Patrick J. Thomas, D.C., a 64-years-young chiropractor, is living proof that a positive attitude and openness to new ideas are keys to living a satisfying, productive life.
Thomas, who has practiced in Corpus Christi since 1974, takes care of new and existing patients at Snowden-Thomas Clinic, 3468 Alameda, using chiropractic treatments and acupuncture.
With about 7,000 patient visits a year multiplied by 35 years of giving care, Thomas has touched many lives and is determined to continue to do so. “I have no plans on retiring,” he says. “I’m having too much fun.”
Regarding challenges in his life, Thomas notes there have been several serious health issues in recent years—a bout with prostate cancer and heart surgery—to deal with, but with his characteristic, positive attitude says, “Everything else has been smooth sailing.”
A proven leader himself, Thomas describes a leader as someone who is honest and has integrity, adding, “The core is the ability to take charge of a situation by accessing it and then doing what needs to be done.”
He sees his strengths as the ability to see what’s important and possessing self-assurance. “I generally don’t worry about the small stuff, and I am confident about knowing what to do and doing it.”
A Corpus Christian since age 6, Thomas attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, the University of Dallas and Texas State University in San Marcos.
“I thought I wanted to be a surgeon, but wasn’t sure. So, I joined the Navy and became a hospital corpsman and dental technician,” Thomas says. “Then I was attached to the U.S. Marine Corps, and served a one-year tour in Vietnam as a combat corpsman.”
Part of that tour—to help set up and man a unit near a village—planted a seed of interest in acupuncture. “One of the village elders did acupuncture with bamboo splinters and I got him some better needles,” he says.
At his next duty station in Naples, Italy, Thomas was referred to the NATO hospital chiropractor for a neck injury. “He manipulated my neck and solved my pain problem,” he says. “I was so impressed I decided to become a chiropractor.”
Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena was Thomas’ next stop where he earned a doctor of chiropractic degree in 1974 and returned to Corpus Christi to begin the practice that continues today. Starting at the Little Chiropractic Clinic in 1974, he established his own office in 1975, and began his partnership with Dr. Paul Snowden in 2001.
A commitment to stay current on advances in care takes Thomas to various seminars each year. About 14 years into his chiropractic career, Thomas, who was suffering from a painful chronic elbow problem, was attending a four-day seminar, when he crossed paths with acupuncture again.
“I got some acupuncture treatments and at the end of the four days was 75 percent better,” he says. “I then went to San Antonio for further treatment and had no more trouble with that elbow.”
Desiring to learn more about acupuncture and to be able to give treatments, Thomas set out to become a certified acupuncturist. “It was a whole new world to start to learn at 55,” Thomas says. “It was very intense and very complicated.”
Starting in Houston, Thomas then continued study at the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture (IAMA), near Phoenix, where he met Dr. John Amaro, president of IAMA, who became his mentor.
Thomas is now a Fellow in IAMA, holds a Diplomate status in chiropractic, has certification in acupuncture from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, as well as certification for Texas in acupuncture with studies at Texas Chiropractic College.
Thomas is excited about the benefits of acupuncture. He practices a Eurasian type of acupuncture, and has been successful in treating high blood pressure, migraine headaches, weight loss problems and smoking addiction. His most satisfaction comes from treating infertility.
“We have a high success rate considering that the patients who come to us have usually tried everything else first. We have been blessed with 33 of the finest babies born in Corpus Christi,” he says, beaming.
Thomas expects acceptance for acupuncture to continue to grow. “There has been a lot of research in Europe and it has gained legitimacy. It has a big advantage as no drugs are used and my tennis elbow has never come back,” he says. “Acupuncture is in its infancy in the U.S. It will be a treatment for primary health care providers in the future.”
Corpus Christi is unique, Thomas says, in that physicians and chiropractors enjoy a cooperative relationship, referring patients back and forth between the two communities.
“We have high quality physicians who are open to chiropractic and acupuncture,” Thomas says. “We have always gotten referrals from traditional medical providers. Five of the last six babies born in our fertility practice are from physicians’ families.”
The friendship between Thomas and Dr. Paul Zanetti is a prime example of how alternative and traditional medicine can work together. Zanetti arrived in Corpus Christi in 1972 as a neurosurgeon with a unique perspective.
“My mentor in becoming a physician was an osteopath, so I already knew the benefits of doing things both ways,” Zanetti explains. “Once I met Dr. Thomas and saw his results with his patients, we worked together on some cases.”
Thomas is “old school” in some ways, says Zanetti. “He would see patients after hours and would go out of his way to follow up. He even made house calls. Patient care is always No. 1.”
Zanetti trusts Thomas so much that “I sent my family to him. He has a combination of integrity and medical professionalism, honesty and compassion in providing care to patients,” he adds.
Snowden has partnered with Thomas at the Snowden-Thomas Clinic since 2001.
“I was a patient of his and the experience was so good that he convinced me to go to chiropractic school instead of medical school and I’m glad he did,” Snowden says. “As a partner, he is a great sounding board and has so much wisdom and 15 years more experience in chiropractic than I have.
“I consider him my mentor. Our strengths compliment each other. We have a similar philosophy—the Golden Rule. We try to give patients our full attention from the moment they come in the door until they leave.”
Thomas married his wife, Nancy Melissa, in 1976 and has a daughter, Heather Lynn, who is 29. His secret to a successful family life has been to set aside at least an afternoon a week to spend time with his wife and pursue personal hobbies.
In more than 30 years as a chiropractor, Thomas has served in numerous professional capacities, including as district president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and district director of the Texas Chiropractic Association. He is the founder of the Chiropractic Alliance of Corpus Christi and served nationally as the representative from Texas in various phases of national health planning. He has presented at meetings on national health care and lectures on alternative medicine at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.
Thomas is also active in the community as a member of Leadership Corpus Christi and is a charter member of South Texas Health Systems Agency. He has presented seminars for coaches with the Corpus Christi Independent School District and will soon be working with some parochial schools to give children information on healthy eating habits.
