Dr. Blood has a passion for helping individuals like you to live life without pain. DoctorBlood.com
09/24/2025
We would like to say a big, giant ‘Thank you!’ to all who voted Apex’s chiro division as ‘Best Chiropractic Clinic’
Thank you to our Apex team for making Apex what it is and what it has become in our community.
We had a fun evening celebrating with everyone. ❤️🙏
09/22/2025
The Hidden Connection Chronic Pain and Your Cells:
When most people think about chronic pain, they think of joints, nerves, or muscles.
But what if the real issue starts even deeper…inside your cells?
Research shows that oxidative stress (cell damage from free radicals) and mitochondrial dysfunction (when your cells’ “power plants” don’t make energy efficiently) are major drivers of chronic pain.
When your cells are stressed or inflamed, your body struggles to repair and recover.
Add in poor nutrition, and the cycle of pain and inflammation can spiral.
Nutrition and Inflammation:�The foods we eat either fuel inflammation or help fight it:
Processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats are known to drive inflammation.
Whole foods, colorful vegetables, omega-3 fats, and spices like turmeric are known to naturally calm inflammation.
Supplements That May Help Support Cellular Health�(Always check with your provider before starting anything new.):
Omega-3 fatty acids – calm inflammation and support nerve health.
CoQ10 – fuels mitochondria for better energy production.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) – powerful antioxidant for nerve and metabolic health.
Magnesium – supports muscles, nerves, and cellular repair.
Curcumin (from turmeric) – well-studied for reducing inflammation.
�Chronic pain is not just a problem of joints or nerves, it’s a cellular issue too.
By supporting your cells with the right nutrition and targeted supplements, you can reduce inflammation, improve healing, and feel more in control of your pain.
Small, consistent changes in what you eat and how you support your body at the cellular level can have a big impact on how you feel.
(For informational purposes only)
09/16/2025
Story time…
The Mind-Body Connection of Pain
When we think about pain, most people picture a simple process: you hurt your body, nerves send signals to the brain, and you feel pain.
But science shows it’s not that simple.
Dr. Ronald Melzack, a world-renowned researcher, discovered the “Neuromatrix Model of Pain.” This model shows that pain is not just a physical signal—it’s created by a network in the brain that combines:
Physical inputs (like injuries or nerve signals)
Thoughts & beliefs (what we expect or fear)
Emotions (stress, anxiety, hope, or frustration)
Past experiences (memories of old injuries or trauma)
In other words, pain is a whole-person experience, not only a physical sensation, but something that affects (and is affected by) your mind and emotions too.
That’s why chronic pain can be so exhausting—not just on the body, but on mental and emotional health as well. The cycle of pain → stress → more pain can leave people feeling stuck and hopeless.
My own story:
Years ago, I developed chronic neck pain that I originally blamed on my workouts.
It got so bad that I stopped exercising, because even the thought of going to the gym made my pain worse.
Later, I was diagnosed with advanced spinal stenosis in my neck. But what really surprised me was how much my mindset and stress influenced my pain. When I believed exercise would hurt, my pain spiked.
By learning how to better manage both the physical and mental/emotional sides of pain, I was able to return to exercise—and today, I manage my condition to the best that I can while still living an active lifestyle.
The takeaway:
Pain is real, but it’s more than just what’s happening in the body.
The brain, emotions, and past experiences all play a role. That’s why chronic pain can feel overwhelming—and why addressing the whole picture is so important for healing.
If you’re struggling with chronic pain, know that you’re not alone.
With the right approach, relief and a return to the life you love is possible.
07/03/2025
Why Traditional Medicine Often Falls Short for Chronic Conditions... Like in the case of Peripheral Neuropathy
If you’ve been struggling with chronic health issues—like neuropathy—you’re not alone.
And if you feel frustrated with the lack of real progress from traditional treatments… you’re not wrong to feel that way either.
Here’s why:
Most standard medical treatments are designed to manage symptoms, not heal the root cause.
