Dr. Rob D'Aquila

READ ABOUT WHAT SOME OF DR. ROB’S PATIENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED

As a massage therapist and applied kinesiology practitioner for twenty-five years, I have become very selective about choosing health professionals to consult with. Dr. Rob has impressed me in several ways. He is fluent in a wide range of muscle testing techniques, opening up a vast scope of treatment possibilities. He is conscientious in his continuing growth as a healer and very dedicated to his healing profession. I have found him to be attentive to my own particular health concerns and he has been flexible and willing and able to adapt his approach so that, at least in my case, I have felt the therapeutic experience to be collaborative. He is smart, good-natured, and generous in his efforts. Reliable health care practitioners can be hard to find, so I am grateful to have discovered Dr. Rob.

Tom Herman, LMT

 

I began seeing Dr. Rob in the end of October 2010 for a series of reasons, the three most important being:

1) I had received a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome the previous April (which I was later told by two different doctors was incorrect). Whether the diagnosis was correct or not, I knew I had very high levels of estrogen, low progesterone, irregular periods, and constant break outs on my face.

2) Over the last year I had begun experiencing a bizarre sensation I could only describe as “sensory overload”. I would have moments throughout the day where I would experience distortions in my hearing and sight and my overall nervous system seemed to be on high alert.  I would feel anxious and very foggy in my head.  The subway approaching, or loud restaurants were too much for my brain to take in.  For months I tried to determine (on my own) whether it was stress induced, as I had started my own company that year.  However, my gut kept telling me it was not. I knew I had experienced much more “stress” in my life before and had never felt this kind of physiological response.  I’d always been a relatively grounded, calm person so it just didn’t add up.

3) The straw that broke the camel’s back, and the least important in my mind, was a shoulder injury resulting from a minor bike accident that didn’t seem to be healing very fast.  I had been to an AK Dr. in Washington state after a running accident years before and I was amazed by the impact he had on my healing process. So I thought I’d bite the bullet and find an AK Dr. in NYC (where I now live).

Thanks to good ole google and the impressive wisdom I saw in the writing on his website, I found Dr. D’Aquila and made an appointment.

Without going into too much detail, and frankly, because I don’t even really know what he did, I can summarize by saying that as I sit here four months later, I feel like a different person.  I no longer feel like “I’m throwing darts in the dark” trying to figure out what is wrong with me and how to feel better. I now know what’s up with my body (and mind) so much more clearly.   Understanding that I have some insulin issues – that directly tie into my hormone and head fog issues (turns out issues one and two were two sides of the same coin) has helped me tremendously. I’ve started eating breakfast everyday which has completely changed my metabolism, greatly reduced my alcohol intake as well as my overall sugar intake. I’m taking a couple supplements (but certainly not a lot) and I’m sleeping better than I’ve slept in years. My sensory overload issue has gone away and my hormones seem to have balanced out.  Oh, and my shoulder is better.

More surprisingly, though, is that things that I didn’t even list as my reasons for seeking treatment (because I’d just gotten so used to them) improved as well. For example, I used to get sore throats constantly. Though it’s only been four months, I haven’t had a trace of sore throat and I can generally feel that my immune system is way stronger than it used to be. I don’t have recurring muscle pain and tightness in my back, neck and shoulders.  I have much more sustained energy throughout the day. I don’t feel like I have to work out five days a week just to keep from getting fat because I gained weight so easily. My nails and hair look better. My skin has completely cleared up.  Honestly, I knew I felt better, but it wasn’t until this weekend when I went to a family event out in California and saw several people I hadn’t seen in a while and everyone kept telling me how amazing I looked and wanted to know what I’d been doing. Now there’s a bunch of people in California who want to see Dr. D’aquila! The overall lightness and clarity in my body and mind is wonderful and I feel like I felt back when I was a teenager….which is great.

