Dr. Bradley M. Shepherd, DC

Chiropractor | Nutrition

205 Boutz Rd Bldg #4 Las Cruces NM, 88005 Show map

About
Contacts & Locations

About

Dr. Bradley Shepherd is a Chiropractor and a certified functional medicine practitioner, practicing in Las Cruces, NM. Dr. Shepherd specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the neuromusculoskeletal system, while improving each patients functionality and quality of life. Conditions treated include sciatica, neck pain, and arthritis pain, among many others. He specializes in nutrition and functional medicine, with an emphisis on digestive problems. He offers meridian therapy. Dr. Shepherd seeks to reduce pain and discomfort through manipulation and adjustment of the spine. He strives to improve the quality of life with each patient, whether through chiropractic treatment, or functional medicine.

Education and Training

Logan University DC 2008

Provider Details

Male English

Dr. Bradley M. Shepherd, DC

Dr. Bradley M. Shepherd, DC's Expert Contributions

My Latest Posts
My Answers

4 Fiber Facts
Today’s blog post is all about fiber, and I've got four fiber facts for you. Some of these things you may already be familiar with, but hopefully, there's something new here for you.The first fact is that there are many different types of fiber. These different types of fibers can be broadly...
5 Tips for a Healthy Heart
Happy Heart Health Month! Yes, it is February, and, among other things, it is National Heart Health Month. Today, I want to share five tips that will help you improve and maintain a good healthy heart.The first thing you want to do, of course, is making sure that you're getting to see your primary...
Food as Medicine?
Before modern medicine, humans have had to rely on nature to stay healthy and treat disease. We have had to eat foods that benefit us, and avoid foods that hurt us. It has been increasingly difficult to do this in our modern, fast-food, convenience-food world. We have an abundant supply of...
Headaches
There are many causes of headaches. Some are stress-related, others may be due to allergies. They may be vascular in nature, or due to organ dysfunction. Dehydration could also be the cause. To make things even more confusing, it could be a combination of these or something different altogether....
What Is Detox?
What is detox? Is it necessary? Is it a good idea? What is the goal? Is it a scam? Does it work? All of these questions are legitimate and should be asked. I have seen many “detox” products that make claims that sound too good to be true. And most of the time, that is the case. So, how do we...
Immune System
Your immune system is complicated, it involves your genetics, blood, internal organs, trace minerals, major minerals, vitamins, chemistry, and more. Can you boost your immune system? Unfortunately, there is not a magic pill that can boost your immune system. There is not a supplement that you can...

