Common Questions

What is Network Wellness Care and how is it different from traditional chiropractic methods?

Network Wellness Care (a.k.a. Network Chiropractic) was developed in the early 1980’s by Dr. Donald Epstein to help patients resolve tension patterns which occur when the spinal cord is over-stretched during physical injury or when the body is under mental or emotional stress. It has evolved far from traditional chiropractic and has been studied intensely at major medical colleges (UC Irvine Medical College, USC, University of Wyoming).

Like a “pulled too tight” bungee cord, the spinal cord tissues communicate at a higher frequency or “phase” when they are under tension. In other words, imagine a guitar string that was tuned way to tight and what that would sound like when played. Another good example is the sound nails make on a chalk board. When our spine is under tension, the communication from brain to our cells is disturbed. These  nerve messages are then distributed throughout the body’s 75-100 trillion cells via an elaborate nerve network that links every cell with between 3-9 nerve fibers. It is estimated that a 5-6% pressure or stretch on the spinal cord or its sensitive nerves decreases their efficiency by 50-60%. Imagine how this could affect your health, your posture, and your mood!

Instead of trying to mechanically adjust or align the spine through manipulation of the vertebra like a traditional chiropractor, a Network Chiropractor seeks to understand the physical, emotional and mental factors related to the tension pattern and then find the specific points on the spine that will help the body resolve its tension using just a few ounces of pressure.

No twisting, popping or cracking is necessary. The technique is completely safe with no risk of injury from forceful manipulation.

Do you combine Acupuncture and Chiropractic?

It depends. At the center of my unique methods are Network Spinal Analysis and Somato Respiratory Integration. Some patients go on to utilize acupuncture to address a specific health concern or to amplify their healing and wellness in general.

Some people only receive acupuncture. Some people receive both.

During an initial consultation, we’ll determine a plan that works for you, your budget, and your goals. No matter what approach or technique is used, we approach you from a very holistic and integral mindset. At NWCC, it’s all about you.

What do you guys do at the Network Wellness Center of Charlotte?

A visit to our office leaves you feeling up, relaxed, flexible, and joyful. We treat you like we want to be treated – with love, compassion, honesty, and respect. We want to get you feeling better and take you as far into wellness as you ant to go.

Most people are in our office no more than 20-25 minutes. Acupuncture visits take slightly longer.

A Network Spinal Analysis session is called an “entrainment”, a term that means to get “in synch”. During an entrainment a wave-like deepening of your breath will spontaneously occur and various regions of your spine will begin to gently move in synch with each other as tension releases.

In most cases, we check your spine while you are laying face down, fully clothed. The work is exceptionally gentle. We fully analyze your spine, muscles, posture, breathing patterns, and joints to help us determine how to help you. We then use very gentle pressure on key points on the body, generally along the spine, to facilitate the entrainment process.

Our acupuncture technique is also extremely gentle. Dr. Lyon has developed a safe, effective, modern application of acupuncture. Our unique acupuncture work is, generally, a safe, comfortable, and relaxing, and powerfully healing experience.

I am pregnant. Can I receive Care?

Of course. Anytime is a good time to allow your body to express its innate and inborn health. Anytime is a good time to enable your nervous system to function at its highest capacity. When you are pregnant, your body is going through tremendous changes creating the miracle of Life. Support yourself with the gift of Life though our healing. We simply adapt our adjusting styles to work with your body and your stage of pregnancy.

We also work with newborns using our gentle methodology to make sure their nervous systems are healthy from the start of life! I have adjusted babies who are two days old and moms throughout pregnancy up until the day the deliver!

Can my kids and babies receive care?

Absolutely. The power of Network Care with kids and infants is tremendous. Did you know that Network Care helps with Asthma, Allergies, ADD/ADHD, Chronic Ear Infections, and infant colic? Did you know that all of these “condtions” have their root in the immune system and our stress reponses? Network is incredibly effective in helping turn the tides on the effects of these challenges becuase we go straight to the source of the problem: the nervous system!

Since we use very gentle and non-invasive adjusting methods it is safe, easy, and fun for kids to get their nervous system tuned up and turned on. Even newborns are adjusted with love and attention in our office. Dr. Lyon has adjusted babies just days old! See our testimonials from happy parents!

I want to feel better and get over this pain RIGHT NOW! How long will this take?

You can expect to immediately feel more relaxed, loose and flexible in your body. Your breathing will become deeper and easier. In most cases, your pain and tension levels will be significantly reduced within a short time.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg! As your body shifts out of “fight or flight” mode, you’ll begin to experience more clarity, a sense of inner-calm and peace and a pleasant elongation of your spine as your posture straightens. This is only the beginning of the many life-changing benefits that Network Chiropractic has to offer. You can read more about the long-term benefits by reading Dr. Lyon’s eBook on Network Spinal Analysis – available for free on this website.