Mara Gleason
Brooklyn, NY
onethought.com
 

“In thinking of Dr. D’Aquila two Einstein quotes come to mind: “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.” and “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer”. There are two major caveats though – Dr. D’Aquila is both talented and rather smart.”

“I had always considered myself incredibly healthy, productive, and active – working long hours, exercising daily for one to two hours, and priding myself on needing little sleep. After several minor surgeries and a year of personal stress my body completely shutdown and I found myself needing hours of sleep, unable to exercise, and gaining weight despite a “healthy” diet. I went to Dr. D’Aquila who turned out to be as dedicated, thorough, and insightful as described. I was amazed by the incredible depth of his knowledge, his keen intuition, his tenacity, and his concern. Most importantly, I saw immediate results. I am back to myself but better, as working with Dr. D’Aquila also led me to make some important life changes.”

Pamela Blechman
New York, NY
Investment Banker and Strategic/Financial Consultant

“I first met with Dr. D’Aquila for a chronic problem of tendonitis in my shoulder.  It initially occurred while exercising and as time progressed, I had more and more pain each time I used it.  At my first appointment, Dr. D’Aquila resolved my tendonitis and it never returned.  He was attentive and informative.  I immediately felt comfortable with him.  It has been several years now and I have never had the problem in my shoulder again.  I was so impressed with his technique that I recommended him to a colleague who was having a similar problem and he is now a regular patient of Dr. D’Aquila.  I also invesigated Neuro Emotional Technique in his office.  This technique helps to bring to the surface emotional issues that are affecting one’s body, as the mind-body connection is so important.  I found it really helped me identify the problem and resolve it quickly.  I would recommend Dr. D’Aquila to anyone looking for a chiropractor with an intimate understanding of his work and the people he helps.  His gentle demeanor and comfortable rapport with his patients are both refreshing and impressive.”

Renée Torrière
New York, NY
Casting Director
ShadowCastings.com

“Dr. D’Aquila took 6 months to effectively treat what five years of physical therapy and spinal injections couldn’t. He listened closely when I discussed my neck & back pains, asked prescient questions about my general health, ran simple tests and designed a treatment plan that keeps me pain free.”

“Today I no longer need prescription muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory drugs and I haven’t had the need to visit my MD since treatment began. I can live an active life without worrying about pain and discomfort.”

Kevin Mercuri
New York, NY
President & Founder Propheta Communications
http://www.prophetacomm.com/

“In search for help with my stomach conditions, I found Dr. Rob through extensive internet searching and gave him a shot to fix what no other doctor could help over the last 10 years. Through only one month of testing, adjustments, and various supplements, my body has transformed itself back to a functioning machine. I have noticed a huge difference in my life since Dr. Rob discovered that I had low stomach acid rather than high stomach acid, which had been my diagnosis for 10 years. My body and diet had been out whack because of this, and Dr. Rob prescribed the appropriate supplements to get me back on track. Aling with this, Dr. Rob re-activated a muscle in my leg that was allowing my stomach to protrude, easing the pain of my hiatal hernia. The time spent with Dr. Rob has certainly transformed my life and given me an unexpected health recovery here in 2010, and also a strategy for optimum health with guidelines on how to understand what is going on, how the supplements react to my issues and how to keep myself in top shape. Thanks to Dr. Rob for his expertise and his assistance both in the office and through email”.

Chris C.
New York, NY
Consulting

“I first started going to Dr. Rob in November after hearing great things about him from friends. I had pain in my left hip that had plagued me on and off for about 13 years, and I had been in near-constant pain for the last year or two. Though we did find some structural anomalies (flat feet leading to over-pronation, a curve in my lower spine), we found some other issues that could have caused even more problems down the road had we not caught them in time. The most serious of these was a parasitic gut infection that showed up as elevated levels of eosinophils on a blood test by my regular doctor but was brushed off as a symptom of seasonal allergies. We also found that I was sensitive to wheat and soy, which, as a vegetarian, made up a large part of my diet at the time.”

