This is embarrassing… After my morning shower, I apparently wasn’t as dry as I thought I was when I attempted to put on my underwear. The left leg went in with no problem. The right leg? Not so much. I quickly learned that my balance isn’t what it used to be. On the third hop, I landed on a wet spot and… well, long story short, my shoulder hurts, my ankle is swollen, and I have a gash on my head. My wife, however, is still struggling to breathe from her uncontrollable laughter. Hopefully i'm your next available appointment, Whitey Tighty Pain in Osage Beach Dear Tighty, First, please stop putting on your underwear like it’s an Olympic event. Second, your wife may need treatment for excessive laughter, but let’s take care of your shoulder, ankle, and head first! All jokes aside, a swollen ankle and head injury should be checked out, especially if you’re experiencing a headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or vision changes. Sincerely, Dr. Aaron Helping you recover from life’s most embarrassing injuries.

I’m so excited about the World Cup! I was out reliving my glory days as a soccer star (I played when I was seven, so basically semi-pro). The neighbor kids’ soccer ball rolled into my yard, and naturally, I was moments away from scoring the game-winning goal of my imagination. Just as my foot was about to make contact, I spotted what I recognized as clear evidence that they own a dog. I managed to pull up at the last second… only to lose my balance and land directly on the soccer ball… and the evidence. Now everything hurts, my pride is injured, and I’m walking like I lost a fight with gravity. Can you help? I don’t have insurance, but can I just pay out of pocket? Sincerely, A Former Soccer Legend ⚽💩🤣 Dear Former Soccer Legend, First of all, thank you for your heroic efforts to avoid punting the neighbor’s “evidence” into the next county. Not everyone has that kind of awareness under pressure. The good news is yes — you can absolutely be seen without insurance! We welcome self-pay patients and would be happy to help get you moving a little more like a soccer star and a little less like someone who got tackled by a soccer ball and poor decision-making. Give us a call, and we’ll get you scheduled. In the meantime, maybe stick to coaching from the sidelines. Sincerely, Dr. Aaron & Team ⚽😂🦴 📞 573-348-6640 🌐 yourfamilychiro.net

I injured myself playing golf, but told my wife it was doing chores for her, ( trying to get some sympathy affection) my back is wrecked! Can I pay cash and get an adjustment? Or do I have to turn it in to insurance? Wrecked in Linn Dear Wrecked in Linn Creek, Ah yes… the classic “I hurt myself doing chores” cover story. A tale as old as time—and almost as believable as “I was just watching the score” during a 4-hour golf round 😏⛳️ Good news: you can absolutely pay cash for an adjustment. No insurance required, no investigation opened, no need to file a “suspicious lawn care injury” report. Just walk in, get fixed up, and walk out standing like a man who definitely did not tweak his back trying to outdrive his buddy. Now as for that back… whether it was lifting laundry baskets or launching drives into the next fairway, your spine doesn’t care—it just wants help. And right now, it sounds like it’s filing a formal complaint. We’ll get you adjusted, loosened up, and back on your feet. Just be careful… if you start moving too well, your wife might expect actual chores next time. And don’t worry—your secret is safe with us. (Unless your golf buddies call… then we’re negotiating.) – Dr. Aaron 😄

My wife went to an esthetician, I had to google it to see what it was. She came home and there was a notable difference, not only in her skin but her attitude, more confident, almost snarky. She is telling me how important self care or self is. I’m from a generation that was taught not to talk of such things. I’m not interested in getting my skin shaved off or fancy sunburn type things, but was wondering if I can get cracked or adjusted or something not called self love. Thank you in advance, Self loveless in Osage Beach Self Loveless in Osage Beach, First off… I respect the honesty 😂 Sounds like your wife didn’t just get a facial—she unlocked a whole new level of confidence. That “esthetician glow” is real… and yeah, it can come with a little extra attitude too. Now let’s clear something up—taking care of yourself doesn’t have to mean cucumbers on your eyes and spa music (unless you’re into that… no judgment). Around here, we just call it maintenance. You don’t need “self love”… you might just need an adjustment. Tight back? Stiff neck? Feeling like your warranty expired in 2003? That’s where we come in. We’ll get you cracked, aligned, and walking out feeling like a new man—no fancy sunburn treatments required. And hey… don’t be surprised if you leave standing a little taller with a bit of that same confidence your wife’s got 😉 – Dr. Aaron

