The Rapid City Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Rapid City

Dr. Shannon DeBoer

My Path to Wellness

I was born and raised in Tyndall, SD. I was the oldest of four boys. As a child, I was active in sports, and I loved to hunt and fish. I was first exposed to chiropractic care when I was in high school. When I was playing football my junior year, I had been asked to be one of the starting receivers on the Varsity squad. I was pumped! The week after my first varsity game, I was hit blind side in the head. I got up and kept playing, but by that evening I had developed a sore neck and a pretty severe headache. By the next day my headache was so awful I could hardly think and I could not participate without excruciating pain. I was devastated! If I even slightly exerted myself, the pounding became so bad that I would almost pass out. This persisted for two weeks. I tried treating my problem with medications, but nothing seemed to help. Help came later, but from a different source than I had imagined!

It was my mother who convinced me to give a new doctor a try. The new doctor would do an exam, take some films and then ‘adjust’ my spine. So, I said, "Okay." The adjustment didn’t hurt; it actually felt good. I got relief, and by the next day I could run full speed without a headache. Now, back to football! This doctor was a chiropractor. It worked so well for me, and I was so impressed with the other ‘miracles’ I saw in his office, that I eventually went to chiropractic school myself.

I went to college at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD and majored in Biology and Chemistry with a Minor in Physics. There, I also took up the track team for four years. I transferred to Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1996 and finished in 2000. I then bought a practice in Brookings, SD and ran my own business successfully for seven years.

As for my family, it’s like I’m living every parent’s dream! Trace is my three year old son, and at birth he had aspirated meconium. The doctors said he would have to be in the hospital for 3-4 weeks and would possibly have future problems with asthma and allergies. Trace had a chiropractic adjustment just two hours after birth and a few more times while at the hospital. By the end of the day he was breathing normally, and the medical doctor said he looked like a new child! He was able to come home after only 3 days of ICU care! Trace has grown to be healthy, strong and fearless.

Many of the parents I encounter tell me of their children’s chronic illnesses, particularly with ear infections. This is just the opposite for Trace and Carlie (my 9 month old). Trace just had his first ear infection at age 3, and Carlie hasn’t had any. There have been no major illnesses with either of them! They love to be adjusted and do so on a regular basis. I feel this is the main reason Trace was able to beat the odds that the doctors in the hospital advised. He has no sign of allergies or asthma. He has only been the strongest, healthiest and happiest baby and toddler one could ask for!

My wife is originally from Spearfish, and we decided in 2006 to move out to the Black Hills again. We went through some tough times with the sale of the practice in Brookings and getting moved out to the Rapid City area. But now we are where we want to be, and life couldn’t be better!

Shannon DeBoer, D.C.