What conditions/symptoms can you help with?

Network Chiropractic is not considered a “treatment” or “therapy.” However, by releasing tension from the spine and helping the nervous system adapt to stress more effectively, our unique process has helped thousands of people experience relief of the following:

» Low back pain » Whiplash » Asthma

» Neck pain » Torticollis » Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

» Tension Headaches » Headaches

» TMJ » Migraines » Depression

» Disc Herniation » Muscle Spasms

» Disc Injuries » Muscle Strains

» Bulging Discs » Sciatica

» Chronic Fatigue » Fibromyalgia

» Anxiety » Attention Deficit Disorder

Sounds too good to be true! How often do you want me to come in?

It all depends on YOU. It largely depends on your body’s current condition, your life habits and your overall health and wellness goals.

We have 2 options for wellness plans that provide significant savings and a plethora of wellness services at no charge. If you prefer to take it step by step and don’t want to commit to wellness plans, that is fine, too.

You should come in an average of twice a week in the beginning to obtain the best results. However, you’ll still receive many benefits from our care even if you come in less often. We don’t believe in a “cookie-cutter” approach and during your initial visits we’ll evaluate your specific situation and decide together which program is the best fit for you, or we’ll create a customized program to meet your specific needs.

You’ll never pushed or asked to do anything you do not want to do or are not comfortable with. You’ll be treated like family and we’ll simply recommend what works best with our experience with thousands of folks just like you.

What scientific evidence do you have that your method works?

Network wellness care is at the leading edge of wellness care with an impressive research body behind it.

A retrospective study of over 2,500 people conducted through UC Irvine Medical College documented significant improvements in quality of life in the majority of people receiving Network Chiropractic care.

The wave patterns that occur during a Network entrainment are the focus of several research papers by French mathematician professor Edmund Jonckheere. Professor Jonckheere is currently exploring the relationship between the “wave” created in Network Spinal Analysis and the energy-efficiency and adaptability of the nervous system.

I give a detailed overview of the research behind Network Care on the Network Wellness page of this site.

Find out more about Network Spinal Analysis Research

How is your Network Chiropractic and Acupuncture clinic different from other medical clinics in the Charlotte, NC?

Our center is located in beautiful Myers Park just down the street form the famous Manor Theatre. Our space is tranquil, healing, and a welcome respite from the stresses and strains of modern life. Dr. Lyon is a very unique asset to Charlotte offering cutting-edge wellness care with extensive experience with Olympic athletes, Hollywood actors, high-level politicians, busy executives, and many moms and families. Because of our reputation, folks fly in from around the USA to receive care from us.

In our clinic, no matter who you are, you are treated like a human being just like we want to be treated – with love, dignity, honesty, caring, and respect.

Dr. Matthew and Lynn Lyon run the family oriented center with you in mind. Lynn is a licensed psychotherapist with graduate training from the University of Southern California. Dr. Lyon is an Honors Graduate of the University of Vermont and a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Southern California University of Health Sciences and the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He is the author of two books and a sought after speaker, presenter, and workshop facilitator.

Chiropractors in the State of North Carolina are typically only required to have 300 hours of training; Dr. Lyon has 3000+ hours of official training from the prestigious acupuncture college at the Southern California University of Health Sciences.

We teach Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI) exercises as part of our program curriculum. We have presented this work to many clients here and in Europe. We are the only licensed experts of this technique in the Charlotte, NC area.

We provide educational seminars and interactive workshops, many at no additional cost, on a regular basis to help you get the most out of your care with us. We also offer select nutritional and wellness-enhancing products to optimize your experience and ensure that you get lasting results.

We provide the most comprehensive care available in Charlotte, NC. Our mission is to help you simplify your life, live with greater ease, flexibility, and vitality. We aim to help you get healthy and stay healthy for a lifetime.

I’ve suffered from back pain for years. What would you suggest?

I know this question all to well. Prior to Network care for myself, I suffered with painful sciatica that nothing seemed to help. It affected every aspect of my life. I am deeply committed to helping people in Charlotte, NC with our form of chiropractic care move through pain and stay healthy.

Back pain, especially back pain that has been around for more than a month, is rarely a one-cause one-cure situation. There are several factors that can contribute to ongoing back pain, including unresolved bodily injuries, emotional and psychological stress.

Rather than just giving you a twist or a pop for quick and temporary relief, we suggest a holistic and comprehensive approach that will help you identify and change the patterns that are contributing to your back pain. As was the case for me, this helped me heal on many levels from my own back pain.

Our leading edge evidence-based approach uses low force Network Spinal Analysis “entrainments” (a unique method that promotes a spontaneous wave-like release of tension within the spine) and a specific series of exercises called Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI), we’ll help you release tension and connect to the actual source of your pain so that you can truly heal and resolve the back pain.