“By cutting these harmful foods out of my diet, and working to clear up the infection with an anti-inflammatory detox diet, as well as modifying my exercise routine to minimize any stressors to my hip, the pain that I’ve dealt with for most of my adult life has almost completely disappeared. I’ve also lost the 6 or 7 lbs. that I gained over the course of the past few years without even thinking about it, and by cutting out gluten and soy I’ve found that the tired, sluggish feeling I used to have has been replaced with boundless energy.”

“What’s so great about Dr. Rob is that he truly cares about his patients. He is ALWAYS available if I have a question about something having to do with my health, my diet, the pain in my hip, anything. I can email him (or send him a message on Twitter, even) with a simple one-line question and get a response within an hour that includes an answer to my question as well as a thorough explanation of how the adrenal system works, or how irritation in the GI tract can affect the sinuses. He even emails me to check in between appointments and see how I’m doing. I’ve never had this kind of collaborative relationship with a doctor before, and it’s great to feel like I have a partner in my health as well as an incredibly knowledgeable resource I can draw on whenever I have a question.”

Amanda Butler
Brooklyn, NY
Footwear Designer

“I started seeing Dr. D’Aquila about a year ago because my health was continuously off. I couldn’t figure it out; I was already eating well, working out, doing yoga, self-reflective work, and meditating. Dr. Rob was able to identify the small things that were going on structurally, emotionally, biochemically (nutrition), and environmentally (toxins, allergies, homeopathic). He then gave me the right tools to restore balance in my body. Since I started seeing Dr. Rob, I have been in perfect health.”

“It’s easy to feel vulnerable when going to a doctor with health concerns, but I never feel that way with Dr. Rob. I travel 90 minutes to go see him because he’s worth it. He listens to my concern then uses his intuition with his vast array of knowledge and skills to find what it is I need in order to create better health. If you want someone who will listen, give you time, is deeply passionate about his work, and is highly skilled – go see Dr. Rob D’Aquila.”

Sarah Tacy
Huntington, NY
Founder of Ganesha Performance
www.ganeshaperformance.com

“I’ve been seeing Dr. Rob on and off for the past 2 years. He is, in my opinion, the best combination of eastern and western medical thought. He works with opening neuro-muscular pathways in many ways, including working with the meridians. But he will also diagnose that your decreased range of motion in the shoulder is due to a slightly misaligned cervical vertebrae, and then he’ll adjust it back into place. His breadth of knowledge of all manner of treatment, even those he does not offer or subscribe to, is highly impressive. You will learn, like I have, a great deal about the body and how it works while you’re being worked on, because Dr. Rob is constantly explaining what he is doing and why. He also works with a great many athletes and performers, and so he has more goals and skills besides just getting you to regain the ability to walk to work and sit at a desk without pain. He works toward a full recovery and return to your sport/discipline, with little to no sacrifice in ability.”

“One of the best things that happened to me was when I was having one of my shoulders worked on, and in passing I mentioned a pain in my meniscus. I’d had the pain for the better part of 8 years, and figured it would be with me the rest of my life. But Dr. Rob took a look at it, did a few strength tests, and said “oh, one of the heads of your quadriceps is turned off.” Then he did what he does to activate the muscle and when he was done, the pain and instability was gone- and didn’t come back. That’s my miracle story: 8 year injury, that I thought I’d have to deal with forever, fixed in a single visit. I’m now able to perform my stunts and free running much more effectively, and without pain like I have been for the past 8 years.”

“It would be deceitful for me to imply that all my visits are like this, and that you who may end up being treated by Dr. Rob should expect to always to be fixed in a single visit and walk out of his office feeling invincible. But the possibility exists, i know this for a fact; my left knee is proof. I wish my schedule allowed me to follow-up appropriately – as much as I’d like a quick fix in one visit every time, that’s not always realistic, but then again…”

Zack Roberts
Long Island City, NY
Stuntman

“Dr. Rob D’Aquila does amazing work. I am healthier now at 35 than I was in my teens or 20′s in large part due to his expertise in holistic medicine/natural health.”

