The smooth, cold surface of the Lumenis One IPL Handpiece which is kept at a temperature below 4 degrees Celsius gently touches your skin and pulses of light are applied. Contact cooling is applied to your skin before, during and after the laser or IPL treats the area. You may feel a slight stinging like the snapping of a rubber band. Each treatment typically takes about 20 minutes. In general, excellent long term results can be achieved with a series of four to six treatments.

Why Are Multiple Treatments Necessary?
Depending on the number of conditions you are treating and the severity of each, a series of four to six treatment sessions may be recommended. You can return to work the same day and resume all your regular activities. By dividing the full program into several treatments, the procedure provides gradual improvement with very low risk, preserving the convenience of a “no downtime” procedure.

What Areas Can Be Treated?
Photorejuvenation can be used to treat any area of the body. The most common areas are the face, neck, chest and hands.

Imagine Beautiful Legs Free of Unsightly Veins
It is estimated that 60% of the adult population suffers from varicose veins and spider veins. Varicose veins are enlarged vessels are wide as a result of weakness in the vein wall. This causes the vein to stretch and bulges. Spider veins are the small superficial purple or red veins stretching like a web under the skin. Until now, treating varicose and spider veins was a lengthy and painful process with needles and other invasive treatments. Now, unsightly leg veins of all types can be treated simply, non-invasively, and successfully.

What types of leg veins can be treated?
Varicose veins, usually deep blue veins, need different treatment from discolored clusters (known as “spider veins”) that are near the skin surface. For this reason, we are equipped with two different light technologies. Your doctor may use either one or both, depending on your veins. Fortunately, there is now an effective non-invasive treatment for most cases.

Are surface veins and spider veins treated the same way?
No. The YAG laser component is used to treat larger, deeper veins. A small spot of laser light travels through the skin and is absorbed by the blood within the vein. This process does not affect any of the surrounding tissue. Over time, the vein will be absorbed by the body and will disappear from sight.

Smaller, superficial structures require a different technology for successful treatment. Smaller surface veins are treated using the IPL light energy mentioned above for facial imperfections. Light energy is absorbed by the blood, changed to heat, and the vein is destroyed.
Using both technologies, our physicians have the ability to use the right laser and the right light source to get the job done.

LASERS, LASERS, LASERS!!!
Today, it is all about lasers technology. Scientific breakthroughs have provided doctors the ability to make permanent corrections for patients who have everyday blemishes, freckles, birthmarks, age spots, and skin that is sun damaged. We are now able to treat varicose and spider veins with non-invasive procedures. All this with only 20 minute treatment times, no pain. Garden State Spine & Pain Institute has always been known as the leaders in Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, and Acupuncture, but now, in addition to helping you feel good, we are going to make you look good too!

Oh, and I’m not only an owner of the practice, but I’m a client too!!

No More waxing or shaving! The doctors and staff of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute are proud to be expanding our services to include medical spa treatments. In addition to Botox for fine lines, Juvederm for wrinkles and Latisse eyelash extensions, the doctors now use numerous cosmetic lasers including one that is known as the gold standard for hair removal. The use of lasers can only be performed by a medical doctor and Garden State Spine & Pain Institute is the first and only office in New Jersey to be able to offer this fast and effective technology. This new laser technology is far superior to that of technology of previous lasers and enables our physicians to offer procedures that are more effective in less time than other laser treatments available on the market.

In the US, an excess of $3.5 billion is spent on hair removal each year. In the past, remedies for unwanted hair were limited to plucking, shaving, waxing, or electrolysis. These are messy, painful and ALL are temporary. Laser hair removal has become the most popular worldwide cosmetic laser procedure.

Our office is pleased to announce our new, state of the art, High Speed Lightsheer DUET™ for permanent hair reduction with exciting speed and amazing comfort. Permanently reduce unwanted body hair in a fraction of the time of past procedures. Backs and legs can now be treated in ONLY 20 minutes, which takes 45-60 minutes with other, less effective lasers. So if you are like most of us, and you have unwanted body hair, the Lightsheer DUET™ may be the solution for you.

How it works:
During the procedure, the laser pulses heat up hair significantly impeding its ability to re-grow. The new large spot size on the High Speed Lightsheer provides the ability to treat numerous hair follicles simultaneously, making the treatment much faster than traditional laser hair removal alternatives.