After expertly navigating Missouri’s snow and ice like an Olympic-level winter athlete, I regret to inform you that my greatest opponent was actually my puppy… who sabotaged me with an open bottle of hair conditioner. Turns out my balance is excellent on black ice, but absolutely no match for “Salon Slip ’N Slide.” Please advise if stretching, chiropractic care, or rehoming the conditioner is the recommended treatment. Slippery in Osage Beach Dear Slippery, First, congratulations on surviving Snowmageddon 2026. Unfortunately, many patients forget the most dangerous winter hazard… puppies with access to bathroom products. Hair conditioner is known to cause sudden loss of dignity, rapid unplanned splits, and temporary questioning of life choices. While I cannot prescribe puppy discipline (yet), I can recommend gentle stretching, proper alignment, and getting checked out if you’re feeling sore, stiff, or bruised after your unexpected “figure skating debut.” In the meantime, I suggest: ✔ Puppy-proofing all toiletry items ✔ Installing anti-slip mats ✔ Accepting that puppies are adorable but OSHA violations with fur If soreness sticks around longer than a few days, you know where to find me — we’ll get you moving safely again! – Dr. Aaron

My husband and I work crazy schedules, so we finally celebrated Valentine’s Day yesterday. I wore a new flowy dress and felt amazing! After a romantic dinner, we went for a walk… and apparently Mother Nature had other plans. The wind “helped” move us along so quickly I couldn’t stop and got blown straight into a block wall. We laughed… until I tried to gather myself and my flowy dress caught the wind like a sail on a ship and sent me right back into the wall. My oh-so-loving husband must have hit his funny bone because he was laughing so hard he couldn’t help me. Sooo… do you have any openings this week? 💨💘🧱 — Signed, Blown Away at the Lake Well… first of all, I’m impressed by the aerodynamic capabilities of that dress. ✨💨 Second, block walls are undefeated — but so is chiropractic care. Let’s get you in this week before your husband’s “funny bone” injury turns into a sleeping-on-the-couch situation. 😉 I promise adjustments are gentler than Missouri wind gusts. — Dr. Aaron

I skipped church this morning (I know… I know). To make up for it, I decided to justify my decision by preparing a legendary Sunday evening barbecue feast for my wife. Brisket, ribs, the whole smoker setup. While rushing around the kitchen trying to find the barbecue seasoning, I discovered I apparently have no idea where anything is in my own house. In the process of aggressively searching, I knocked a jar of peppers off the shelf. It shattered, splashing pepper juice directly into my shoes and soaking my socks. Now there’s broken glass everywhere, peppers all over the floor, and our new puppy running in like I’ve just started the greatest game ever invented. Absolute chaos. I cleaned up the glass and peppers and thought I had things under control… until my feet started burning. And I mean burning. Apparently pepper juice soaked socks is not a recommended experience. So I rushed to the tub to rinse my feet off. In my hurry—and still slightly blinded by the pepper fumes—I slipped getting into the tub and tweaked my back. Now my feet are on fire, my back hurts, the puppy is still investigating the scene, and the smoker still isn’t ready. Dr. Aaron… did I just invent a new category of barbecue injury, or is this divine punishment for skipping church? 🌶️😅 Dear Pepper-Footed Pitmaster, First of all… I admire the commitment to Sunday barbecue redemption. However, it appears the peppers had other plans for you. Let’s review the situation: • Pepper juice soaked socks • A slip in the tub • A burning foot situation • A tweaked back • A puppy supervising the entire disaster Medically speaking, this is what we call a “multi-system barbecue incident.” Pepper oils can absolutely cause intense burning on the skin—especially when trapped inside socks and shoes. Water helps a little, but capsaicin (the spicy stuff) actually sticks around like that one friend who won’t leave after the party. Soap or milk-based products can sometimes help break it down faster. As for the slip in the tub… that back tweak is exactly the kind of thing I see all the time. Sudden movements, loss of footing, and a quick twist can irritate the muscles around the spine. The good news is most of these injuries calm down with a little rest, ice, and—when needed—a chiropractic adjustment to get things moving properly again. The bigger lesson here may be this: next time skip the pepper jar… not church. If the burning continues or the back stiffness doesn’t ease up, come see me and we’ll get you straightened out—preferably before the next barbecue experiment. And maybe keep the puppy out of the kitchen next time. — Always here for you, Dr. Aaron