Is manipulation good for frozen shoulder?
The short answer is that it can be, depending on the cause of frozen shoulder. A good chiropractic physician will investigate all possible causes of frozen shoulder. Primary frozen shoulder is a musculoskeletal condition, but secondary frozen shoulder may be caused in association with something else, like diabetes or thyroid disease. It is important to check for underlying issues. This can be done with a few simple blood tests. Your evaluation of frozen shoulder should include a clinical exam, possibly x-rays, and lab work. READ MORE
Can a chiropractor help with foot pain?
The quickest answer is most likely. A good chiropractor will take a good history and perform a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of your foot pain, educate you about the problem, and offer solutions and treatment options for your consideration. They may take x-rays, and think about nutritional support for the ligaments and joints of the foot. READ MORE
Middle knuckle prominence?
It is clear that you injured your knuckle (I don't think you need an expert to tell you that, though). If you really want a diagnosis, you should contact your health care professional. An x-ray (or even better--an MRI) examination would be helpful in assessing the extent of your injury and a prognosis. READ MORE
What is the fastest way to heal a frozen shoulder?
The typical life-cycle of adhesive capsulitis (aka frozen shoulder) can be 7 months to over a year! There are some things to consider when trying to make a quicker recovery. First, a good history an examination are essential to finding the underlying cause of frozen shoulder. There is a percentage of those with frozen shoulder that have thyroid problems or other metabolic disorders that should be considered. Simple blood tests can detect these things. It is important to do range of motion exercises. A chiropractor can help determine if you have glenohumeral joint and scapular dysfunctions that may need to be corrected. Bottom line, the faster you can get to the underlying cause, the faster you can get the appropriate treatment. READ MORE
Why does my neck keep getting out of alignment?
There could be many potential causes for this. I would advice you to seek a chiropractor that takes a good health history and does a thorough examination. A good chiropractor will attempt to uncover the cause. Some possible causes could be improper ergonomics at work, bad posture, poor core strength, ligament laxity, degenerative changes, possible underlying thyroid problems, other inflammatory diseases, and more. Again, seek help from a health care professional that will ask you a lot of questions and perform a thorough examination. Perhaps a chiropractor who also practices functional medicine may help you with this. READ MORE
Pain in tendons without inflammation?
This sound terrible, and I feel for you. I would consider a functional medicine approach that would include myofascial disruption techniques and blood work to rule out other chronic conditions that may be related if it hasn't already been done (full thyroid panel, diabetic panel, nutritional panel, etc) and certainly consider supplementation to support your ligaments. Many times chronic inflammatory conditions can perpetuate these musculoskeletal conditions. Of course, my answer is based on very limited information. A more thorough history and examination would be necessary to give better answers, but this may give you some direction. So, consider finding a functional medicine practitioner. READ MORE
Can you go to a chiropractor just to get your back cracked?
Chiropractors are physicians in most states. There is a standard of care, which includes an examination before treating--this makes sense because we have to know what we are treating. After a history and examination, the provider will have the information they need to recommend appropriate treatment. There are some reasons not to treat, and those conditions are ruled out through history and examination. That being said, if you feel like your back needs to be cracked, it probably does. Your body is telling you "something is not right". It is a chiropractor's job to find out what is not right and offer you treatment options. Keep in mind that chiropractors have extensive training in diagnosis of all sorts of conditions, but they primarily focus on musculoskeletal conditions, specifically, the spine. Personally, I would be hesitant to get any sort of treatment without an examination. Many individuals visit a chiropractor and do not have any specific health complaints and just want a maintenance adjustment. This is fine, too. I would still expect a history to be taken and examination to be performed. After that, it's great to go in to the chiropractic office for a treatment once a month! READ MORE
When should I go to the chiropractor for upper back pain?
Pain is your body's way of telling you that there is something wrong. Many times we ignore those warnings, and the problem persists or worsens. There are multiple reasons for having upper back pain. Sometimes it is musculoskeletal, sometimes it is something else. A good chiropractor should take a thorough history and perform a detailed examination to identify the underlying cause of your health concern. In short, the sooner you seek treatment, the better so that a small problem does not develop into a large problem. READ MORE
Can a chiropractor help with breathing?
First of all, if you are having trouble breathing or if you are in respiratory distress, you should call 911 and get to the ER immediately. If you are not in respiratory distress, and would like to learn some deep breathing techniques, or proper breathing techniques, most chiropractors should be able to help. A good chiropractor will try to uncover the underlying problem with your health complaint. This involves taking a detailed history, and doing a complete examination. If your breathing is being affected by joint dysfunction of the thoracic spine, rib dysfunction, or intercostal muscle spasms, a chiropractic treatment may be of some benefit. Your chiropractor may also teach you how to breathe using your diaphragm. READ MORE
How do I know if my baby needs a chiropractor?
First of all, there is no such thing as being too young to benefit from chiropractic services. Of course you want to find a chiropractor that has training in treating pediatric patients. Some signs that your child may need chiropractic services may include extra fussiness, pain behavior (repeatedly touching the neck or another area of pain), or some injuries (falling from the top bunk bed) after they have been checked at the emergency room or urgent care if need be. Many chiropractors can also offer nutrition advice or general health advice as well. Just be sure that the chiropractor takes a good history and performs a good examination before treating. READ MORE