There are two handpieces on the DUET™. The High Speed (HS), uses a vacuum assisted technology with a diode laser light allowing for rapid and comfortable treatments of large areas. The gold standard in laser hair removal, the Lightsheer ET™ handpiece with Chill Tip® cooling, (kept below 4 degrees Celsius), is used for smaller contoured areas of the body. Together, using both the High Speed and ET lasers, our physicians can effectively remove hair on the upper lips, underarms, legs, bikini, backs, and faces or any other body part with ease. Any hair with at least some pigment in it (black, brown, red and even blond), can be treated effectively including all skin types including dark skinned individuals.

What can you expect?
Lasers work best when hair is in its earliest stage of growth called Anagen. Because hair is always in different stages of growth, laser hair removal requires multiple treatments. Following each visit, hair growth is thinner and thinner until it is non-existent. In some cases, a maintenance treatment is recommended after 2 years.

I am so proud to be able to offer this particular line of lasers in our office! Patients of Garden State Spine and Pain Institute are accustom to receiving the best service and quality medical care available, and our staff take pride in being able to deliver tender loving care to everyone. With the additional of our new top of the line cosmetic lasers, that are the Mercedes of laser technology, we are happy to be able to offer numerous new non-invasive, pain free cosmetic treatments in the safety of a doctor’s office. So lose your wrinkles, facial lines, or your body hair!! We can help!

Oh, and I’m not only an owner of the practice, but I’m a client too!!

Do you know Dr. Alan Stern? Yes, the dentist from the radio commercials. He is a very good dentist. I was in his chair getting my teeth cleaned when he told me that he was scheduling low back surgery. He was worried that he may have to give up his practice! He said that the pain in his leg caused from a herniated disc at L4/L5 had become so bad that it was preventing him from seeing patients. His Orthopedist told him that he would never run again, and now he was in so much pain he couldn’t even work! I demanded that he schedule an appointment in our office and reminded him that surgery only had a 50% success rate. “But I have already tried both physical therapy and chiropractic, what do you do at your office that is so different”, he asked? “You may have had physical therapy and chiropractic, but you haven’t had them performed at the same time, and you have not had Spinal Decompression therapy”, I told him, and insisted that he come in for treatment.

Have simple tasks like raking leaves or shoveling snow or other activities that require bending and twisting ever leave you incapacitated resulting in acute pain? Are you very careful and guarded with your range of motion? Ever suffer from episodes of pain so severe that they render you virtually bed ridden? If so, you may suffer from a herniated disc and like other disc sufferers, these episodes of pain can last anywhere from 4 to 10 days and will then often completely resolve. Some people suffer with residual numbness and tingling or sharp shooting pain in their hands or feet that are constant reminders that the disc is getting on your nerves. Do you have a disc disorder?

True or False?
Your body has built in shock absorbers just like a car?

What are discs?
When you drive thru a pot hole, the shock absorbers of your car reduce the impact felt by passengers. Just as its name implies, the shock absorbers absorb the jolt of impact thus preventing it from being transferred to the cabin of the vehicle. Intervertebral discs of the body, (IVD’s), or discs for short, lie between each one of the bones of the spine and work just like the shock absorbers in your car. These discs are big spongy cushions that prevent bones from rubbing against one another creating friction and arthritis during range of motion. The discs are responsible for offsetting the minor traumas of daily life, like walking up a flight of stairs, or jumping up and down. If you bend forward, your discs move backward. If you bend to the left, your discs move to the right. Major traumas, like car accidents or sports injuries often cause damage to discs. Picture these discs as jelly doughnuts. Pressure on the top and bottom of a jelly doughnut will cause the jelly to squeeze out of both sides. When this happens, and the jelly oozes out putting pressure on a NERVE, the result is pain. This is referred to as a disc bulge or disc herniation. True, the discs in your spine work just like the shock absorbers in your car.

True or False?
Disc bulges and herniations only come from trauma.

Causes of disc disorders
The New England Journal of Medicine performed MRI examinations on 98 people who had no pain. They concluded that 52 percent of the subjects tested had a disc bulge at a minimum of at least one level, 27 percent had a protrusion and 1 percent had an extrusion. 38% had abnormality of more than one intervertebral disk. False, though disc disorders definitely happen as a result of trauma, many disc disorders are the result of degeneration that happens over time. Excessive weight and stress on the joints of your body contributes to the early onset of degeneration (arthritis). As seen in this study, MRI examination showed that many people without back pain have disk bulges, herniations or protrusions.

True or False?
A disc herniation can be diagnosed from an X-Ray.

