Naprapathic physician shares how trauma shows up when treating neuromuscular skeletal pain and his plans for a new school in Southern Nevada
Dr. Patrick Nuzzo recently appeared on the “And That’s Okay” podcast with Emmy Award-winning host Paulina Bucka. In the episode titled “Trauma Lives in the Body,” the founder of the Southwest University of Naprapathic Medicine (SUNM) in New Mexico , educated the audience on how naprapaths treat neuromuscular skeletal pain. He also discussed how past trauma can show up musculoskeletally for some patients, as well as his plans for opening a new naprapathy school in Southern Nevada.
Naprapathy is a branch of integrative medicine, Nuzzo explained, that treats neuromuscular skeletal pain with both manual manipulation and an anti-inflammatory diet. Because they use manipulation techniques, naprapaths are sometimes confused with chiropractors, but their specialty is different.
“We are connective tissue specialists. We treat the connective tissue that either holds the bony structure into alignment or pulls it out of alignment,” Nuzzo emphasized.
Due to stress, repetitive movements or injury, body tissues and ligaments constrict and lose resiliency, creating spinal misalignment. Naprapaths work with soft and connective tissues to realign the spine and eliminate pain without medications. With some patients, past traumas may continue to live inside connective tissues, Nuzzo added, and effectively manipulating those tissues can support the release of pain associated with past traumas.
“I like to tell people, we treat the cause and not just the symptoms,” he said.
With the passing of AB 153 in 2023, which now allows naprapathic physicians to practice in the Silver State, Nuzzo is expanding SUNM to Southern Nevada. Online classes begin this fall, and in-person classes in January.
To learn more, visit sunm.edu.