Can I take a shower after seeing a chiropractor?
Yes! You can resume any and all of your regular activities after seeing a chiropractor, unless specifically instructed not to by your chiropractor. READ MORE
Why do chiropractors crack your bones?
I understand your question, but I do want to clarify. Chiropractors do not crack bones. You would be in a world of hurt if your bones cracked (we call that a fracture, or broken bone). The noise that you are referring to during a chiropractic treatment is called a cavitation. Cavitation occur (most likely) due to gases that escape from the fluid in a joint capsule. This is similar to opening up a can of soda pop. The primary reason that chiropractors adjust the joint is to restore proper joint mobility. This decreases the stress on the joint. This is important to keep the joint healthy. A healthy joint has less chance of causing problems in the future (like arthritis). It also decreases the stress on the body--the muscles do not have to work as hard to move the joint properly. The adjustment also causes endorphins to be released. These chemicals not only help you feel better, they also can stimulate the immune system. Of course, when the immune system is working better, you decrease the chances for disease, and possibly could extend your life. Be sure to seek treatment from a well-trained and experienced chiropractor. READ MORE
Why does my back keep going out of alignment?
The short answer is stress. There really are too many reasons for this. A good practitioner will help you identify the areas in your life that contribute to you back going out of alignment all the time. I could be that your tendons and joints aren't getting the right nutrients. Maybe you need a new mattress or pillow. Perhaps your ergonomics at work or home need to be adjusted. It is possible that there is an underlying systemic problem going on like diabetes, thyroid problems, liver problem, kidney problem, or autoimmune problems that need to be addressed. The point is, you need to find a chiropractic physician that will try to help you uncover the cause of your back problems. A detailed history and thorough examination, including X-rays, and perhaps lab work is necessary to answer your question. READ MORE
How does chiropractic help the immune system?
Studies have shown that spinal manipulation can release small, but statistically significant, elevations in endorphins, specifically beta-endorphins. Studies have also shown that endorphins along with enkephalins have many immune functions. In my practice, I also recommend dietary changes and whole food supplements that are specifically designed to help support the immune system. READ MORE
Is it bad to crack your wrist?
The short answer is... if it doesn't hurt, it's not bad. However, if you feel the constant need to "crack" your wrist, it may be an indication that there is something else at play. There could be a ligament disorder, or something going on with the joint. If that is the case a visit to the chiropractor may help identify the underlying cause, and recommend rehab or supplements that may help. READ MORE
What is the best home remedy for plantar fasciitis?
There are many different home remedies, but a better solution is to ask yourself why you have plantar fasciitis in the first place. A health care professional can help you with this by asking you questions and performing an examination. Consider using a tennis ball or a golf ball to massage the bottom of your feet. This is particularly effective when done first thing in the morning. You may also consider using a small water bottle that you have filled and frozen. Shoe inserts that support your arch may be helpful as well. In my practice, I use an aggressive soft tissue techniques that typically help resolve the problem in 6 visits or fewer. Of course, the best approach is to get an evaluation and recommendations from a health care professional who can get to the underlying cause of the problem. This, hopefully, will prevent the problem from returning in the future. READ MORE
Can a chiropractor help with tingling fingers?
A good chiropractor will take a good history and complete an examination to find out the cause of tingling fingers, whether it is a musculoskeletal problem, a nerve problem, a toxic metal problem, or a metabolic problem (or any other considerations based on your history and exam). Once the underlying issue is found, the appropriate recommendations can be made. I, myself have had success in the past treating numbness and tingling in hands, arms, legs and feet. READ MORE
Is it good to get adjusted by a chiropractor?
Chiropractors are the best-trained professionals when it comes to spinal adjustments and manipulations. There are times when an adjustment is not warranted, or could be dangerous. A chiropractic physician should perform a thorough examination to determine if, when, who, and what should be adjusted. There are many benefits to chiropractic treatment, and it should definitely be part of a healthy lifestyle. READ MORE
How do you know if back pain is muscle or disc?
A good examination by a qualified health care professional should help determine the cause of your back pain, which may be muscle, disc, kidney, hormonal, cancer, or other factors. READ MORE
How do chiropractors crack lower backs?
I'm not sure how to answer this question, but here is some related information: Chiropractors go to an additional 3 to 5 years of school, AFTER their Bachelor's Degree. They learn anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, radiology and interpretation, biomechanics, nutrition, pathology, cardiology, obstetrics, gynecology, pulmonology... a lot of similar classes and all of the basic sciences involved in Med school. Rather than studying medication, they study biomechanics, adjusting (what you would consider "cracking", nutrition, and natural healing practices. They learn how to assess joint motion, muscle tone, and how the spine and nervous system work together. Before a chiropractor will adjust ("crack") the spine they should take a good history and perform a thorough examination. This allows them to assess the need for an adjustment and rule out any contraindications to (reasons why they should NOT perform) a treatment. The "cracks" most likely come from gasses that are dissolved in the joint fluid. When the joint capsule expands rapidly from an adjustment, the gas escapes, creating the sound (think about opening a can of soda pop--same idea). The same thing happens when you crack your knuckles. Chiropractors use long or short lever techniques to put motion into a joint which helps the joint return to proper function. I hope this information is helpful, and I hope your question was answered. READ MORE