Very knowledgeable about his business helped me with my back pain. The office is very clean well maintained funny to talk with Thanks again for your services read more

I've known Dr. James for a few years; however, recently started seeing him again weekly. A few years ago his adjustments helped eliminate muscle spasms I used to get in my neck. I currently see him for general health maintenance. I'm a mom of 2 kiddos who love to play hard & occasionally be carried, so my alignment is often off. Dr. James is the most thorough chiropractor I've met. He's very kind & a great listener. He always makes sure to address any areas of concern & I leave feeling better. As for Essential Chiropractic, I appreciate how the natural light compliments the atmosphere & how I'm greeted by the scent of essential oils as I enter. It is truly a relaxing place & I highly recommend Dr. James. read more

I am so happy I found this place. I love it! I have neck issues and get migraines. I woke up on a Friday and had the worst neck pain/headache ever. I called the chiropractor that I had been seeing for over 4 years at 9 a.m. and they were unable to see me until Monday. Even on an emergency basis! I called around to numerous places and Essential a Chiropractic Studio was the ONLY one who could see me that day. It was definitely a blessing in disguise. I spoke to Dr. Tira and she was so warm and welcoming on the phone. I had an appointment for early afternoon that same day. Dr. James took my history, did a scan and was able to adjust me and relieve the pain so I could enjoy my weekend. I was able to return to him on Monday for another adjustment which I needed since I was so out of whack. I now see him on a maintenance basis and I have never felt so good. He is the only chiropractor who has consistently been able to adjust my neck and back. I hadn't realized that my sense of smell was off with my neck issues. After a couple weeks of seeing Dr. James, I could smell EVERYTHING! My hips stopped hurting and my sleep improved. I thought I was getting proper adjustments before but boy what a difference Dr, James has made. Walking in to the studio is like walking in to a second home. Dr. Tira is always so friendly and you walk in and they are ready for you. I appreciate that I can get in and out of there so easily. It works fantastic with my schedule. Trust me don't waste your money anywhere else! read more

I go in once a week. My back feels amazing. I've been going for the past month or so, and no more lower back pain, fingers crossed. Glad I found this chiro office on yelp. Very happy with what's improved with my back health so far. read more

I didn't like this place: 1. I felt like the chiropractor was sitting too close to me during our consultation. I prefer more personal space. 2. When the chiropractor did some of the adjustments, he didn't warn me beforehand. There was one particular adjustment where I was laying on my stomach and the doctor put a large amount of his weight on the curve of my back. It was very forceful. My back did crack a lot from it, but I was sore for the rest of the day and the next day. 3. After our first or second meeting, the chiropractor tried to sell me on a large package of adjustments, 50 for like a year or something. It felt like too much pressure to me. 4. The yelp deal is confusing. It's $70 for a $175 voucher. I asked how much an adjustment is, it's like $100 or something. Ok great, I'll get almost two adjustments for $70 pretty good deal. But they didn't tell me that the initial consult is like $75, and then at the end of the consult, the doctor asks "ok, so do you want an adjustment today too?" Of course, that's why I'm here. And that uses up the entire $175 voucher. But they never told me they charged for the initial consult. I figure I have $75 credit on my voucher left, so I schedule another appt, then after the appointment I remind them about the voucher, then they tell me the voucher covered the consult and the first adjustment and that I owe the full amount of an appointment. It's kind of confusing. If I would have known that my voucher was used up after the first time I was there, I wouldn't have scheduled a 2nd appt. 5. Also I didn't like the smell of this place, I thought it smelled funky inside. read more

I had a great experience with Dr. McElroy. I was out of whack from a long road trip and he was able to fit me in his schedule pretty quickly, which is important when you are in pain. The office is clean, organized and has a great vibe. I love how it is decorated. Dr. McElroy has a wonderful bedside manner. He is really approachable and had me laughing within minutes. He is very knowledgeable and I appreciate that he takes a holistic approach to chiropractic. I was an office manager at a chiropractic office up north and I have had A LOT of body work over the years, mainly chiropractic, acupuncture and massage. I can be a picky customer. I experienced the most thorough release from his adjustments than from any chiropractic that I have had previously. He found both acute new pain and some deep seated chronic pain that has lingered over the years and provided relief for both. I walked out of that office feeling ten years younger, no joke. I highly recommend Dr. McElroy. He is an excellent chiropractor. The only thing I could recommend to improve the experience would be to collaberate with a massage therapist for clients that might need a little extra help relaxing. Well and massage just goes really well with chiropractic. Thank you, Dr. McElroy! You are the best! read more