“I came to Dr. Rob about 2 years ago and was a bit distraught with my health. Though I was ‘healthy’, I really didn’t feel well. I was chronically exhausted, often would feel shaky, had food sensitivities and overpowering cravings, stomach problems, brain fog, anxiety, back pain, pelvis out of alignment/hip problems and generally didn’t feel well. I had already went through 2+ years of traditional chiropractic (which made my back/pelvis/hip worse), traditional physical therapy, and was taking vast amounts of supplements to try and feel better.”

“After my initial visit, I was told that about 60% of the supplements I was taking were wrong for me. Immediately we discussed diet and it turns out my blood sugar was way out of wack and contributed to chronic fatigue/adrenal fatigue. Many other areas have come up since that initial visit.”

“At this point, I have gone through a great amount of healing from the standpoint of structural, emotional, and general overall health. I had went through a period of a strict natural foods diet to help lessen the issues of food sensitivities I was having. Although I never went hungry and didn’t try to loose weight, pounds literally melted off my body – helping to attribute to how good I am feeling now – I have more energy than I did in my 20′s. After that period where I was on a ‘strict diet’, I am now able to eat many of the foods I used to enjoy but in moderation/or occasionally. I am also much more active and not feeling like I have to sit down all the time out of tiredness.”

“I still go to an MD as a primary care physician who in her own way is great, but I actually visit Dr. Rob for health concerns much more readily than my MD. For example, if I am not feeling well – cold/flu etc, I will visit Dr. Rob first and usually feel better (usually includes an adjustment of some sort and a supplement) and don’t need to visit my MD at all. Right now I am using my MD for things like annual physicals and blood work and actually discuss things that have come up in my apts with Dr. Rob and vice versa. Both Dr’s are open to these discussions and I feel I am getting the best of both worlds.”

Jennifer Johnson
Hoboken, NJ

“I began this collaboration with Dr. Rob about two years ago. I say collaboration because when I began seeing him, I experienced a real sense of partnership with someone regarding my health and well being.  And to this day I have yet to work with a practitioner, (holistic or otherwise) who is as dedicated to his patients’ well being as Dr. Rob.”

“I came to see him about a foot issue, for which he aided greatly in reducing the initial pain I was having and guided me toward the next step in healing it.  This was my first time being under the care of structural medicine and kinesiology and there’s no turning back.  I’ve never had such valuable insight, wisdom and downright result oriented healing from any work I’ve done around my health!  The accuracy of his work and the balance he creates in my physical and emotional health has clearly been shown through blood tests and my return visits with him.”

“One major result of this was about a year ago.  I had some blood work done and the tests results for my thyroid were abnormal and I was told that I may develop autoimmune thyroid disease, because my antibody levels were high.  In fact, I wouldn’t have even known that my thyroid had a problem if Dr. Rob hadn’t uncovered it through his testing and suggested I get a blood test for it; because that test is not included in the blood tests they order when you get a yearly check-up.  I brought the results to Dr. Rob and he is very much about natural, preventive action.  We worked on this for a while and I got tested this year and my tests results were normal!  Enough said.  I have complete faith and confidence in Dr. Rob’s expertise.”

LaVonda Elam
New York, NY
Performer

“Being an aerial acrobat in New York City is probably one of the best ways to put the most stress on your body as possible.  Not only are you putting your body through the grinder physically while training everyday, you also have to subject yourself to the triple-booked Saturday nights: air conditioned dressing room to sweltering hot clubs, to 3 redbulls and pizza diet in the middle of the night, to no place to stretch properly, etc etc.”

“No matter how diligent one is about taking care of their body, (which I’m not) it’s still nearly impossible to not deliberately do awful things to yourself on the regular.”

“On top of this, I’m extremely skeptical of alternative medicine, and wouldn’t have time for it anyways.”

