Meet your doctor.
M. Swartztrauber, D.C.
My name is Michael Swartztrauber and I am a D.C., a chiropractic doctor. The name, for sure, is a mouthful, so feel free to call me Doc. I attended North Texas State for music, U. of H. for pre-med coursework and received my post-graduate professional degree from Texas Chiropractic College in 1989.
I’ve been a Houstonian since five and went to T.H. Rogers Middle School and The High School for Performing and Visual Arts as a violinist. For over thirty years, I’ve had the great fortune to be married to my wonderful wife, Valerie, and together we have four good-hearted, smart, funny adult children aged 22-31. When not practicing, my interests lie in art, design and music and for relaxation, I build furniture and play guitar.
DESTINY INTERRUPTS
Like many of my patients, I had only a vague idea of what chiropractic was prior to being introduced to it while working as a professional musician. After one particular out-of-town engagement, we were returning to Houston early in the morning on a chartered bus. And, like everyone else after a long night of playing and moving equipment, I fell into a dead sleep while sitting up with my neck in an awkward position.
When I woke, although my neck felt “funny,” it wasn’t painful. The next morning, though, was a different story. My neck was locked down in steel cable spasms and just the slightest movement spiked the pain to wincing levels. I was miserable!
The pain motivated me to get over my fear of the unknown and make an appointment with my mother’s chiropractor. I walked into his office with my head almost laying on a shoulder and in intense pain and left an hour later with my head upright and my neck feeling considerably better.
What this doctor was able to do with his hands – without medications, without needles, without surgery – was so impressive, I decided right then and there to go through the six more years of school it would take to do the same for others.
I’VE SEEN MIRACLES
I’ve been a chiropractic doctor now for several years and have had a great career. I’ve been honored to be called back to teach at my alma mater, work for the State of Texas as a State Board Examination writer, and have gone to two Olympics as a treating doctor. I guess because chiropractic is unfamiliar to many, my patients appreciate knowing this stuff.
But I’ll tell you, the most exciting part of my job is what happens in practice every day. I love working on the difficult, chronic cases where someone has tried “everything” to get rid of a problem that’s been depleting their lives of joy, time, and resources for years. Uncovering the true cause and getting that person back to playing with their children, hitting around of golf, or simply being able to go for an evening walk with their spouse is what I think this is really all about.