By Jacquelyn Pillsbury
Dr. John Hamada has developed a hands-on holistic family practice approach to healing, which he says combines the best of Western and Eastern medicines so he can best treat his patients.
He uses both chiropractic techniques and acupuncture to treat “the whole patient,” as opposed to focusing on a patient’s current symptoms, he says.
“I have a unique approach to what I do. I look at you with my Eastern and Western eyes, and try to put both of those perspectives together to take care of your complete health,” Hamada said.
In addition to using chiropractic and acupuncture methods, depending on the situation, he also addresses with patients the need for exercise and the importance of emotional health.
Hamada has been developing his approach over the past three decades. In 1984, he opened his chiropractic office in Trenton. Over time, he looked for ways to expand his practice.
“I felt limited as a chiropractor. I wanted to understand more in the health field,” he said.
That thirst to make sense of the human condition led him to acupuncture. The more he learned about acupuncture, the more he realized he wanted to incorporate it into his practice, and 15 years ago he became certified in acupuncture.
He said he takes time to work with each patient, looking to develop the right approach for them. From babies to seniors, from athletes to the disabled, Hamada treats all patients with the same holistic approach.
In 2007, the self-described “city boy” moved his practice to Pennington, a move he made with mixed feelings. But he said many of his Trenton patients now see him in his Pennington office, and he’s happy to report that more have found him since he moved to his suburban location.
Hamada said he is very excited about the progress he is making with patients who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease. His regimen, he says, is a matter of “complimenting Western medicine with Chinese herbs to treat the symptoms to a comfortable level.”
“You have to respect your enemy before you can take it over,” he said of the tickborne illness, which affects many people each year.
Hamada said in the past few years he has been working with athletes to treat sports-related injuries. His approach is to treat extremities first, for example starting withthe feet, and working up the body to the knees and the hips. Postgraduate work he is doing in that area is making him more proficient in helping area athletes, he says.
A third area where he is making great strides with helping people live fuller lives is with supportive holistic cancer care.
“This is a disease that is all consuming in your life. We need to address the emotions. If you have fear, you will not address it,” he said. “I look at the patient to say, ‘There are things you can do to beat cancer.’”
Together with his patients, Hamada explores all of the cancer-care options that are available around the world, including Western, Eastern and underground methods. For example, he works with patients to change their diet to eat the “right foods,” ones that he says are curative.
He also takes patients under his wing to tie all of the loose ends together as they work toward a cure. He wants patients to take an active role in their path to beating cancer, and works with them each step of the way.
Hamada says what is unique about his approach is that he takes the time with each patient to thoroughly understand and treat the whole person, and not just the most pressing symptom. He treats them with care and respect and takes the time to make their “entire self feel better,” he said.
Dr. John Hamada’s acupuncture and chiripractic practice is located on the southbound side of Route 31, 100 yards south of Denow Road, and half a mile north of Interstate 95. Phone: (609) 737-7217, Email: joes_dad@msn.com.