“Dr. Robert D’Aquila is the only exception.  He’s fixed every single problem I’ve ever had in a matter of an hour.  You literally go from not being able to walk or move your neck to feeling your body healing.  You go from being completely frustrated with your body for being injured and letting you down to being able to heal through opening up some sort of communication between your muscles, tendons, bones, and your brain – and this is coming from a skeptical person!”

“I don’t think I would be able to have this career, that I love more than anything in the world, without having Dr. Rob as my doctor.  I would have fallen apart and given up a few years ago.”

Anya Sapozhnikova
Brooklyn, NY
Aerial Acrobat, Director of the House of Yes & Costume Designer

“I highly recommend Dr. Rob to all my friends dealing with any of kind of physical injury. Because he looks at the “whole” rather than concentrating solely on the specific, he helps to eliminate further complications.
I first started seeing Dr. Rob about 3 years ago for a shoulder injury that left me unable to lift my arm and virtually left it useless. As an aerialist/dancer this made everything I did almost impossible, not to mention extremely painful. I was so happy with the results that I continued to see him anytime I had an issue with my body.
I can’t stress how great Dr. Rob is and strongly encourage everyone to try his treatment for themselves.”

Lena Armstrong-Strober
Brooklyn, NY
Actor, Aerialist & Dancer
LenaArmstrong.com

“I am a professional aerial acrobat.  During a performance in 2006, I dislocated both of my shoulders and did severe damage to my muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.  Immediately after the injury, I saw a doctor at a well known orthopedic and joint clinic and was prescribed rest and 3 months of physical therapy.  After completing the physical therapy and returning to training, my shoulders were still not functioning properly and I faced a huge roadblock to return to the training and career that I so loved.  At this time, I had a few back troubles going on as well, and followed a referral to Dr. Rob’s office.  I’m so glad I did!”

“Dr. Rob was able to treat my shoulders and return them to their proper function in a short while (significant improvement in just one month), in ways that the conventional physical therapy could not.  Dr. Rob’s treatment enabled my muscles to once again fire properly, my ligaments to heal, and the troublesome scar tissue to clear away.  My shoulders became strong again and I was able to return to training full-time.  As you can imagine, being an aerial acrobat is pretty tough on one’s body.  Dr. Rob has been invaluable in my life and has helped me to keep my body ready for all of the physical demands that I ask of it.  Over the last few years, he has healed various muscle strains, nerve impingements, and lower back and neck disc problems, in addition to teaching me how to support my body nutritionally.”

“Dr. Rob’s holistic approach to health and healing has made a profound impact on my life.  My training used to leave me a complete wreck – I was constantly fatigued and unable to recover physically.  Through gradual changes, Dr. Rob has helped me change my diet to support my lifestyle.  I am so much stronger overall and energetic than I used to be, and I can’t imagine going back to my old eating habits!  Now I know how to take care of my body so that my body will take care of me.  Dr. Rob’s extensive knowledge of the body as a whole and his abilities as a healer are unmatched by any other chiropractor or doctor that I’ve seen – and I’ve seen quite a few!  I am so thankful to have Dr. Rob in my life.”

Jordann Baker
Brooklyn, NY
Aerial Acrobat and Instructor
JordannBaker.com & TheSkyBox.org

“I met Dr. Rob about 3 years ago at a work health fair, after speaking to him I made my appt for the next day and I never left.
Dr. Rob has helped me get rid of a life long back and foot pain that I thought would never go away. thanks to Dr. Rob I can wear heels, sandals pain free.”

“Dr. Rob has the great ability to listen to you and no matter how crazy the symptom is he takes you seriously and makes you feel that you matter. I have called Dr. Rob on many occasions and he never fails, he makes himself available and will take his time with you, you never feel rushed, and he never looks at his watch. Dr. Rob has the great ability to connect with you and he knows …he just knows where to tune in.. he is like the “people whisperer”.”

“I have sent friends and family to see him and they all say the same thing..” how did he know that”…”or he touched my arm and my leg felt better”.” I trust Dr. Rob with my health and will see him in addition to my ob/gyn and my pcp. They all know about Dr. Rob. When I see my regular doctor he knows my second opinion is always Dr.Rob.”