Diagnosis of a disc disorder
False. X-rays show bones not soft tissue. A decrease in space between the bones can be seen on x-ray which may be indicative of disc problems, but a MRI is needed to confirm a disc bulge or herniation. A radiologist then makes the determination whether a disc is a bulge, herniation, or protrusion. Each is just a different classification as to how much jelly has oozed out from between the doughnut.

True or False?
Disc herniations always cause pain?

Symptoms of a disc disorder
When a disc herniates, it is the pressure that the disc puts on the adjacent spinal nerve that causes pain. 31 pairs of Spinal Nerves exit at every level of the spine and then travel downward feeding the arms and legs with electrical current for motor power and the sensation for feeling. When the disc bulge or herniation chokes the nerve, the nerve reacts with shooting pain, sharp stabbing pain, numbness and tingling, or pins or needles. However, the oozing jelly doesn’t always impinge a nerve! If not, then no pain. Thus, the answer to the above question is False, disc bulges and herniations do NOT always get on your nerves!

True or False?
Herniated and Bulging discs require surgery?

Treatment of Disc Bulges / Herniations without surgery
The New England Journal of Medicine study showed that 52% of people who had NO pain at all still had disc herniations. Pain resulting from disc disorders only happens when jelly of the disc oozes out and chokes the adjacent nerve. If a doughnut is puffed up to regain its natural form after being compressed, the jelly never goes all the way back into the doughnut, but it will often slightly recede and centralize. This is what happens when spinal decompression or traction is employed. Often, this is just enough to get the jelly away from the nerve. If the oozing jelly is not choking the nerve, then you too can be pain free while still having a herniated disc. False, not all disc disorders require surgery.

So what happened to Dr. Stern? And what makes Garden State Spine & Pain Institute so different from the treatment he had already received?
I explained to Dr. Stern that at Garden State Spine and Pain Institute, we do complete musculoskeletal care. We work together as a team and do everything short of surgery. Chiropractic manipulation works on the skeletal part of “musculoskeletal” by helping to alleviate pressure on the disc from the bone above and below. Physical therapy, works on reducing the muscle spasm from surrounding inflammation with passive therapies such as ice, heat, muscle stimulation and our highly advanced, state of the art, DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy which is FDA cleared and has been clinically proven with an 86% success rate for pain associated with herniated or bulging discs… even after a failed surgery. This therapy creates a vacuum effect by gently distracting two vertebrae away from each other thus removing the compression on the disc between them. It is a non-surgical traction therapy for the relief of back and leg pain or neck and arm pain and goes thru your physical therapy benefits.

Should pain persist, medical intervention may be necessary. Our Medical Director performs trigger point injections, epidural injections and facet block injections. Injections deliver medicine directly to the site of pain. Local anesthetics with or without cortisone like medications can be injected around the nerve roots and into muscles or joints which reduce swelling, irritation, muscle spasms and abnormal nerve activity that can cause pain.

“What do you have to lose”, I asked Dr. Stern? “If it doesn’t work, then you’ll have the surgery.” I explained to him that he should try ALL minimally invasive treatments first before resorting to very invasive surgery under the knife. So, what happened? He came in for the combined treatment of the Triton DTS Spinal Decompression in physical therapy and chiropractic. It was enough. Pain resolved, he got stronger, he is running again and DID NOT NEED SURGERY or even epidural injections! Dr. Stern credits our office for saving his career. Really, we just saved him from an unnecessary surgery.

Treatment for herniated discs should be as follows: Chiropractic> Physical Therapy> epidural injections> Surgery.
Physical Therapy and Chiropractic should be performed together as they go hand in hand (musculoskeletal system) and physical therapy should include spinal decompression. Without trying everything else first, you may be setting yourself up for an unnecessary surgery.

Chances are that you may have bumped into us before. Maybe it was at the Italian or Fall Festivals or maybe in an Ocean school during a Teacher Appreciation Day? Maybe you heard Dr. Raj speak at a Chamber event or maybe you see him shopping in Wegman’s, or you work out with him in the gym. The point is, we get around, which is why we go the extra mile for our patients… we have to. Chances are we’re going to bump into you again too!

GARDEN STATE SPINE & PAIN INSTITUTE
Our mission is simple, to get our patients out of pain in a friendly, spa like, stress free environment and then challenge them and those around them to reach their optimum health and peak performance.

