“We’ve assembled specialists in all the treatments we do at the clinic—chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, myofascial pain release, physical therapy and more. We can provide exceptional care for veterans by having multiple experts collaborating and communicating with the veteran and each other in real time,” Dr. Likens explains.

A newly added treatment wing at Navarre Chiropractic Center provides a dedicated space for close coordination and communication among treatment specialists and the veteran.

The Navarre Health Alliance recently welcomed Dr. Jacqueline Cordier, a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Cordier will soon join VA’s Community Care Network.

Dr. Likens has been providing non-opioid pain solutions to area veterans for more than 20 years. “One of the most gratifying aspects of my life’s work is to be able to help the veterans of my community live fuller lives,” he says.

Chronic pain affects over half of U.S. veterans. Care for veterans can be hard to find, and their pain is difficult to treat because they often also suffer from PTSD, anxiety, depression and addiction. Traditional treatments don’t always fully address these overlapping issues.

However, Dr. Likens has seen great success in treating veterans using an “integrative” approach that combines treatment methods. These include chiropractic care, massage therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, and other nondrug, noninvasive treatments.

“No single system works the same for every patient,” Dr. Likens says. “Similar injuries or conditions affect each of us differently. That’s why having experts in multiple treatment methods, who know how the therapies work together, is essential.”

Having those experts collaborating in the same location means veterans get even better results in less time. Too often, patients become the go-between for their own health care, constantly relaying information from one provider to another and juggling appointments at different locations. This fragmented approach means patients often receive treatment from multiple providers who do not share information, creating gaps in treatment, inconsistent recommendations, unnecessary duplication and added frustration.

Dr. Likens says the Navarre Health Alliance is designed to fix that.

“What we’re doing means better outcomes and less time and frustration for the veteran. Providers communicate directly and work together to support each patient’s recovery. At each appointment, the patient is in a room with three or more of us discussing where they’re at, their progress and what we need to change for them to get to get to the next level,” he explains.

As a VA Optum provider, Dr. Likens’ treatments are referred and covered by the VA for disabled veterans. His approach reflects 1,000+ postgraduate hours of training, a Doctorate of Chiropractic Medicine and 25 years of practice. He holds certifications in whiplash, brain traumatology, disability impairment, acupuncture and applied kinesiology. He will soon complete his Diplomate Program with the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders.

Likens moved his practice to Navarre 10 years ago this month from Pensacola. He has been practicing chiropractic care for 21 years and he loves it.

“When you help somebody and they’re so thankful for that, that’s my favorite part,” Likens said. “They’re so appreciative because they feel different from when they walked in the door. That one moment, every time that happens, it makes me glad I do what I do.”

Likens specializes in chiropractic, acupuncture, clinical nutrition, applied kinesiology, auto accident injury and sports injury. He works with his patients and comes up with an individualized treatment plan.

“When folks come to see me, I’m usually pulling from all that knowledge and not just straight forward chiropractic,” he said.

He said a patient might come in because of a neck problem, but they end up talking about a thyroid issue or something else.

Likens graduated from Logan College of Chiropractic with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. But he didn’t always plan to become a chiropractor. He was headed toward a medical degree and working in the renal floor of a hospital and decided he wanted something different.

“At that time, I was having neck pain from being in class all day. I went in and saw a chiropractor and just kind of had that moment where I thought I should get into chiropractic. And within a short period of time, I had changed my direction to go to chiropractic school instead of med school back in the mid-90s.”

The chiropractor that Likens went to in college – Dr. Kenneth Kaiser – ignited the spark of passion for Likens to pursue this career.

“He was a very intelligent and educated man that had a very full practice. Everyone in the community knew him and loved him.”

Kaiser encouraged Likens to switch tracks and even got chiropractic schools to send him information. He listened to the tapes and eventually applied.

Likens’s scenic route toward chiropractic care drove him to learning more about the human body as a whole and how different systems work together and affect one another. Over the course of 20 years, he has gained more than 800 hours of post-grad continued education and multiple certifications in various facets of the medical field.

This knowledge allows Likens to assess the body as a whole and not just look at the spine. Now he’s versed in acupuncture, nutrition, applied kinesiology, whiplash and trauma injuries.

“I’ve taken all of that and put it together, so when someone comes in and we’re taking a whiplash X-ray, but then I’m seeing calcium uptake in the thyroid, and I can have that conversation with a patient,” he said. “Or we can discuss, well chiropractic is not going to work for you, but acupuncture will, these other options will. So it’s given me this versatility with my patients that honestly I think is my biggest asset.”

The ability to pull from different resources with every patient sets Likens apart in Northwest Florida because it’s not common to find doctors who have done that additional research.