I’m not sure you can help, but I keep seeing television commercials about vitamins and supplements, and I am interested. Fatigue, low energy, joint pains, I have all of the symptoms and if these products do what they say I sure would be happy. I was at a local big box store browsing, and my wife pulled me away from the refrigerated section refusing to believe beer has the vitamins I need, and took me over to the pharmacy area. Vitamins a,b,c,d,l,m,n,o,p All I can think of was SCAM!!!! What is the deal? Some were $29.00 and others upward of $90.00 I remember from childhood hearing carrots give you good eyesight- vitamin A, I ate every carrot I could find only to get my new spectacles at age 8. Another scam! What about those delicious kid’s vitamins I remember taking? Straight out of Bedrock – Did the cavemen have better vitamins than we do now? Oh, and another thing, can you overdose on vitamins? What happens if I take too much vitamin C? Will it cause canker sores? So many Questions!! I want to feel good both physically and mentally about my purchases concerning my health, do you offer any advice on choosing one over another? Thank you, Vitaminized in Osage Beach P.S. My wife is still not convinced L I T E are the right vitamins Dear Vitaminized, Your concerns made want to say Yabba Dabba OOOOOOOHH they are both valid and justified. I am not convinced that the L I T E vitamins are the answer, but I might compliment your taste. Choosing what medicines go in to your body is probably best left to a conversation between you and a doctor. Like a medically trained person. My grandpa used to say “you don’t go to a dentist to get your toe fixed!” and I wasn’t sure what he meant until I matured a little. It is the same with our joint health, it might be better to talk to me, than trust an actor in a white coat on TV or even a cartoon character. All supplements and vitamins are not created equally. When researching your questions, I found this: With general retail supplements, we are unsure of where their raw materials come from or if they are what they say they are. A.G. Schneiderman Asks Major Retailers To Halt Sales Of Certain Herbal Supplements As DNA Tests Fail To Detect Plant Materials Listed On Majority Of Products Tested | New York State Attorney General (ny.gov) . This is a link that discusses products being pulled from the shelves in major box stores because they failed quality testing that was looking at whether these products indeed had the ingredients they claimed were in there. Nearly 80% failed. I have chosen to use Ortho Molecular Products myself, and have had good experiences using it with my patients. On you next visit we can talk about what might be a good fit for you! Always here for you, Dr. Aaron P.S. If you vitaminize with the L I T E, let someone else drive!!

My wife surprised me with an early Christmas present. A special red light therapy mask. While I truly appreciate her thoughtful gift, I’m pretty certain she was bamboozled, it is like a hockey mask with red Christmas lights in it. She insisted I try it. So while lying in bed, I put it on as she instructed, and it was ok for a minute or so. My wife thought some holiday music would be fun- jingle bells played and the lights on my therapy mask started flashing to the music. I laughed until I cried, my wife cried because I laughed. Do you know anything about this red light therapy? Trying to relax in Osage Beach First off… that is an absolutely fantastic story. I can picture it: lying in bed, Christmas-light hockey mask on, “Jingle Bells” syncing like a Clark Griswold medical experiment. That alone may have provided more therapy than the mask itself 😂 Now for the serious part — yes, red light therapy is a real thing, but NOT all devices are created equal. ✔️ What “real” red light therapy does Most clinically studied devices use: Red light wavelengths around 630–660nm Near-infrared around 810–880nm These wavelengths can: Support skin health and collagen Help with mild inflammation Promote tissue healing Sometimes help with joint discomfort and recovery ⚠️ The catch Many consumer “gadget” masks: Use random LEDs with no verified wavelength Have very low power output, making them basically glorified Christmas decor Are marketed with big promises and very little science …and they definitely aren’t supposed to flash to “Jingle Bells” 🎄😂 🧠 Safety notes Don’t stare directly into bright LEDs Avoid use if you have seizure history, eye problems, are photosensitive, or take photosensitizing meds If it overheats, buzzes, shocks, or looks like it belongs in a Halloween aisle → retire it 😆 Bottom line Red light therapy can be beneficial when done correctly with medical-grade equipment and correct dosing… …but the Christmas rave mask probably falls more in the “festive novelty” category than the “therapeutic healthcare device” category. If you ever want to try real, clinically-based red light therapy, or want me to evaluate what you have, I’d be happy to help. Until then, I prescribe: Laughter (you already nailed that) A supportive wife who cares (also nailed) And maybe keep the mask for next year’s Christmas party entertainment 😂 Always here for you, Dr. Aaron

