Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gerald Wertel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Gerald, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an anecdote or story from your schooling/training that you feel illustrates what the overall experience was like?

No matter where you are in your educational journey, at that specific time you think it is the most difficult it can be. When you are in high school you have assignments, quizzes, tests and projects and often time sports or other after school activities. You find yourself thinking “how can I get all of this done?” Fast forward to college. Now your classes are much harder. Your projects are much bigger. You also have a lot more freedom. Often times you have a job. Some continue in their sports, music, theatre or other passions. You typically become more social. Typically you will carry 12-17 credit hours. You again think “how can I get all of this done?” Fast forward to chiropractic school. This is a 10 semester program after you earn your Bachelor’s Degree. The first semester I had in chiropractic school was 26 credits. That was the only semester under 30 credit hours. That was eye opening for sure. Many people still have a part time job as well. At this point many people are married or are in serious relationships. While studying in advanced degrees, you have very little “extra” time. You are always busy. Classes are extremely hard. Once you are at this level you look back and think how easy high school and college was. How much free time you actually did have. In professional school you are forced to learn how to manage your time and energy. Having gone through it, this makes sense. This sets you up for becoming a successful professional.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In 2026 I celebrated my 25th anniversary of being a Chiropractic Physician. I am very proud and humbled by that. I got into this business because I wanted to help people. A chiropractor helped me so much when I was a teenager that I never forgot it. Because of the way my injury was taken care of literally changed my life. Now I get the honor to help other people every day. Chiropractors excel at treating musculoskeletal conditions. Most people come in with some kind of pain, but not all. Public perception of chiropractors is that we are back doctors. We are so much more than that. Yes, I treat a lot of people with back pain. I also treat people with neck pain, headaches, whiplash, shoulder pain, knee pain, hip pain, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, etc. I also treat athletes with no pain that simply want to be in the best alignment and shape they can be in. If it is a musculoskeletal condition and does not require surgery, chances are high that chiropractic can help. Chiropractors do not prescribe medication or perform surgery. We try to correct the issues naturally. The most common types of treatment in a chiropractic office is adjustments to misaligned joints, stretching, manual therapy, home exercises, electric stimulation, ultrasound or other modalities. We can order x-rays and MRI’s if necessary. We also make the proper referrals if treatment isn’t beneficial. This is one of the things that I believe sets me apart from others. You have to have a plan if things work. You also have to have a plan if treatment does not go as anticipated. This can involve imaging, consulting with another provider, or a referral to a specialist. If my treatment is not correcting the issue, I make the proper referral. I do not keep my patients coming back long term. Another thing that sets me apart is something very simple. I listen. If you read reviews about my office, this is often brought up. To me it is the simplest thing but often overlooked. Patients are paying me to listen to their issues, come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan and make them feel better. I take that very seriously. I listen to my patients and I give them adequate time. These are some of the most common complaints in healthcare in general. If you ask patients what they like least about healthcare (other than cost) is they feel like their time is wasted waiting and they are not listened to. I never want my patients to feel like that.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think what helped me earn a good reputation in my field is that I truly care about my patients and their results. I often tell my patients other than you or your spouse/partner I am next in line in wanting you to get better. There is no better feeling in the world than having someone who is in horrible pain come back and tell you how much better they feel. They can now sleep in a bed. They can again pick up their child. Whatever the thing is that they couldn’t do before seeing you that they now can. That matters to me. I think my patients understand and feel that.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

For me, the most important strategy for happy clients is results. I often say that I am in a results driven profession. When undergoing chiropractic care, it is almost always a series of treatments. It is very rarely just one visit. You have to communicate this and make sure patients understand why it may take several visits. If I don’t get my patients well, they don’t come back. And they shouldn’t. They are paying me to help them feel better. I have never said I am the best chiropractor in town, nor will I. I will say I am not afraid to put in as much work as I have to to help my patients. As I said before, if my patient is not getting the result we are both looking for then it is either time to change strategy/technique/approach or make the proper referral. Statistically chiropractic has a very high rate of successful treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Very high. But not 100%. Nothing is 100% effective. Although not common, sometimes the best treatment is to stop what we are doing and get them to a specialist. Patients respect that I understand sometimes my treatment is not the answer, no matter how much they or I want it to be. The end goal of any patient seeing a doctor of any type is resolution of their issue.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drwertel.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/