Just chiropractic was never enough for Likens. He wanted to learn more. He has always been curious to know more about the body.

Likens looks at the whole body as a unit, as an ecosystem where each body part serves a specific purpose. It helps to give his patients the most information he can so they can better understand what is going on in their body. It also helps him to refer his patients to the correct doctor if need be.

Likens loves his job and considers the challenging problems fun to fix. Typically, people come to the chiropractor’s office where they’re been failed everywhere else. Nothing else has worked, so they try us, Likens said.

“If you get that group of patients that are a little bit tougher to fix, and to see them really come around and do well… it’s very rewarding and I like that part. It makes me happy to help people,” Likens said.

Likens especially loves helping the military population in Navarre that live a life of service.

“I’m so glad I came to Navarre for that because that’s just super cool to take care of a guy before he leaves on deployment, take care of him when he gets back, and take care of his wife and kids when he’s gone,” he said.

Likens loves taking care of the veterans who have been through so much.

“The VA folks are coming to me with different types of trauma, and we can do acupuncture and get them back to where they’re sleeping through the night and able to have better relationships with the people around them. That’s very rewarding,” he said.

Likens is thankful to Navarre for allowing him to practice and serve others, and he plans to stay here until he retires. He loves to see results in his patients and can often see the results in their eyes.

“When you can see the pain in someone’s eyes and then, all of a sudden, the pain is gone, and their eyes are bright. That’s a huge deal that your eyes aren’t demonstrating pain,” Likens said.

“If you think about it, when you’re in pain it affects the way you think, your mood, how you sleep,” he added. “People worry that nothing is going to make their chronic pain better. I say to them, ‘It’s going to take me a couple weeks, but you’ll be fine, we’ll get you there.’ All of a sudden, you give that hope back to them when they had lost it.”

Dr. Llaird Likens

Navarre Chiropractic Center

1816 Alpine Drive

www.drllairdlikens.com

(850) 939-3339

Care for veterans can be hard to find, and their pain is often difficult to treat.

Look no further. Dr. Llaird Likens of Navarre Chiropractic has been providing non-opioid pain solutions for the Veterans Administration in the Navarre area for several years.

“One of the most gratifying and satisfying aspects of my life’s work is to be able to help the veterans of my community live a fuller life with less or no pain,” Likens said.

The blending of several chiropractic techniques over the years and decades of application has given Dr. Likens the ability to help hundreds of local veterans with permanent impairments live and enjoy a more active and fuller life with less or no pain medication.

The non-invasive care system is built on his unique combination of skills and resources which include multiple Chiropractic techniques, Acupuncture, manually and electrically stimulated Dry Needling, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, manual and mechanical Myofascial, Neuromuscular Reeducation, Applied Kinesiology, Chiropractic Biophysics, Massage Therapy, Spinal Decompression, and Therapeutic Modalities. While you may not recognize many or most of these treatments, they represent Dr. Likens’ dedication to more than 1,000 post graduate hours of education and certifications beyond that of his Bachelor of Science in human biology, a Doctorate of Chiropractic Medicine, and 22 years of practice experience.

His areas of achievement include certifications and fellowships from Southern California University of Health in Whiplash and Brain Traumatology, Texas Chiropractic College in Permanent Impairment for Disability, Logan College of Chiropractic and The International Academy of Medical Acupuncture in Acupuncture, and The International College of Applied Kinesiology.

Dr. Likens is a VA Optum provider and his treatments are referred and covered by the Veteran’s Administration to veterans with a 50% or greater disability.

“I have found that there is no single system of care that works the same for every patient. Similar injuries, ailments, or conditions will affect each of us differently because we are each unique, and none of our circumstances or mechanisms of injury are exactly the same,” Likens said. “This is why it takes knowing so many methods of treatment and how they work in combination with each other to be able to treat each patient as an individual.”

** “The specialty recognition identified herein has been received from a private organization not affiliated with or recognized by the Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine.” Section 64B2.

For Dr. Likens’s current and properly cited Curriculum Vitae, please get in touch with the Dr. Llaird Liken’s office at 850-939-3339.

What are his patients saying?

“The fact that I’m not in pain most days allows me to enjoy my daily activities more to include exercise.”

-RJ, veteran

“I love that I have been able to get relief and start enjoying my daily activities. My mood has greatly improved as well.”

-MH, veteran

“I feel instant relief after my visit, and I am able to manage my pain with treatments instead of pain medications.”

-AW, veteran

“Better range of motion and less pain.”

-BW, veteran

Dr. Llaird Likens

Navarre Chiropractic Center

1816 Alpine Drive

www.drllairdlikens.com

850-939-3339