Our practice is simple! Medical doctors, Physical Therapists and Chiropractors working together as a TEAM. Complete Musculoskeletal care is only complete when it addresses both the Muscles and the Skeleton. Physical Therapists work on muscles and Chiropractors on the Skeleton, and our Medical Director supervises both sides of care. This TRIAD of care is the hallmark of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute and it is the combination of care that leads to permanent correction. “Getting people out of pain, while providing the highest level of patient care is our number one priority, says Dr. Raj Gupta, Founder of Garden State Spine & Pain Institute.”

Physical Therapy
Our physical therapy department treats the body from head to toe restoring motion and function to achieve patient goals. In the treatment of spinal disorders, our state of the art spinal decompression table is often utilized with good results in conjunction to physical therapy treatment. Many of our patient’s have prevented surgery and have had positive results even after receiving previous courses of physical therapy. Physical therapy also specializes in rehabilitation following any surgery. Physical therapists restore the body’s proper mechanics to restore gait, joint motion, and function. Garden State Spine also implements a highly specialized approach in the prevention and maintanence of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.”

Chiropractic
Our team of chiropractors have over 50 years experience between them, and all specialize in identification and removal of subluxations, which are like kinks in a water hose. The removal of the subluxation restores proper nerve flow of the nervous system allowing people to live life without interference or things getting on their nerves. Ever hear the expression, “you are getting on my last nerve”, or “stressed out”? What we are referring to is our nervous system which acts like a telephone cord between our brain and the rest of our body. We can eliminate a great deal of stress or interference on our telephone line when removing all the kinks in the hose. Can you hear me now?!

Acupuncture
Over one third of the world’s population has used Acupuncture as a primary form of medicine for thousands of years. Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine that encourages the body to promote natural healing and to improve overall function. Through chi regulation within the meridian correction of imbalances in the physical body as well as release of excess emotional stress can be obtained. “Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality in itself, but when combined with Chiropractic and Physical Therapy, the results can be tremendous”, says Scott Bendell, lead Acupuncturist at GSSPI. In addition to assisting in the relief of musculoskeletal aches and pain, Acupuncture allows you to get in touch with your mind / body connection. Many insurances now cover acupuncture.

Pain Management
Though we are very conservative with treatment and care, in order to prevent surgery, medical intervention is often warranted. At Garden State Spine & Pain Institute we provide relief for both pain and numbness and tingling in the arms, hands, fingers, legs and toes. This pain is usually caused by disc herniations, bulges and other disc disorders, and responds well from either epidural or facet block injections. These injections are performed by our Medical Director, and are a less invasive option to surgery.

The addition of Pain Management allows GSSPI to provide treatment for ALL musculoskeletal ailments EXCEPT surgery. Our team of experts are ready to provide you with the necessary attention to correctly diagnose and then resolve your problem.
We have built our practice, by providing a genuine interest in our patients’ health, showing people how to become healthier. True Health Care can prevent Sick Care. That fact is, we treat everyone the way we would want to be treated ourselves, like family, which is why we treat many of the doctors and families who live here in Ocean.

Headaches are the #1 rated health complaint in America, surpassing even the common cold. There are an estimated 50 million chronic headache sufferers in the United States alone. Headaches generate 157 million lost days from work, more than $50 billion in medical bills and $4 billion in over the counter medications. I was a headache sufferer and they were debilitating. I tried everything, saw every doctor and nothing worked. I thought I was crazy, and the doctors insinuated it. If I hadn’t found relief, I don’t know where I would be today…

There are 3 major types of headaches:

1. Migraine
2. Tension / Chronic
3. Trauma induced

Each type differ by their symptoms and what triggers them, but muscle spasm, nervous tension and change in blood flow are common to all three types.

Migraine Headaches
58% of migraines require immediate bed rest. 25% of migraine sufferers have four attacks a month. Migraines usually begin during adolescence, but occur most frequently between the ages of 35-45. Migraine headaches are hereditary for 70% of sufferers. When a migraine headache begins, serotonin levels rise and then dramatically fall. 20% of sufferers will experience a visual disturbance called an aura which is a flash of light seen in the field of vision. Some also experience numbness or difficulty speaking. Blood flow to the brain is determined by the diameter of a blood vessel. During a migraine headache, which is a vascular condition, arteries constrict decreasing the amount of blood flow to the brain.

