Restoring Quality of Life

Dr. Richard E. Busch III never wants to hear his patients say that they’ll learn to live with their back and neck pain. Using an alternative approach to treatment and care, Busch helps patients return to normal, productive lives, finding relief from chronic pain without undergoing risky surgery or enduring painful injections.

“Many of our patients have seen surgeons, pain management doctors, physical therapists and other chiropractors. Many have had epidurals and cortisone injections,” says Busch, noting that many of his patients come to him after having experienced failed back or neck surgery. His goal is not only to relieve the pain but also to treat the condition causing the pain so that it doesn’t return.

It’s a goal that he’s achieving every day.

Busch has a life-long history of chiropractic care; his father, now retired, was also a chiropractor, and the Busch family publishes The American Chiropractor Magazine (TAC), a prominent trade publication. While earning his doctorate of chiropractic at the Parker College of Chiropractic in Texas, Busch worked with TAC, giving him the opportunity to interview prominent MDs, chiropractors, therapists, pain management practitioners, researchers and manufacturers. This experience provided him with a wealth of knowledge about the effectiveness of products and procedures.

He began practicing in April 1996 after marrying his childhood sweetheart, Jennifer. Together they opened the Busch Chiropractic Pain Center. Seeing the need for a better approach to treating patients with severe and chronic disc conditions than epidurals and surgery, he soon began developing what’s now the nationally known DRS (Decompression, Reduction and Stabilization) Protocol™. This system is customized for each patient taking into consideration all aspects of the individual’s health and wellbeing.

One element of the protocol is non-surgical spinal decompression, which Busch says is excellent for relieving disc-related pain. 

“We decompress a nerve, take pressure off disc bulges and stabilize the condition,” he says. “This means pain relief.” 

Non-surgical spinal decompression can be performed on a specialized table designed to allow decompression of the discs and relieve direct nerve pressure, improve nutrient absorption and rehydrate discs and help improve disc structure. The DRS Protocol™ integrates spinal decompression with a specific treatment plan that Busch develops for his patients taking into consideration their overall health, lifestyle, habits, needs and goals. 

“No two patients have the same treatment program,” he says. “Patients have to be involved in their own health care.”

The DRS Protocol™ is highly successful for patients who have had failed back or neck surgery, for those who don’t want to have surgery or for those whom surgery is not a viable option. Word of his success rate has spread, and doctors throughout the country—both MDs and Chiropractors—come to Fort Wayne to learn how to integrate the DRS Protocol™ into their practices, resulting in more patients having a chance to live free of pain without undergoing surgery or establishing a life-long dependency on pain medications. 

In 2009, Busch published “*Surgery not Included: Freedom from Chronic Neck and Back Pain,” a book that focuses on the whole patient and treatment choice. It is a highly readable explanation of the origins and treatments for back and neck pain with the goal of providing a better understanding of alternatives to surgery. 

In addition to treating patients with conditions such as low-back pain, sciatic pain, herniated or degenerated discs and spinal stenosis, Busch has developed the Busch Neuropathy Protocol, a treatment designed to achieve better outcomes for those who suffer from classic symptoms of neuropathy such as numbness, pain and burning in the hands and feet. 

The Buschs believe in a patient-centered approach to health care and strive to let their patients know they are cared about. 

“When I train my staff, I tell them to think of and treat every patient as a member of their family,” says Jennifer. They regard their well-trained, compassionate staff as a vital component of the business.

Rachel Meisner, office manager for 14 years, and 12-year veteran and lead DRS technician, Angie Vollen, agree that the personal care and attention that characterize patient treatment at the Busch Chiropractic Pain Center make a difference that patients appreciate. 

“Patients are unhappy when they come here; many have been in pain a long time and they’re resigned to living that way,” says Vollen. “They’re amazed by what they’re able to do after being treated with the DRS Protocol™. Within a short time, they may notice that they’re sleeping better or not taking as much pain medicine as they used to.”

“We see people come here with walkers and in wheelchairs,” says Jennifer. “They leave walking on their own.” 

“I’ll do anything that I can to help a patient get well,” says Busch. “We’re not just affecting our patients’ quality of life. We’re also affecting their relationships with others—their spouses, children, co-workers and friends. 

“I love my work. I get to see miracles happen every day,” says Busch. “My patients are happy: that’s how I measure success.”