The nervous system lies at the core of one’s life, and even a little impairment can cause life-altering disruptions with few clinical management and therapy choices available. This was exactly the case of a patient with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which was considered irrecoverable by a few medical doctors. But little did the patient know that the elixir for their chronic illness lied in chiropractic treatments. With the knowledge and effective therapeutic methodology of Dr. Tanmay Ankush Shinde, one of the most prominent chiropractors in India, the patient was soon able to rebound to positive change within just three sessions. “The key to the illness was in the spine and the vagus nerve, which is known as the second brain of the body that deals with the parasympathetic system and the health of the gut, brain, liver, kidneys, and other vital organs”, explains Dr.Tanmay.

Not just IBS, but with his clinical expertise of around two years in the United States and Mumbai clinic startup of four months, Dr. Tanmay has built quite a significant record of diagnosing and treating complex to common spine, nerve, and musculoskeletal ailments in patients of all ages, ranging from pregnant women to the elderly to babies, through his clinic - Dr. Tanmay’s Chiropractic Care. In fact, there are patients who travel long distances for his consultation and treatments. Besides being one of the seven chiropractors in India, he is also the recipient of eminent awards, including the Indian Association of Chiropractic Doctors (I.A.C.D) international student scholarship award in December 2019, the student research honors award for a published case study, the LCCW student ambassadors award, and the Magna Cum Laude award for academics in June 2022.

After graduating with M.B.B.S from Topiwala National Medical College (B.Y.L Nair Hospital) Mumbai in 2018, Dr. Tanmay served as a government medical officer before pursuing a Chiropractic doctorate from Life Chiropractic College West (L.C.C.W), California, USA. However, what really pushed him to foray into the uncharted chiropractic domain was his active participation in one of the service camps steered by the Sant Nirankari Mission. As an avid believer in the mission, Dr. Tanmay considers this phase a significant milestone, wherein the hands-on ability of chiropractors seemed like an out of this world experience. His character, intention to serve people, and medical school GPA pertained during interviews granted him a full-ride scholarship for education in the USA, which he regards as a second benchmark. Currently, he has also been selected to speak at the World Federation of Chiropractic Conference in Australia about integrating non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation with chiropractic adjustments.

Alleviating the Roadblocks to Success
Despite the benefits that the profession leverages, chiropractic treatment, unfortunately, is often considered contentious and is not always the first choice for patients seeking care in India. When he first switched his career to chiropractic, Dr. Tanmay also faced this challenge, but soon realized that he had to recognize the true purpose of providing chiropractic care in order to not just treat but also educate other people. “Chiropractic professionals are not promoting medications or any surgical approach here. Instead, we promote innate intelligence, health, and the patient’s self-healing ability. It was difficult at first to teach myself that I needed to think like a chiropractor to take care of patients as a chiropractor”, says Dr. Tanmay. The second blockade was to explain to the patients about the correlation between the nervous system and the healing of every cell. To eliminate such roadblocks, he ensures to assess the issue in the first session itself by studying the patients at ground level and helping them

understand the course of the treatments through simpler language and terms. “The clearer your conversation is during your visit, the simpler things get”, he adds.

Known for his careful and effective treatment, Dr. Tanmay has handled a variety of difficult cases such as joint osteoarthritis, neurological weakness, migraines, vertigo, temporomandibular joint pain, vertebral disc prolapses, spinal facet syndrome, postural dysfunction, sciatica, cervical and lumbar spondylitis, and post-partum lumbalgia or pelvic pain. He adheres to the systemic guidelines and protocols of chiropractic, such as musculoskeletal imaging analysis, during care. The most notable part of all is that he goes the extra mile to provide the right treatment and, hence, always stays current with advancements while focusing on bringing global innovations to India. Dr. Tanmay endeavors to bridge the gap between allopathic and holistic practices through his proven practices and his potential to spearhead change. “Since my chiropractic student days in the USA, I have been really inclined towards knowing the science behind the intricate factors like the crackling of the bones and getting someone out of pain in just 2-3 sessions”, shares Dr. Tanmay.

Dr. Tanmay goes the extra mile to provide the right treatment &, hence, always stays current with advancements while focusing on bringing global innovations to India

Thinking along the similar veins, he has been striving to identify the root cause of those diseases that are dubbed incurable by investing time in studying research articles online or offline and engaging in informative discussions with other healthcare practitioners. Additionally, his industry connection with US practitioners and professors also serves as an added advantage. “While it is tough to accept cases like IBS and migraine, patients see me as a pioneer. That’s how I am. My innate nature is to seek challenges, and if I am not able to find solutions, I accept the failure, emerge stronger, and reach out to other professionals in holistic healthcare who might have better treatment modalities for the patients. Without letting success get to my head, I appreciate and try to be open-minded and open-hearted to other professions”, states Dr. Tanmay.

Foregrounding the Healing Effects of Medicine
Dr. Tanmay dons the diverse hats of not just a general practitioner but also a dietitian, nutritionist, and even a general and mental health counselor, with the main focus on eradicating the stigma around chiropractic and other types of medicine by changing the first-line treatments. “Just because of one bad experience, it is not advisable to point fingers at the whole community of chiropractors. We are not the same as self-proclaimed practitioners on social media who pose with their short term certification but lack clinical knowledge. Instead, chiropractic is much deeper than that and unlike chemicals and invasive procedures that might show side effects, chiropractic is more of a lifestyle change that needs time to hold. It is a 4-year doctorate course, especially in the USA. We are doctors of the spine, who assess the system by analyzing MRI and X-rays”, claims Dr. Tanmay. He is also a member of the Indian Association of Chiropractic Doctors (I.A.C.D), who work collectively towards not just providing quality care but also promoting chiropractic awareness and importance.

Enroute to a bright future, Dr. Tanmay seeks to expand his services to include the corporate sector to develop spinal hygiene by organizing bi-annual spinal checkup sessions or camps. According to him, these sessions would help the employees handle rigorous technological work routines efficiently, which, in turn, drives the growth of the individual and the company alike. He is determined to continue delivering the best standards of healing people and envisions a futuristic India with much more systematized processes, legitimate chiropractic practices, and dedicated chiropractic institutions.

Dr.Tanmay A. Shinde, M.D & D.C
With an M.D. and a D.C. degree, Dr. Tanmay Shinde is a certified chiropractor from the IACD and a research enthusiast with a clear vision. Besides his holistic services, he has also mentored multiple chiropractic students in radiology and orthopedics for a period of seven quarters. In addition, owing to his medical expertise, he was also a government medical officer for nine months and has also played a pivotal role at the primary healthcare center level by handling medical emergency cases.