For Dr. Trae Masten, quality chiropractic care starts with a conversation.
Patients walk into Intuitive Spine’s office on Mt. Lookout Square, catching a whiff of freshly roasted coffee from the shop below. After being greeted by Masten’s partner, Cheyney Rose, they are offered a cup of herbal tea before meeting with Dr. Trae to begin a holistic look at their health.
It’s this approach that Masten believes makes Intuitive Spine a different experience. “We want everyone to feel warmth and part of community,” Masten says. Rose describes the vibe in the office as “familial and communal, with lots of one-on-one time with Dr. Trae.”
The initial meeting helps Masten get a complete picture of the patient. By understanding their entire body rather than a specific part he can find the root cause of the issue.
This root cause approach to healthcare is a core aspect of Intuitive Spine. Masten says symptoms like pain, stiffness, anxiety, or tension are all signals of a problem that needs to be resolved, like a “check engine” light on a car’s dashboard. The body uses symptoms to sound the alarm that something needs to change.
During Masten’s initial meeting with patients, he’ll take baseline measurements including posture and weight distribution to develop a custom treatment plan for the patient. This will typically start with weekly visits.
Intuitive Spine’s treatment room is bathed in sunlight. Once in there, Masten’s treatment is different than other chiropractic practices. “We are more gentle. It’s more of a feeling of adjustment, more precise, more focused,” Masten says. “The approach other chiropractic practices often use is mechanistic, tending to focus on one area, not really the entire system.” Masten’s treatment doesn’t have the popping, cracking, and twisting often associated with chiropractic treatment.
Intuitive Spine’s approach is called “Network Spinal.” Developed in the 1980s by Dr. Donny Epstein, it is based on the principle that there is an organizing wisdom or intelligence in all matter, and that within humans this intelligence expresses through the spine and nervous system. The approach looks at the spine as more than a collection of bones, but as the central communication system that sends messages throughout the body. “When you look at the spine,” Masten says, gesturing to an anatomic chart of the nervous system in his office. “It connects to every part of the body, our organs, cells, everything.” Gentle contact during treatment cues the brain into areas of tension and bound energy. Over time, the brain develops new strategies allowing the bound energy to be released and used by the body for healing.
The portion of the spine closest to the brain can be a key area for treatment. Stress in that area of the spine can disrupt key processes across the body, and can lead to health problems like IBS, digestion issues, vertigo and more.
Masten was an avid athlete while growing up (and still hits the hardwood for adult basketball games). This cultivated a passion for health and wellness that led him to an interest in healthcare. He initially studied traditional medicine but found it often fell short for patients, covering up symptoms with prescription medication. So, he switched to osteopathic medicine. After graduating from the Sherman College of Chiropractic in South Carolina, he and Cheyney set up their practice—and their lives—in Cincinnati.
In the short time it’s been open, Intuitive Spine has developed a following, attracting patients from across the region. Many have been passed from specialist to specialist and not getting the results they are looking for and still dealing with chronic pain.
“We had a patient who suffered from migraine headaches more than 20 times a month,” Masten says. “She went to several doctors and specialists who had her on prescription medicine. After coming here, she had fewer migraines to the point she no longer needs the medicine.”
As for preventative care, Masten says time during the workday sitting behind a computer can create stress in the spine. He recommends getting up and moving around every 20 minutes.
While the practice is out of network for most insurance, Masten believes everyone deserves access to spinal care and offers complimentary consultations to discuss treatment options.
Ultimately, Intuitive Spine offers more than just treatment; it provides a unique, compassionate path to health. By prioritizing conversation, addressing the root cause, and utilizing the gentle, whole-body approach of Network Spinal, Dr. Trae and Cheyney Rose are helping patients move beyond chronic pain and medication dependence. As they continue to grow their practice, their hope is simple: that more people discover the power of tuning into their body's inherent wisdom, fostering a healthier, more mindful community—one gentle, precise adjustment at a time.
Intuitive Spine has developed a following, attracting patients from across the region.