Dr. Phillip Snell

04/25/2008 Posted by JWardMohr

I went in to see Dr. Snell after he was recommended by a friend who raved. I was having problems with my hip, which were affecting my running and forced me to reduce my training mileage drastically. I had been weary of chiropractic care, having been told that physical therapy was the better option. Dr. Snell definitely changed my way of thinking. He not only quickly diagnosed the problem, he gave me a variety of exercises and resources to guide my physical training, and then used the Gralston technique to great effect. 4 months later and my running form has completely changed, I'm running longer, faster and more comfortably than I ever have before. Deciding to follow through on my friend's recommendation was the best decision I could have made.

Pros: excellent care, great resource, very knowledgable

04/11/2008 Posted by nmacdon37

Dr. Snell took a very complete history and alleviated many of my concerns before starting any treatments. He used muscle stimulation and manipulation to treat my neck pain and stiffness. My neck pain was relieved in one visit. He is a very knowledgeable and caring doctor who I would recommend to anyone who is in need of chiropractic care.

12/15/2007 Posted by cardmagic

They may have just messed up with me, but just in case I need to share my story. I had a great visit, I liked Dr. Snell and he even taught me stretches to help my back. However there was a significant oversight when I paid the non-insured price and they ended up charging my insurance the whole price anyhow. I was upset because they did not call me before I got the announcement from my insurance company, however once I called to straighten it out they handled it well. Wish they had called me earlier, but otherwise it was great.

Pros: Great doctor

Cons: Unfortunate billing mistake

11/14/2007 Posted by dlcurrie

Dr. Snell is an amazing doctor. I came to him after visiting a couple different doctors for plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis. The previous doctors gave up on me for I took too long to heal. I have had Graston and other chiropractic adjustments, but nothing worked as well as Dr. Snell doing his Graston. He knows his muscles and due to his persistence, I finally got well. I also had a shoulder problem around the shoulder blade and he did some different kind of maniupulations along with Graston and the typical adjustments. My shoulder has never felt better in the last 3 years. I like that Dr. Snell gives exercises to do at home and he is one of the few doctors I have ever known to encourage self-care at home. Instead of him feeling threatened, he would be very happy when I came up with something that I could do that would help myself feel better. Anytime I had questions about the body and what was happening, he always had time to explain it to me. In my mind, Dr. Snell is the true meaning of what a doctor should be like in every sense of the word.

Pros: Understanding, knowledgeable, Explains things, Office staff excellent

10/23/2007 Posted by jlwallace

I'm a medical doctor, and I sought out Dr. Snell after reading his article in the Southeast Examiner about the Graston Technique. I had been hearing a bit about this technique, and I thought it might be an appropriate treatment for my chronic and recalcitrant foot pain. I injured my left foot over 8 years ago, and since then I've consulted many care providers, both traditional and alternative, in my journey to be as active and pain-free as possible. Some of them have helped in small or temporary ways; some have unfortunately caused further damage. In contrast, Dr. Snell was able to catapult me ahead on the road to healing. With the Graston Technique, I saw immediate improvement. But it was Dr. Snell's comprehensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and his philosophies of scar formation and body mechanics that helped me understand my injury and steered me down a new path toward recovery. Since my visits with Dr. Snell last year, I have gone on to work with a yoga teacher and a personal trainer, whose philosophies overlap and compliment those of Dr. Snell. I do my exercises faithfully, and I'm getting incrementally stronger. In fact, I enjoyed a multi-day backpacking trip this summer for the first time in over 8 years, a true accomplishment for me! I'm not certain I would have found this path had it not been for Dr. Snell's knowledge, compassion, and guidance. In the next few months I will be opening my own family medical practice here in town, and I will have no reservations entrusting my patients to his skilled hands.

09/05/2007 Posted by czipper

I had to wait for my insurance to approve chiropractic care for me (they threw pills at me for 6 months after my accident) but it was worth it. As a very physically active person I needed some help healing my back and neck pain, not something to temporarily cover up the pain. Dr.Snell used the Graston Technique on me and also taught me some excercises I could do at home to keep my back aligned and strong. My pain was significantly reduced the first week. Dr. Snell was very knowledgable, humerous and made me comfortable. I know that I will skip the insurance company if I need chiropractic care again. If you are in pain I suggest you visit the good doctor!

Pros: Chiropractic care works!

Cons: Insurance companies are a pain.

08/30/2007 Posted by kguill

I saw Dr. Snell in January after living with chronic lower back pain for over 18 months. He was professional, informative and caring. Since completing my treatments with him, I have had little recurrence of pain and just ran the Hood to Coast with no problems. I highly recommend him.

07/25/2007 Posted by marcusinportland

Dr. Snell is knowledgeable, patient and forward thinking. From the beginning he was clear, concise and methodical in collecting the data he and I needed to give me the best care. He tells you what he's doing, why he's doing it and how it will help you. He is up to date on the latest research and likes to keep his patients abreast of information relevant to their condition. Add to that a team of efficient staff, great massage therapists, accupuncturists, yoga(etc...) at the Hawthorne Wellness Center and a sense of humor and you have a winning combo. Did I mention that the prices for services are reasonable? Of course, in a wasteland where health providers seem bent on taking advantage of people in need, this appears to be a small oasis.

Pros: Knowledgeable staff, great service, reasonable prices

Cons: Not enought time to read the magazines in the lobby

07/23/2007 Posted by fishberryjam

Dr. Snell is the best medical practitioner I have seen, ever! After much painful suffering and a going through a myriad of Dr's, finding no help and no cure I finally turned to Dr. Snell out of desperation. Before his treatments I was literally unable to move part of my body and was in tears due to severe pain. He referred me for an MRI which found four herniated discs in my neck. Other Dr's I had been to, including an unnamed hospital had totally missed this. Also, once my pain was managed and I had some remaining symptoms still, he referred me to an area Neurologist who was able to address my remaining issues. (I received a diagnosis of Endolymphatic Hydrops). Dr. Snell is not only knowledgeable, but so caring, and truly is a kind, generous individual. I am forever grateful for the care I received.

Pros: compassionate, knowledgeable, well-versed in a variety of areas

Cons: none!

07/16/2007 Posted by kwolfe

Dr. Snell was everything that people have said on this site - he knows what he's doing, sure enough. He spent a while diagnosing the problem, taught me some great stretches, gave me a fabulous adjustment. One of the best chiropractors I've been to for technical knowledge, pain-free adjustment, and prescribing exercises and stretches. I never had the Graston stuff, so I can't speak to that, but everything else was stellar - right up to the end of the adjusting. After the adjustment, he spent five minutes telling me why my insurance sucked, why I was getting ripped off by them, how he wasn't getting paid for half the great treatment he had just given me, and how much he resented it. When I told him I had no alternatives, and asked him to stop, he did, for a few minutes, then launched right back in. At which point I had had enough, and left. If you're paying on your own nickel, or you have the kind of insurance he likes, or you really don't mind being on the receiving end of a lecture like I received, he's a great chiropractor. Really great - almost great enough to put up with the insurance speech. But, for me, not quite. Just so you know.

Pros: Great technical knowledge, thorough exam, incredible self-care suggestions

Cons: Has problems accepting alternative care insurance, and will tell you why, at length