VALDOSTA — Care Chiropractic Center has two new staff members calling it home.

The chiropractic office, open a year and a half, has been expanding rapidly — opening a new office, the only private practice in Nashville, six months ago, and now adding a medical doctor and another chiropractor.

“I believe that the more professionals that are in your office, the better,” Dr. J. Ryan Moorman, chiropractor and owner, said. “I want this place to be like a one stop shop. You are able to see to all of your needs here, instead of having to go to three different professionals.”

Moorman has been working with another chiropractor, Dr. Travis Worthman, who has been splitting his time between Valdosta and Nashville with Moorman. The third chiropractor to join will be Dr. Mike Waldrup, who will join the practice this week.

He also asked Joel Hunnicutt, physical therapist, to join him in September.

An unusual addition to the chiropractic center is Dr. Kaare Lovall. Moorman said chiropractic practices rarely have a medical doctor on staff.

Lovall said this may be because of the often opposing views between the two professions. “There has been a cat and dog attitude between the two for a long time,” Lovall said.

“Medical doctors often believe medicine and surgery is a better option than chiropractic care. This is simply not always true. Since my beginning, I have seen a gradual convergence between the two. Chiropractic care definitely has a big place in medicine, and I have seen it first hand.”

Lovall also said chiropractic students learn more about anatomy and physiology than medical doctors.

One of the big differences between the two professions is that medical doctors can prescribe medicine, and chiropractic doctors cannot. Moorman said pharmacology is not something taught in chiropractic schools, and another reason why chiropractors cannot prescribe is because the profession is not historically considered be a healing profession.

Lovall’s joining the practice also means that the “competition” between the professions does not matter to the practice.

“We are here to help people and get results,” Moorman said. “That’s it. We want our patients to get the best care, whether through me, Joel (Hunnicutt) or Dr. Lovall.”

Lovall began his career in 1959, and has emergency room experience. The doctor retired for a short time, before joining Moorman’s practice.

“Retirement just wasn’t for me at all,” he said. “I like staying busy.”

Moorman said he was thrilled to have Lovall on board.

“Dr. Lovall will be a great help, especially with pain management medicine,” he said. “Often times, a person needs medication before he or she can begin coming to see us, because they are in that much pain.”

Hunnicutt agreed that the competition between the fields, and even between his field and Moorman’s was not a factor.

“We kind of go side to side,” he said. “Physical therapists work the muscles, while chiropractors focus more on the spine and bone structure. It’s good to have the two professions here, because patients now can more options for long term management and care.”

Hunnicutt said he has worked part time for Moorman, but is spending more time working because of the new Nashville practice. He has a large gymnasium area to work with patients, and is the head of rehabilitation for the practice.

He said the practice sees a lot of different age groups.

“You see the typical car accident cases, but you also see a large cross section of people as well,” he said. “Some of the best rewards in this job concerns the elderly. When you can help them get a little bit more movement, they are so appreciative.”

Hunnicutt met Moorman at Langdale Place, where both of them were doing some work.

“Ryan had been talking to me about joining up with him, and I thought it would be a great idea,” he said. “It’s pretty remarkable what happens in this office, with all of us working together.”

Patients are also happy with the service they have been getting.

“I came in here a mess,” John Moore said. “It hurt to sneeze, it hurt to sleep. I saw Dr. Moorman, and for the first time in a long time, I can sleep. I am so thrilled I could be helped.”

Moorman said the practice may be expanding to include an acupuncturist soon.