Dr. Michelle Rupe-Switzer- Chiropractor
Dr. Michelle’s Grandmother, who she was very close to, lived her life in chronic pain. She took 25 daily medications to help with various conditions including back pain. As she watched her health decline over the years with more medications being added, she knew there had to be a better way to health. Between watching her grandmother decline and her own health improve with chiropractic care, she started looking closer at calling chiropractic her career.
In the early 1990’s, Dr. Michelle was injured during basketball practice. This injury caused her to stop playing sports due to the pain it caused her body. She saw numerous medical doctors to address the issue, but nothing ever helped short and long term. After months of begging my mother to take me to a Chiropractor, she finally gave in and took her to our neighbor’s doctor. The doctor did an exam and then adjusted her spine. Not only did it remove the pain and restore feeling to her legs, but her headaches and sinus issues (which she had everyday for years) were almost non-existent.
She also attributes her Grandmother with being her inspiration to become a Chiropractor. She watched her Grandmother live in constant pain and in overall poor health which required her to be on dozens of medications. As she watched her health decline over the years with more medications being added, she knew there had to be a better way to health. Between watching her Grandmother decline and her own health improve with Chiropractic care, she started looking closer at calling Chiropractic her career.
Dr. Michelle did her undergraduate work at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where she graduated with honors in 1998. There, she was a Kinesiology major where she took classes in Pre-Medical sciences as well as Exercise Physiology and Psychology.
After undergrad, Dr. Michelle continued her education at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA. During her four years at Palmer, courses included biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, X-ray, diagnosis, chiropractic adjusting techniques and patient care in the Palmer Clinics that served all of the Quad Cities. She also did a clinic abroad mission trip where she provided humanitarian care for the Crow Indian tribe in Montana.
In 2002, Dr. Michelle graduated from Palmer and made her way to Tucson where she took over a Chiropractic office for a Doctor who was ready to retire. This is how Switzer Family Chiropractic was born.
A Chiropractic Family
Dr. Michelle’s husband is named Paul. He is the voice you hear on the phone when you call the office. Paul has his own stories as to how Chiropractic has changed his life (he loves to tell everyone too). He is the office manager and a Licensed Massage Therapist at our office. The patients love that we provide Massage Therapy in the office as well as Chiropractic. Many patients feel the benefit that it gives their body and overall health.
Dr. Michelle and Paul have two daughters that make appearances in the office regularly, so you may see them every once and a while. They were both homebirths, and they have been adjusted since birth. This experience connected her to the overall birth and baby community in Tucson. She is passionate about providing care for pregnancy, postpartum, and kids (including babies). This has led her to further studies in these these including being certified in the Webster’s technique.
In our spare time, we enjoy swimming and spending time with our kids and dogs (who also receive regular chiropractic adjustments). The dogs are our unofficial office mascots that hang around behind our front desk area. We also love the Arizona Wildcats. Most of all we love living in Arizona and the daily dose of Arizona sun!
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