My husband thought it would be a great idea to “work out” in preparation for winter. He read a person over 40 should not really shovel snow, determined to not be a statistic, he has been shoveling sand in the garage from one pile to another. I think his real motivation is to drink a beer in between “sets” of shoveling. The sand is difficult to walk on when spread thin, and you have completed the shovel / drink process for an hour or so. He slipped on the sand, spilled his beer and struggled to get up. He resembled a cartoon character in slow motion, I did not laugh, but I will when he gets better! Can you help him? Trying not to laugh, in Camdenton Hi Trying not to laugh, Medical Assessment of the “Sand-Shoveling Incident” Ladies and gentlemen, my patient today is a man who read “People over 40 shouldn’t shovel snow” and thought: “Great idea. I’ll shovel sand in the garage instead. For training.” Because nothing prepares you for winter like creating your own personal desert and hydrating with beer between sets. Anyway — let’s discuss his gravity-induced enlightenment moment. 🚑 First Aid for the Sand Athlete If he: can’t put weight on something, hears clicking where there shouldn’t be clicking, or saw a flash of light that wasn’t divine inspiration, please escort him to urgent care. Otherwise, we can assume he has achieved a Level 1 Sprain of Dignity Apply: Ice (for swelling and regret) Rest (no shoveling, sand or otherwise) OTC pain meds (for both of you) 🏋️‍♂️ Reviewing His Training Plan Shoveling sand is: heavier than snow slipperier than reason and 100% more dangerous when paired with beer This routine should be replaced immediately with something safer, like wrestling a live raccoon. ❄️ A Better Winter Workout To prepare for actual snow, Dr. Aaron prescribes: Squats Planks Glute bridges Carrying things that don’t behave like quicksand Optional upgrade: Buy a snow blower like a normal person. 📝 Official Medical Note “Patient must discontinue beer-interval sand-shoveling training due to high risk of slipping, spilling, and spousal laughter. Recommend strength exercises, hydration with non-alcoholic fluids, and zero garage deserts.” Always here for you, Dr. Aaron

We have a costume party coming up, and my husband insists his idea is hilarious. He wants to wear a hat with a duck bill and a stethoscope — he says everyone will recognize him as a “quackropractor.” Is this offensive, or just harmless fun? 🦆💀 Not a comedian, in Osage Beach #DearDrAaron #HalloweenHumor #LakeoftheOzarks # Dear Osage Comedian, That one gave me a good laugh! No offense taken — as long as the joke’s lighthearted, it’s all in good fun. The word “quack” only stings when it’s used seriously, not when it’s wrapped in rubber ducks and dad humor. If you want to make it extra clear it’s a pun, lean into the silly side — bright colors, cartoon ducks, or maybe even a squeaky duck prop. Humor’s healthy… and apparently, so is a good spinal adjustment afterward from all that laughing. 😉

I noticed you’re offering Red Light Therapy! My husband and I were talking about all the benefits—except he’s a die-hard DIY guy who swears he can get the same results by putting a red plastic notebook cover over his shop light. Well… after melting the cover (and a few other things in the garage), he’s now sporting a nice burn in addition to his original bad knees. 😅 Please, settle this once and for all—can you explain why Red Light Therapy from your office is not the same as his “garage science experiment” Melted in Osage Beach Oh no! 🔥 Please tell your husband to retire from the Red Light DIY Department! While I admire the creativity, Red Light Therapy is a bit more advanced than a red plastic notebook over a shop lamp. The medical-grade systems we use emit very specific wavelengths — 660 nm (red) and 850 nm (near-infrared) — that safely penetrate skin and muscle tissue to stimulate cellular repair, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation. A regular light or colored plastic filter just can’t deliver those therapeutic wavelengths — and as you’ve found out, they can deliver a nice side of melted plastic and burns Always here for you, Dr. Aaron