For example, in neuropathy, the “standard of care” usually addresses the symptoms of nerve pain, burning, and numbness with medications. But those medications don’t fix the underlying problem—which in this case, is often reduced circulation to the nerves that continue to drive nerve damage.
When it comes to health insurance, they typically only 'cover' what is considered 'standard of care.'
That means insurance often covers treatments that help you cope with symptoms, but not therapies designed to actually restore health and function.
We see this every day: people who are prescribed medications for years to try and manage symptoms, but never given a plan to help their body heal as it medically is outside of the 'standard of care.'
At Apex, our focus is on identifying and improving the root cause of your condition—working to actually restore health rather than just try and manage symptoms.
If you’re tired of living with the same symptoms year after year, and you’re ready to explore restorative options that go beyond what insurance covers, we’d love to help.
Call us today or send us a message to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you take the first step toward real healing.
07/01/2025
Top 5 Things You Can Start Doing TODAY to Help Restore Health and Reduce Chronic Pain
If you’re living with chronic pain, it’s easy to feel like your only options are medications, injections, or simply learning to “deal with it.”
But real healing starts from the inside out — and there are powerful things you can start doing today to support your body’s natural recovery.
Here are 5 simple but foundational habits that support your body’s ability to heal, reduce inflammation, and restore function:
1. Support Your Mitochondria
Your cells’ energy factories (mitochondria) play a crucial role in tissue repair and reducing inflammation. Support them by eating antioxidant-rich foods (think berries, leafy greens, turmeric), limiting processed sugars, and considering nutrients like CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, or magnesium.
2. Hydrate Like It Matters — Because It Does
Dehydration can worsen joint and muscle pain. Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day (e.g., 150 lbs = 75 oz). Proper hydration improves circulation, cellular function, and detox pathways.
3. Calm Your Nervous System
Stress and chronic pain go hand-in-hand. A few minutes of daily meditation, deep breathing, or mindfulness can lower cortisol, reduce inflammation, and help you sleep better — all of which help your body heal.
4. Gentle Movement & Stretching
Motion is lotion. Even if you’re in pain, light stretching or walking helps prevent stiffness, boosts circulation, and supports your nervous system. Start with just 5–10 minutes a day and build from there.
5. Get Outside & Soak in Natural Light
Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm (better sleep = better healing), supports vitamin D levels (key for inflammation), and improves mood. Morning light exposure, even for 10–15 minutes, can be surprisingly powerful.
You don’t need to wait for a perfect day to start healing — you can take one step today.
At Apex Physical Medicine, we help patients get to the root cause of pain, not just cover up the symptoms. If you’re ready for a more comprehensive approach to getting your life back, we’re here to help.
Message us with questions.
06/28/2025
Dinner with a view 😍
06/27/2025
How Do You Know When Your Back Pain Might Be Surgical vs. Treatable with Conservative Chiropractic Care?
Back pain can be debilitating — but before jumping to surgery, it’s important to know that most back pain can be treated without it.
The key is identifying whether your symptoms point toward a surgical issue or something that could respond well to conservative care like chiropractic, physical rehabilitation, or spinal decompression.
When Back Pain Might Be Surgical:
There are certain “red flag” symptoms that may require urgent evaluation by a spine surgeon:
• Loss of bowel or bladder control — could indicate cauda equina syndrome, a surgical emergency
• Progressive weakness or numbness in your legs or feet — especially if it worsens over time
• Severe disc herniation with nerve compression — if it hasn’t improved with conservative care
• Spinal fractures, tumors, or instability — especially after trauma or in cases of severe osteoporosis
• Unrelenting pain that keeps you up at night and doesn’t respond to therapy, rest, or medication
If you're experiencing any of these, we’ll help refer you to the right medical specialist immediately.
When Chiropractic and Conservative Care Can Help:
Many people find relief through a more natural, non-surgical approach — and that’s where we come in.