I moved to San Diego for school and i am so thankful i found Dr. James because this practice has helped me so much. I have a lot of back and neck pain and at the beginning of the semester i just couldn't take it anymore. I've been going to Essential since August (once a week) and i have little to no pain now. Amazing vibes in this office 10/10!!! read more

I'm really glad I found this chiropractic office. I started going to them at the end of my pregnancy, and I've continued going since giving birth to my infant daughter. I've had chronic back and neck issues, and I feel SO much better. I go once a week for maintenance and never feel pressured by them to go more often. I see Dr. James, who is very personable and good with my fussy daughter. On that note....whenever he adjusts my daughter, she's in such better mood. I can hardly believe it. He's also made a huge difference for my husband, who had a lot of neck pain after a car accident. I really recommend this office. read more

love going here. they speak to you like actual humans. They adjust my 5 year old daughter and speak to her about everything rather than just me. They seem like the truly want to help. read more

I live in the Bay Area but travel to San Diego and every time I do, my first and last stop is always to see Dr. James. I feel incredibly lucky that my hometown chiropractor referred me to him. I'm prone to pretty intense neck aches that respond extremely well to adjustments. With Dr. James' expertise, I'm able to enjoy my San Diego visits, not only pain free, but Advil free as well! A healthy nervous system is my favorite San Diego souvenir. My only complaint is that we don't live closer to each other so I can't see him more often! ***Bonus tip*** Peep the dinosaur garden in the parking lot! read more

This place is great! I see them on a weekly basis and I have noticed a big difference since my first treatment. Friendly staff and worth the price. The Dr is really knowledgeable and will take the time to treat you right. If you need a good chiropractor go see them. read more

Dr. James is a amazing chiropractor! I had terrible neck pain and could hardly look over my shoulder while driving, within a couple of weeks of treatment my neck was much so better! I have no problem looking over my shoulder now. Dr. James and Tira are welcoming as well as professional and understanding of your needs. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a awesome chiropractor. Thank you Dr. James! read more

My boys and I met Dr. James and Dr. Tira at a children's book festival a few months back. They were very friendly and chatted with my boys and explained to my 3 year what the giant spine hanging in front of their booth was all about, lol. They also had some delicious lemon/orange water so we kept drifting back to there throughout the festival to get a free refreshment (hey, it was HOT!) We signed up to come in for their body scan, even though, at the time, I was pretty clueless what all that entailed!! My whole family went; 3 boys and my husband and I. We got our scans done, came back a couple days later to review them and see where we were outta line, and have been going back ever since. We were going three times a week at first cuz we needed frequent adjustments. Now we are going twice a week and can't wait to see how much improvements we've made on our next scan. Obviously, everyBODY is different, so don't think you'd HAVE to be seen this often!! Dr. James really listens to his patients and really cares about and wants to know what all is going on, not just health wise but life too. Our boys (3, 9 & 12) really enjoy going to Essential and ask me to take them whenever they have any aches or pains or illness. As many have said, James has good hands, and really knows what he's doing!! He's got a great personality, awesome sense of humor and is full of encouragement for all of us. We know he genuinely cares about us and our health and the care he gives is top notch. Dr Tira is GREAT!! She loves talking with our kids when they come bounding in (usually noisily) and our youngest requests her to do his adjustment at least 50% of the time. She's also chock full of nutritional and health benefit information and is one of my go-to people when any of us are struggling with a health issue. Essential has become part of our family care and I look forward to many years of good health with their continued guidance and support. We highly recommend Dr. James and Dr. Tira! read more

This took me forever todo because sometimes I procrastinate but, I Just wanted to say how awesome it has been being a patient here. Both Dr. James and Dr. Heartsong have been awesome to work with. They have also been really accommodating with my crazy work schedule and fit me in which I really appreciate. They treated both me and my sister after a car accident and we are both doing awesome. They are both very personable which is a very good character I look for in a provider. I highly highly recommend them! read more

