Introducing Bismarck Chiropractors
Dr. Doug Ness' and Dr. Sara Weigel
Dr. Doug Ness' Chiropractic Story
"I was 15 years old and was having elbow pain while playing baseball. The pain medication I was taking would only decrease my pain and by the next time I would play, the same pain in my elbow came back, and over time it was getting worse.
One day, in the middle of the baseball season, it just so happened that I went along with my dad to his chiropractor visit for his low back. While he was getting treated for his low back, my dad asked the chiropractor if he could do anything for my elbow. He said he would take a look at it.
After he did a thorough exam and then adjusted my elbow, I had immediate relief. After following the treatment plan the chiropractor recommended, my elbow pain was gone! That was the spark that got me interested in the power of chiropractic the power to heal without drugs or surgery."
Dr. Ness first attended Ridgewater College in MN, where he took pre-chiropractic credits and played two years of college baseball. After that, he attended Bismarck State College to finish his pre-chiropractic credits.
He then began studying at Northwestern Health Sciences University leading towards a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. The coursework was comparable to the curriculum found at most medical schools, with an additional emphasis on the spine and joint function. As he developed his strong scientific foundation, he began to learn the philosophy and art of the chiropractic profession as taught by many of the profession’s foremost experts.
Dr. Sara Weigel's Chiropractic Story
"My first experience with chiropractic was with my mom. My mom experienced severe migraine headaches for many years as I was growing up. She tried many treatments with little results until she went to a chiropractor.
Chiropractic literally changed her life.
She was able to get the headaches under control, and was able to live the life she wanted without having to worry about headaches. After seeing what an effect chiropractic had on my mom, I decided that I would love to be a part of a profession that could have that kind of positive effect on someone without drugs or surgery.
I am privileged to be a chiropractor. Everyday I see miracles as people with both short and long term health complaints get better and without taking drugs or the risk of surgery.
What made the body heals the body, and we are so lucky to witness this everyday!"
Dr. Weigel is from Fargo, ND where she graduated in 1996 from Fargo South High School with honors. While at Fargo South, she was very active in extracurricular activities including basketball, volleyball, and fast-pitch softball.
After high school she attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and graduated in 2000 Magna Cum Laude with major in biology and minor in chemistry. While at Concordia she also played two years of college basketball. Following graduation from Concordia, she attended Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, MN where she attained her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree in 2004.
Dr. Weigel worked as an associate in a chiropractic clinic in Mandan, ND for three years before opening Active Life Chiropractic with Dr. Ness in January, 2008. Dr. Ness and Dr. Weigel believe that the elimination of symptoms is the easiest part of a treatment plan. "If all that we do is reduce the pain and stop there, the chances of the condition recurring are very high," states Dr. Weigel.
In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care in a rehab phase, and then a maintenance phase, even though your symptoms may be under control.
During the correction/rehab phase of your care, you will not have to receive adjustments as often as you did during the first phase of care and, depending on your particular circumstances, you may begin doing exercises and stretches at home to help accelerate your healing. After the rehab phase comes the maintenance phase, in which periodic checkups are recommended to make sure the spine is functioning properly. This is the goal of all treatment plans.
Our goal at Active Life is wellness...to get people well and to keep them feeling well!
Personally, Two Heads are Better than One:
Dr. Sara Weigel and Dr. Doug Ness
Dr. Sara and Dr. Doug met in the summer of 2004 at the horse races in Shakopee, MN while they were both attending Chiropractic College. Dr. Sara had just a few months left of school, and Dr. Doug was just starting, but they made the summer of 2004 a quick "getting to know each other" summer!
During their three and a half year long distance relationship, a vision developed to open their own clinic. That vision became a reality when they opened Active Life Chiropractic together in January, 2008.
They were married on July 11, 2008. Dr. Sara and Dr. Doug have recently celebrated the birth of their son, Sam. This has opened a whole new passion and focus in their practice as they strive to help as many young children as possible, to ensure they receive the very best start in this world as possible.
Dr. Doug along with his wife Dr. Sara, are natives of North Dakota and are glad to be back in the area. Dr. Doug is from Center, a small town just northwest of Bismarck, while Dr. Sara is a former resident of Fargo.
Dr. Doug and Dr. Sara enjoy Bismarck's cozy atmosphere and friendly people, as well as the close proximity of their families. In her free time, Dr. Sara enjoys spending time with Sam, playing with her little chihuahua Rita, traveling, and exercising. In his free time, Dr. Doug enjoys hunting and fishing, of which the Bismarck/Mandan area seems to have plenty.
Thank you so much for visiting the website! We are more than happy to answer questions that you may be having, so feel free to contact us! Make sure to sign up for the free email newsletter to get some great health tips and ideas to help you lead a healthy, active life!
Call today to schedule your appointment.
Patient Login
Free Newsletter
Dr. Weigel & Dr. Ness Asks...