• Chronic back stiffness, aches, or limited mobility
• Pain that radiates into the hip, butt, leg — often related to nerve irritation or non-surgical disc issues
• MRI or X-ray shows disc degeneration, disc bulges, or or arthritic change — but no emergency
• You’ve tried rest, ice, or medication without lasting results
• You want to avoid invasive meausres and are looking to treat the root cause of the issue
Take care of your spine… its the only one you get
- Dr. B
06/26/2025
Top 5 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Health
Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of people searching for answers—wondering why they’re tired, in pain, gaining weight, or just not feeling like themselves.
Here are 5 of the most important things I believe anyone can do to truly optimize their health:
1. Get a Comprehensive Lab Panel—Not Just the Basics
Too often, people are told “your labs are normal,” but no one looked deeper. A full blood panel including hormones, thyroid, inflammation markers, insulin resistance, and nutrient levels can reveal the real story behind fatigue, stubborn weight, and more.
2. Move with Purpose Every Day
You don’t have to crush yourself in the gym. But walking, resistance training, and mobility work should be part of your daily routine. Movement is medicine—especially when done consistently.
3. Pay Attention to Inflammation and Food Sensitivities
Chronic inflammation is a silent driver of so many issues: joint pain, brain fog, autoimmune flare-ups, and digestive distress. Identifying and removing trigger foods (even “healthy” ones) can drastically improve how you feel.
4. Support Healthy Hormone Function
Hormones impact everything—energy, metabolism, mood, sleep, and libido. Whether you're 35 or 65, hormone optimization isn't about chasing youth—it's about restoring balance and vitality.
5. Don’t Wait Until You’re Sick to Take Action
Health is not just the absence of disease. True wellness means functioning at your best physically, mentally, and emotionally. Be proactive. Preventive care is always easier than reactive care.
- Dr B
06/24/2025
The reality of healthcare…
The difference between where you are now and where you want to be with your health most likely falls outside the scope of what your insurance is willing to cover.
Insurance is built to treat illness — not to optimize wellness.
It’s focused on minimum standards, not maximum potential.
If you’re struggling with fatigue, weight gain, pain, or hormone imbalance, and keep getting told “your labs look normal” or “everything is fine”...
You’re not crazy — you’re just looking in the wrong system for real answers.
That’s why we created a different kind of care:
One focused on results instead of red tape.
Let me know if you’re interested in taking a deeper dig into your health 👇
03/17/2025
Happy St Patrick’s day from Apex! 🍀
03/17/2025
Love working with our patients ❤️
02/10/2025
Living with pain can be awfully frustrating… the good news is, there may be answers.
I look to treat the cause(s) of chronic pain, not just the symptoms.
If you’re dealing with chronic pain, don’t focus on the ‘check engine light’ (pain/symptoms), dig further into what may be causing it (lack of function).
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Apex Physical Medicine has evolved over the years as the wants and needs for patients has changed. Dr. Brandon Blood, DC started this practice back in 2007. Initially his practice started as a 'wellness clinic'. Around this time, Dr. Blood's wife, Aubrey, was suffering from chronic, debilitating, low back pain. He made it his life's mission to figure out how to help his wife. After trying all kinds of treatment including chiropractic care, physical therapy, diagnostic imaging, nerve studies, and epidural spinal injections, there was no relief. The pain persisted. In hopes of finding a solution, Aubrey went to see the surgeon only to hear 'there is nothing we can do.'
It was a this time, Dr. Blood learned of a procedure that involved both chiropractic care in conjunction with medical care that he was able to perform to help get Aubrey out of pain. Ever since then, Dr. Blood and Aubrey wanted to have an integrated practice that made available the best of non-surgical medical care,
chiropractic care, physical rehabilitation, soft tissue therapy, and nutrition therapy.
In April of 2018, their dreams became a reality. Apex Physical Medicine was born. A place that offers non-surgical treatment options and programs to help patients suffering from acute and chronic pain conditions.
At Apex, we treat the entire patient. Our programs are based on a thorough consultation, medical history, examination, and functional evaluation. Although symptoms are the reason why patients land at our clinic, a treatment program based on 'function' is how we help people not only reduce pain, but restore quality of life and help prevent recurrence.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work with so many people in Canton, OH and surrounding communities who are suffering and are looking for options.