I can't say enough good things about Dr. James. Before going to Essential I had spent over a year going to physical therapy for back pain after being in a car accident. I stuck with the program because they said it would probably take a year for me to recover from the accident, but after the year was up I was still in constant pain and they wiped their hands clean of me saying I was all better even without asking me if I was still in pain and without doing any kind of scan to show that I had actually improved over the year. Thinking that I should try a different physical therapy center in hopes of getting some personalized attention I started going to another one, only to discover the new place paid even less attention to me and tried to get me in and out of there as quick as possible so they could stuff as many patients in the door as possible. If the massage therapist was busy with a patient they would have the doctor fill in for the muscle work, and the she was the worst I have ever come across. I would leave that place so jarred and out of place after she was pulling and pushing and shoving my neck into all sorts of awkward positions and then blame the stiffness in my neck for the reason she couldn't crack it. Terrified I was going to spend another year of my life in pain from crappy impersonal physical therapy centers that care more about filling their office rather than actually making people feel better, I found James. My experience with him is night and day compared to what I've been going through with these other places. James is hands down the best there is. Not only is he super friendly and personable, but he will take the time to sit down and listen to you. It's amazing the difference when your doctor actually cares about you getting better! I'm 110% convinced that I'm FINALLY on the road to recovery now that I've been working with James and I only wish I didn't waste my time at the other places. I would recommend him in a heart beat! read more

Dr James and Tira are life savers. Playing a lot of hockey and being in the Navy is a tough life. After my first couple visits my lower back has less stress and I feel awesome. They are very flexible with time and will assist if your running a little late. Here's the deal.... This place has been family for the last 3 years and I'm not going anywhere. read more

I have been to several chiropractors over the years and Dr. James in La Mesa is the best that I have found. When I first went in to see Dr. James, who was recommended by a friend, I suffered from nearly constant pain in my upper back and neck. Over the past 4 months of being adjusted weekly by him I have not only noticed a drastic difference in the amount of pain I feel, but have also become more aware of the causes of my discomfort and what I can do to prevent it. His warm personality and compassionate nature make it easy to tell that Dr. James genuinely cares about the well-being of his patients and I always look forward to knowing that I will leave his office feeling healthier and happier than when I arrived. I feel so fortunate that I found him and am so grateful for the wonderful service and knowledge that he provides. read more

I went to see Dr. McElroy today after a car accident to help diagnose and alleviate my pain. Being in a car accident is already stressful, so finding a practioner who can make this process as smooth as possible is important. After dealing with other chiropractors in the past, who only had dollar signs in their eyes when working with car insurance companies, I have always been wary. I'm so happy to have found Dr. McElroy! He made me feel at ease and listened to all my concerns. We have a plan in place to get me feeling better and I can tell my needs are his priority. I am confident I will be healing properly and am being guided by someone who only has my well being in mind. read more

I just moved to the area and got referred to Dr. James by a co-worker. I have been playing competitive sports for years and I felt like Dr. James really looked at each part of my body and could tell where I had been injured before. He is great!! read more

Essential Chiropractic studio is a great facility with even greater individuals working there. Dr. James & Dr. Tira are great people, very professional and welcomed me to their office with open arms. I was in a car accident a year previous to the time I started my care with them and I had NO clue as what to do as far as insurance coverage goes. They walked me through the whole process and explained step by step everything that needed to be done. Dr. James adjusted me for a little over a months time, he monitored my progress and showed me how I was improving. To sum it up, today I feel great! I highly recommend anybody that needs chiropractic care, GO HERE! read more

Dr. James and Dr. Tira have been my Chiropractors for over a year now. I think they are the amazing. Truly a credit to their industry. I was going to a different Chiropractor before I came to them. I switched as they were closer to my home. I am very glad I did. At my first consultation I felt like I was going to see a good friend. Dr. James & Dr. Tira were easy to talk to and explained numerous things about my back, spine and posture. On my second visit I went for a spine scan! I did not even know that Chiropractors did that. My previous Chiropractor just did an adjustment and that was it! They used a device and ran it down my spine and it measured all kinds of aspects of my back such as how the muscles were pulling on my spine. They gave me a printout and I could easily see that I had a lot of red arrows which meant I was in bad shape. So they created a treatment plan for me. It was very intensive when I first started but as I got better it became less frequent. Now I visit them once a week and I am happy to say that I am doing much better! I lift weights and try to exercise frequently and due to being careless I had ruined my back. Even after the first treatment I could feel relief and from that point on I have only continued to get better (except for the occasional setback at the gym). One time I re-injured my back and needed to come in. They told me to come down immediately. As I hobbled in, I got an adjustment and was able to leave like a normal person. And the best part was that they didn't even charge me for that emergency adjustment! Now that's service! Now I can't say that will happen for everyone but I have to say that I am very grateful to Dr. James and Dr. Tira. I look forward to my weekly adjustment and talking to them. I urge you to stop by if you want to improve your overall health or if you are careless in the gym like me and need to get fixed up! read more

