About Dr. Donald Thigpen, DC

A Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine

Dr. Donald Thigpen is a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine with over 20 years of experience diagnosing, treating, and managing conditions related to the spine, joints, and musculoskeletal system. Dr. Thigpen is also a certified practitioner in dry needling through the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy, a certified Decompression Therapy Practitioner through the Kennedy Decompression Institute, a certified practitioner in Whiplash Injury Biomechanics & Traumatology through the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, a certified practitioner in the Webster Technique through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and a certified practitioner in manual therapy.

A Career Across Three Practices

From 2015 to 2025, Dr. Thigpen owned and operated Core Health Spine & Rehabilitation in The Woodlands, Texas — a multi-disciplinary practice including chiropractors, physical therapists, medical doctors, and pain management specialists. Prior to his ten years of practice in The Woodlands, from 2005 to 2015, Dr. Thigpen owned and operated the Center for Chiropractic & Rehabilitation in Lake Charles, Louisiana, offering a full array of therapies including chiropractic medicine, massage therapy, spinal decompression, and physical rehabilitation. Since January 2026, Dr. Thigpen has been the practice owner and provider for chiropractic services at Wellness Collaborative in the Houston Heights.

Education & Academic Background

Dr. Thigpen received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Texas Chiropractic College and was valedictorian of his graduating class. While at Texas Chiropractic College, he received an extensive education in human anatomy, physiology, pathology, and other clinical and biological sciences. From 2001 to 2003, under the direction of Bill McGimsey, PhD, Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of gross anatomy lab instructor and performed dissections on over 150 human cadavers. From 2002 to 2003, under the direction of Hasnaa Shafik, MD, PhD, Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of histopathology lab instructor, where he assisted doctoral students in the microscopic identification of human tissues and diseases.

Clinical Training

Dr. Thigpen's experience includes a chiropractic internship along with medical rotations in neurosurgery and rheumatology. His rotation in neurosurgery was conducted under the supervision of Edward Murphy, MD, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, Texas, where he assisted with neurological examinations, observed and assisted in surgery, and received extensive instruction on neurological conditions, brain MRIs, and spine MRIs. His rotation in rheumatology was conducted under the supervision of Martin Lidsky, MD, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, where he gained valuable knowledge and experience in the proper evaluation and diagnosis of arthritic and rheumatic conditions.

Before Chiropractic School

Prior to attending Texas Chiropractic College in Houston, Texas, Dr. Thigpen completed his undergraduate studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In May of 2000, he graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in biology. While at MSU, he was selected to participate in a senior honors thesis research project studying the DNA sequencing of Burmanniales, a former order of monocotyledons in plant taxonomy, completed and defended under the direction of Ray Neyland, PhD.

Teaching & Publications

From 2004 to 2008, in addition to a full-time practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Thigpen was an instructor at the Louisiana Institute of Massage Therapy, where he taught human anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Dr. Thigpen is also an Elsevier textbook reviewer and has been recognized in three textbooks for his contributions: Mosby's Pathology for Massage Therapists (2nd Edition), Massage Therapy Principles and Practice (3rd Edition), and Massage Therapy Principles and Practice (4th Edition).

Dr. Thigpen is a member of the Texas Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association.