I have had back surgery. Can I come and see you?

Absolutely. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is known as “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.” Network care may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if Network Care is initially utilized back surgery can often be avoided in the first place.

I’ve had painful headaches for years. I’ve tried a number of doctors in Charlotte, but none of the medications they’ve prescribed have helped. The chiropractors I saw used painful manipulation, which was not helpful. Can you help?

Although I don’t like claiming to treat any symptoms directly, I have certainly helped many people in the USA and Europe with many types of headaches, ranging from tension headaches to migraines with positive results. In most cases the severity and frequency of the headaches significantly diminishes, or the headaches vanish altogether.

Personally, I feel your pain as I too struggled with terrible headaches and I know first hand how it can disrupt your life and destroy your quality of life.

Medications are like painting over rust with headaches. We seek to see and comprehend the matrix of factors creating your headaches and help you stop recreating damage that leads to more headaches.

Our staff at NWCC here in Charlotte we will help you develop the awareness needed and discover inner resources to heal your headaches and life with a quality of life you never though possible. The by-product of that lifestyle could very well be a headache-free life!

Between trying to run my company and trying to spend quality time with my family, I’m finding it overwhelming. How can your programs help relieve me of this stress?

The stress over having too much to do and not enough time to do it is epidemic in our culture. Consistently high stress levels freeze the body in a “fight or flight” mode, tightening muscles, rounding shoulders, making breathing shallow, and limiting blood and oxygen to the parts of your brain and body that are responsible for relaxation, revitalization, creativity and growth.

We find that a busy life is typically not the problem. The problem is an inability to shift gears and “unhook” from the stress-causing factors that are overwhelming you.

Our programs will help you release tension from your body and learn how to adapt to and manage the stress that you’re under without taking it home with you. Expect to work with us twice a week for about 8 weeks to get the ball rolling. We’ll release tension from your spine and nervous system, teach you helpful exercises and give you plenty of recommendations to decrease your stress levels quickly and naturally.

I work at a computer all day and I have constant neck pain. Can you help with this?

Most of us in the modern world sit at desks and do hours of computer work everyday. For most people this is a direct cause of stress, tension, and strain in the neck and spinal cord. Its classic when you have tension, strain, and subluxations in your spine that you will often have neck pain that simply does not get better.

The real issue here is that most people are so unaware of their body that the problem keeps getting worse. They regularly push through to finish a project, even though their bodies are building up considerable tension in the process. The damage is cumulative often leading to early degeneration and a continual cycle of headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, and problems like carpal tunnel syndrome.

Our solution is to help you get so connected to and in tune with your body’s cues and feedback that you’re able to stay present and attentive to the exact positions you need to be in. As a result, we’ll help undo the damage that has been done while helping you to stop recreating problems in the future – so you can live with less pain AND do the things you enjoy when away from your computer!

It sounds great, but how much will it cost?

The cost is the best part! Our programs are very affordable, especially when you consider the cost that doing nothing about the symptoms you’ve been experiencing could have on your life and health.

We have special programs for families that receive care together.

Your monthly car payment ensures that you’ve got transportation to get where you want to go. For about the same amount per month our programs will help you get healthy and stay healthy for a lifetime. Your health is your wealth, and when you feel vibrant, energetic, and focused, the return on your investment will be tremendous!

Our visits are $37 each. Our wellness plans are phenomenal ways to save money, decrease your costs, and commit to your health and range from $150-$288 per month depending on what you would like to do. We do not believe in pre-paid long-term contracts that you can’t get out of. We are only here to serve you as long as you are receiving massive value in your life

We provide superbills for you to submit to your insurance company for direct reimbursement.

Does acupuncture hurt?

No, acupuncture should not hurt. A momentary prick is often felt around the needle as it is inserted, eventually creating a dull pressure or tingling around the area during the treatment. Most people are amazed by how relaxed they feel during and after the treatment. This can only occur if the treatment is comfortable and gentle.

Do you perform Pulse Diagnosis?

Absolutely. I practice traditional Chinese Pulse diagnosis as taught in Chinese Medical Texts dating back 2500 years. It is remarkable accurate and helps guide us in getting you the right herbal and acupuncture treatment. It does NOT replace standard medical treatment. If you have a condition you are concerned about, visit with your physician first.

Is acupuncture safe?

As long as it is performed by a competent practitioner, acupuncture is extremely safe. Make sure the acupuncturist you see has at least a master’s degree and at least 2000+ hours of training.

Can I just talk to you first to see if this is a good fit for me?

Of Course! Check our calendar for our lectures and workshops. The best way to see if this work is for you is to try our services here in Charlotte first hand. Call us to make an appointment.

You can also learn more about our approach and get a feel for our office by attending one of our Free Weekly Workshops. We invite you to join us for the next program.