I cannot recommend this place enough! I have been through several chiropractors in the area, and settled here. There is always a warm, welcoming feeling each visit and the care provided is excellent with measurements taken along the way to show progress. read more

I have been looking for replacement of my chiropractor, because he retired and I didn't want to use his colleague. Since I moved to La Mesa, I wanted something close by. I have tried a few of them before, but none come close to Ernie, my retired chiropractor. I gave these guys a try and over the phone they explained how everything works. It all seemed familiar with one other chiropractic studio (Vitality Chiropractic) in Hillcrest. Turns out they went to same school and with no high hopes it was same service. I came out worse that I came in. No proper adjustments have been done. I couldn't sleep at night. Studio itself seems nice and the atmosphere in it too, but I go to bars and restaurants for atmosphere, not to chiropractor. These studios try to sell you long term programs, so they can make money and not to fix you. Finally I found a classmate from my old Chiropractor and he is way cheaper and does the job he is supposed to. This place with most of the other, so called health studios, is a JOKE. I wish them good luck, but obviously they are like pharmaceutical industry-they don't want to heal you or fix you, but keep you in between for profit. I don't know where did they get 40 five star reviews. read more

I was suffering neck pain of 3 weeks and decided to see a chiropractor. I went on Yelp and checked the top-rated clinics around my area and this studio came out as one of the best and I'm not surprised they have the best service with very friendly staff. Dr. James explained to me well about why I'm experiencing pain and 2 sessions passed and my neck pain was gone. After 12 sessions, I got a new scan for my back and it showed massive improvement in all areas. I would definitely recommend this to my family and friends. If you are looking for a great chiropractor around La Mesa or even San Diego this is the place to be! read more

Nothing but good things to say about Dr. McElroy. Moved to San Diego in 2010 and walked into his office barely walking and limping. Excruciating right hip pain that radiated down my leg. I felt like an old lady. Well we devised a plan I went to James 2-3 times a week for awhile and than was able to go less and less because I was feeling so much better. I felt so good emotionally and physically from routine adjustments that I started taking my 3 kids in with me. James was so good to us. We would all get adjusted and than talk about healthy living and how to keep our nervous system in line. James was informative and interested in us on an individual basis. Unfortunately, I moved and am too far to see him. My kids always say we want to go back to James!!!! I would highly recommend him!!!! read more

I have had back pain for most of my life and the only relief i've experienced was by way of cortisone injections. I will admit i was a skeptic when i first started chiropractics... but within a couple of weeks i have noticed a drastic improvement. I even have some days that i would describe as PAIN-FREE and MEDICINE-FREE. I have a long way to go, but i am confident that i am finally on a path to recovery with Dr. James. read more

James and Tira are awesome! They do a great job accommodating my busy schedule. I'd seen two other chiropractors before them and didn't have the results or experience as I've had here! I have noticed a significant difference in my overall crossfit workouts, my recovery and my health. I initially went to resolve some lower back pain. After a few visits my back pain had subsided and noticed that I seemed to be getting more out of my workouts. Regular adjustments definitely contribute to my workout recovery and overall health. read more

Dr. James and Dr. Tira gave me my life back! I hurt my back due to stress and moving, and went from running and doing yoga every day to being in constant extreme pain and not being able to do anything for two weeks. This was the first time I had ever gone to a chiropractor and was a little nervous, but Dr. James and Dr. Tira made me feel comfortable and at ease. After just my first and second visits, I couldn't believe how much better I felt. It's now been two months since I started seeing them and I am back to my normal active lifestyle. I can't thank them enough! I highly recommend Dr. Tira and Dr. James! read more

Dr. McElroy is hands down absolutely the best that it can get. In the past three years, I've experienced multiple chiropractors but none of them got the job done. I had a problem back for multiple years from an old car accident and had seen multiple chiropractors. None of them gave me the results and sustained relief than the service here has given me in two months... I am just so happy and grateful that I found this place. Dr. McElroy knows what he is doing. Don't miss out on Essential Chiropractic! Your body and spirit will thank you. read more