“Dr. Rob I cannot thank you enough for being one of the few people who love what they do and do it so well. Thank you for your dedication to healing the body & the soul…..naturally.”

Penney Henry
Brooklyn, NY

“Originally, I was referred to Dr. Rob for piercing mid back and neck pain, but he has helped me with so much more that just that. All of my life, I’ve struggled with digestive issues. As a child, I was tested for food allergies and given multiple gastrointestinal tests in an attempt to get to the bottom of my abdominal discomfort and occasional debilitating pain. I had learned to live with these symptoms, as we never found a definite cause. Since the first few appointments with Dr. Rob, he has not only helped me with my mid back and neck pain, but my knee pain after walking distances is no longer an issue, my abdominal bloating, chronic diarrhea and discomfort has gone away and I’ve lost about 12 lbs because I’m working out regularly now that the pain isn’t an issue. I haven’t felt this healthy in years. I now go to Dr. Rob and tell him about every little problem because I strongly believe in his ability to view the body holistically and to address the root, instead of the branching symptoms. He may be a chiropractor, but he has tremendously improved my general health and I’ll turn to him first with aches and pains in the future. I feel this has been a better investment of money than anything else I could’ve been spending it on lately Thanks Dr. Rob!”

Natalie Ramsey
New York, NY

“I luckily found myself under Dr. Rob’s care for the first time as I was recovering from the effects of car accident. Having had a lot of very positive experiences with different AK doctors, I entered his office tentatively, not sure that he could provide the same quality of treatment I’d previously received from doctors with decades of practice behind them. To my utter delight and astonishment, I found that Dr. Rob not only had the extensive knowledge I was used to but he was a very intuitive and able practitioner as well.

“I’m an active guy. My music has me on the road 200 plus days a year, so energy has to be high in supply. The necessity for high energy has led me to stop or curb my personal use of most chemicals typical to a “rock n’ roll” lifestyle already, so you can guess how dedicated I am to keeping myself in fighting mode.

In October of 2009, I started experiencing numerous, seemingly unrelated, symptoms like chest pains, uncontrollable shaking, oral bleeding and extreme fatigue-needing up to 20 hours of sleep a day, just to function. Not knowing what to do, and with a full year of music work on my horizon, I called Dr. D’Aquila.

Through a battery of tests, trial and error and patience, Dr. Rob and I gleaned that my problems were rooted in nutrition (and not the chronic illnesses I’d self-diagnosed). Within a week, I was feeling a marked improvement in my energy, and within the first month, the symptoms that brought me to Dr. Rob in the first place had all but disappeared.

I don’t know where I’d be right now without Dr. Rob’s knowledge and willingness to experiment. Thank you.”

Brook Pridemore
Brooklyn, NY
song and dance man
www.myspace.com/brookpridemore , www.craftyrecords.net

“I first came to Dr. D’Aquila after a car accident.  I came on the recommendation of a friend, almost reluctantly — I admit that I was one of those people who totally mistrusted chiropractors. Dr. D’Aquila’s methodology, however, has totally changed my opinion.  He uses chiropractic and applied kinesiology, in concert with several other methods, to listen to the body itself, following the principles that the body knows how to correct itself, if given the proper opportunity. Not only was Dr. D’Aquila able to help mend several problems cause by the accident, which the orthopedist had basically written off, but he immediately located some nutritional and mineral imbalances that were also affecting my health.  Seeing Dr. D’Aquila has turned into a fascinating journey in which we have discovered and addressed, together, some of the foundational problems that are affecting my health, not only physical but, to my surprise, mental and emotional, too.   It has proved a revolutionary approach for me and has allowed greater health to happen naturally, from within.  I recommend him to almost every single friend of mine who voices a complaint about their health, whether serious or minor.”

Claire Smith
Brooklyn, NY
Editor