Migraine Headaches Symptoms:

• Sharp pounding pain
• Often on one side of the head
• Visual disturbances
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light and sound

Migraine Headaches Triggers:

• Stress, anxiety, depression or excitement
• Hormonal changes
• Food allergies to cheese, chocolate, alcohol, cured meats and sweets
• Bright or flickering lights
• Skipping meals
• Weather changes

Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of headaches. Tension headaches are usually caused by spasm of the muscles in the back of the neck or head. The swelling from muscle spasm decreases blood flow to the brain by choking nerves. Tension headaches produce constant pain on both sides of the head. Pain lasts anywhere from several hours to several days or months. If tension headaches occur regularly over a period of years, they are considered chronic headaches.

Tension Headaches Symptoms:

• Dull pain in the forehead
• Pain in the temples
• Pain in a wide band across the head
• Usually both sides of the head

Tension Headaches Triggers:

• Stress
• Fatigue
• Muscle strain
• Eye strain
• Anxiety
• Menstruation

Trauma Induced Headaches
This type of headache is directly associated with injury to the head, face, neck or spine. Trauma headaches are associated with pain in the neck or shoulders. Auto accidents are the major cause of these headaches and can start weeks or months after the accident. The average American living in a metropolitan area can expect to be involved in 7 or 8 car accidents in their lifetime. If you live in New Jersey, this number goes up.

Trauma Induced Headache Symptoms:

• Sensation of tightness, throbbing or constriction
• Often a tight band of pressure over the entire head

Trauma Induced HeadacheTriggers:

• Auto accidents
• Sport injuries
• Falls
• Other traumatic injuries

What NOT TO do:
Do you know what the #1 reason for admittance to the hospital from the Emergency Room is? Overdose to Tylenol! No kidding… In fact, recent Tylenol commercials warn viewers that the makers of Tylenol prefer you not take their product at all than have you take incorrectly. When is the right time to take Tylenol? 3-4 times a year not 3-4 times a day! Tylenol is a pain reliever meant for times when you overexert yourself playing sports, times when you go too long without a meal, were in front of the computer screen too long, or were horsing around with the kids. “Doctors have known for years that chronic pain sufferers who regularly take Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs like Ibuprofen to ease their symptoms are prone to gastric disorders. There’s an epidemic of adverse drug reactions to NSAIDs,” says Dr. James Fries, one of the country’s leading arthritis experts and a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Imagine you are in a deep sleep tonight but you are abruptly awakened by a ringing fire alarm. All you want to do is go back asleep, but instead, you decide to investigate by walking thru the house making sure that there is no fire. You don’t want your house to burn down, or do you?!
People who get headaches on a daily basis who just cover up their pain with NSAID are just knocking the fire alarm out of the ceiling and going back to bed. They may have a fire in the house! Frequent headaches are your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Don’t ignore the signals!

What TO Do:
How did I get rid of my headaches? At my worst, I was getting debilitating migraines 3-4 times a week. I saw the school nurse so much, the she started to suspect that I had a social disorder or learning disability or that I just didn’t want to be in class. The doctors, who found nothing wrong with me, thought that I might have some psychiatric problems. I was desperate. My parents didn’t know what to do. They knew some friends of friends who were husband and wife chiropractors in Middletown. They had urged my parents to bring me in. We didn’t get it. What were Chiropractors going to do to help my headaches? I went during one of my worst episodes. Nauseous and almost incoherent, I stumbled into their office. My eyes opened up and the nausea resolved. I left without my headache. Thru regular treatments, and correction of the misaligned vertebrae in my Cervical Spine, the vessels leading to my brain were no longer choked and throbbing.

A study of 47 patients was done to see if the Cervical Spine played a role in headaches. 97% of all subjects tested showed at least 1 significant abnormality on x-ray of the Cervical Spine. Like a kink in a garden hose that reduces the amount of water passing thru, the throbbing of a headache is due to the constriction of a vessel. It is blood trying to get thru a narrower opening. It’s like a car accident on the Garden State Parkway causing a “bottleneck” where traffic backs up. Spinal misalignment, causes the choking of the nerves exiting the spinal column and also results in muscle spam in the surrounding area. This muscle spasm restricts normal range of motion. When force movement thru the restriction, like when turning your head to pull out of a parking spot, vertebrae pop out of position causing the choking of surrounding nerves.

At Garden State Spine & Pain Institute, we take pride in relieving and resolving headaches for our patients. The reduction of muscle spasm thru stretching and deep tissue massage provided in physical therapy, combined with the correction of misaligned vertebrae in Chiropractic removes pressure on the surround vessels easing the throbbing of headaches and prevents them from coming back. We also provide stress reduction techniques like Yoga, Tai Chi, and massage. If I was you, and I WAS, I would call and schedule an appointment. It may change your life!