I've been going to James for a couple years now and as an active person who occasionally suffers sports related injuries, his treatment and knowledge of sports physiology have made my recoveries and continued maintenance of past injuries an enjoyable process. Every time I've seen him in La Mesa I've left there feeling better than I went in. read more

I started seeing Dr James after a rear-end accident and having never been to a chiro before i was definitely nervous and hesitant as i was very wary to get adjusted. As soon as i walked in the door i felt at ease with both he and Dr. Tira as they were friendly and inviting and after the initial anxiety wore off i was ready to get to work. I have continued treatment consistently and feel great! Dr. James knows when i am stressed or tense and takes a moment to let me relax before an adjustment and i always feel centered and relieved when i walk back out the door. read more

I started seeing Dr. James when I was 6 months pregnant. I read about the importance of pelvis alignment and balance for delivery, and pregnancy adjustments is one of this practices specialities. Almost immediately my low back pain was relieved and I no longer wear my belly brace. Now I'm 7.5 months along and I feel fantastic! I will post another review after delivery to let all the expecting moms know how things went with my new and improved pelvis read more

I'm over 50 and have had many Chiropractors in the past some good, some not so good. Essential A Chiropractic Studio has it all. They are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and best of all James has really good hands. read more

Dr. James and Dr. Tira are the best! They are so attentive and they really know how to listen. I love how they are dedicated to their profession. If you want a place that will listen to you and provide you with holistic recommendations that focus on you and your family's health and wellness, definitely come in to see them. I wouldn't go anywhere else for chiropractic care. read more

I am so thankful to have found Dr.James and Tira!!! Dr.James is very nice and an excellent chiropractor! He has helped me so much already and I have seen a great improvement in my mobility! VERY VERY HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF SERVICE HERE! I highly recommend Drs Tira and James for any chiropractic need you may have whether a child or an adult. Thank you Dr.James! , Marilyn read more

I came ro Essential Chiropractic this past summer. I was having a lot of medical problems, kind of like MS but nothing was diagnoised. Doctors did tons of tests on me and could not figure out what was wrong with me, and pretty much just gave up. Luckily with help from essential and natural healing I started to get better. Essential is a wonderful place. I feel right at home and they help me with any questions or concerns I have. I have learned so much going here and I would reccommend it to everyone. They are such good, sweet and knowledgable people. read more

We love Essential Chiropractic! Now that we have established that part here is the WHY... I initially began seeing Dr. James and Dr. Tira because I was in a car accident. They both treated me well and exercised caution and care with me and my two small children. Dr. James immediately developed report with my two younger children that were also in need of chiropractic treatment. My younger kids can be distrustful of strangers but they warmed up to him right away. Almost too much since they think they can come in and run the office sometimes. Through the course of our treatment there I have come to realize how important chiropractic care can be even when we are not in pain. My other kids and my chiropractic suspicious husband have also been seen by them and with great results in all over health and well being. My schedule can be very congested and Dr. Tira always works with me to help alleviate my scheduling stress so that we can receive the treatments that we need. They are both very congenial and welcoming. Their office is always fresh and clean which I appreciate greatly! I cannot recommend them enough whether you have a sudden, acute issue or a longstanding problem. My issues have improved greatly while under their care. If you have been on the fence about chiropractic or feel desperate over a pain issue, don't wait any longer. Just give them a call so you can be on your way to having a better quality of life. read more

This place is amazing! I wasn't too sold on the thought of a chiropractor before I started coming here, but a friend told me about it and I decided to go. I am 37 and already have a hip replacement, so I think my alignment is always off. I drive a lot of miles during the week and prior to coming here, my lower back always hurt. I've been coming for 6 months now and I rarely have any hip pain anymore and my back feels so much better on a daily basis. It definitely makes a big difference in my life and how I function on a daily basis because of the increased mobility and decreased pain. Plus, they are so flexible to fit me in with my crazy schedule, they are always willing to change an appointment if needed. I would recommend Dr. James to anyone that has been to a chiropractor in the past or is thinking about going for the first time. He is very thorough, explains the importance of what he is doing and I always feel so much better when I walk out of there. read more