Chiropractic Care FAQ's

Chiropractic care has dozens of benefits, but one of the reasons patients love it is because it addresses the body as a whole, not as a collection of symptoms. Where medical doctors prescribe a medication to mask current symptoms, chiropractic digs deeper to unearth the source of pain, inflammation, and injury. The reason chiropractic has adopted this way of thinking is because all systems of the body are inherently connected – the nervous system to the respiratory and digestive system, the digestive and respiratory system to the muscles supporting them, and so on.

In addition to relieving pain, inflammation, stiffness, and more, the benefits of chiropractic include naturally improving problems such as:

Insomnia
Stress and anxiety
Bowel regularity
Ear infections
Asthma and allergies
Blood pressure
Organ function
Poor immunity

A chiropractor diagnoses, treats, and helps prevent injury. When you visit a chiropractor for the first time, he or she will review your medical history and administer a physical exam to assess the current condition of your spine, joints, nerve function, muscles, and more. If you’re visiting the chiropractor for a specific pain or ailment, the chiropractor will often request diagnostic imaging to fully determine the source of your discomfort.

Then, a chiropractor carefully tailors a treatment plan to your unique needs. A treatment plan typically includes chiropractic adjustments paired with soothing therapies such as ultrasound, massage, cryotherapy, and more. A chiropractor will also provide diet and nutrition advice, beneficial stretches, and helpful exercises to help strengthen the body and prevent further injury.

To a certain degree, all chiropractic care is ongoing. Meaning, if you’ve visited the chiropractor to address specific pain or damage, it can take several visits to repair the damage. These visits, as well as what treatment will be used, are all outlined in the treatment plan that you create with your chiropractor.

Once an injury has been treated, it is not necessary to continue to receive chiropractic care. However, most patients do continue to attend chiropractic visits even once their injury has healed. That’s because chiropractic is a safe and effective method of not only relieving pain, but of routine health maintenance for a strong body.

Yes. A patient who has already suffered through invasive spinal surgeries such as laminectomy or foraminotomy is wise to seek chiropractic care. Lack of pain relief after spinal surgery is unfortunately very common, and is known as failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).

In many back pain patients, FBSS can be frustrating, time consuming, and costly. Chiropractic is a non-invasive treatment alternative that can help to effectively alleviate the pain that surgery failed to correct.

Yes! Chiropractic is a safe and healthy way to treat pain and discomfort during pregnancy. From conception to delivery, your chiropractor can help make the experience as painless as possible.

During pregnancy, a woman’s pelvis loosens and shifts. If the pelvis becomes misaligned while loosened, it can reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby, a condition known as intrauterine constraint. Likewise, a misaligned pelvis affect a mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth.

If the baby settles into a position in which its feet or buttocks are facing the birth canal, also know as breeching, many times the delivery will result in a cesarean delivery (C-Section). Chiropractic can help to balance the pelvis, to safely avoid breeching as well as intrauterine constraint. Benefits of prenatal chiropractic include:

• Relieving back pain
• Reduced headaches
• Better time sleeping
• Alleviating neck and joint pain
• Preventing a potential C-Section
• Controlling symptoms of nausea
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery

Chiropractors treat a variety of pain, including, but not limited to, chronic pain, nerve pain, muscle pain, and joint pain. Chiropractors offer treatment for a variety of pain-inducing conditions, including:

Sciatica
Back pain
Neck pain
Fibromyalgia
Tennis Elbow
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Spinal stenosis
Frozen shoulder
Car accident injury
Herniated disc pain
Rheumatoid arthritis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Headaches and migraines
Likewise, a chiropractor can help the various systems of the body work more harmoniously together. This means a reduction in non-pain related conditions, such as:

Insomnia
Headaches
Low energy
Slow recovery
Ear infections
Stress and anxiety
High blood pressure
Limited joint mobility
Poor blood circulation
Weak immune system

Yes, chiropractic adjustments are safe when performed by a licensed chiropractor. However, as with all medical procedures, there are individuals who should be wary before receiving an adjustment. Individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as arterial disease or cancer of the bones, may want to consult with their primary doctor before receiving an adjustment.

Chiropractic adjustments create a similar popping sound to when you crack your knuckles. This is because the reaction is the same. Adjustments cause your joints to release tiny pockets of air which have collected within the synovial fluid, the liquid that lubricates each joint.

Not everyone will react to a chiropractic adjustment the same way. For most, the effects of an adjustment are felt immediately. Misalignments, referred to as subluxations, will often restrict normal nerve flow to the affected area. Therefore, after an adjustment, many people report feeling a surge of energy, more limber, and relaxed.

However, as a chiropractic adjustment can repair an area of the body which has experienced normal nerve energy interference for weeks, months, or even years, there can be minor discomfort as the body adjusts to corrected alignment. Some soreness can be expected, although it is normally very mild and temporary.

Your first chiropractic visit focuses on identifying the source of your pain or ailment. Therefore, your appointment will begin with a series of questionnaires, after which your chiropractor will perform a physical examination. After this is completed, the chiropractor will examine any areas of the body which you have specified are causing any pain or discomfort.

This process typically calls for an x-ray of the spine, which will give your chiropractor insight to the unique structure of your anatomy. At this point, a chiropractor will perform your first spinal adjustment. This normally takes place on a table specifically designed for chiropractic treatments.

Then, at your second visit, your chiropractor will run you through his or her report of findings. This is when you and your chiropractor will work together to draft an effective treatment plan for your needs.

Typically a referral is not needed to see a chiropractor. However, depending on your health insurance plan, you may have specific referral requirements. While most plans allow you to just call and schedule an appointment, you may want to contact your insurance provider to determine if you have any referral requirements.

Yes. Most health insurance plans including Medicare, workers’ compensation, some Medicaid plans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield for federal employees will cover chiropractic care. Check your healthcare policy for specific coverage details.

A common misconception about chiropractic care is that only people suffering back or neck pain need it, when in fact everyone can benefit from chiropractic care.

Of course, those suffering from back and neck discomfort, joint pain, headaches, or any type of chronic pain can benefit. But chiropractic care is a holistic and non-pharmaceutical method of working towards wellness, benefiting those who are suffering digestive issues, have problems sleeping, are attempting to lose weight, and so on.

A chiropractor is not a medical doctor (MD), however, they are licensed practitioners. Chiropractors complete one year of training and obtain a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree, which is considered a professional or doctorate degree. This means that chiropractors are considered subject matter experts, but are not classified as medical professionals. Chiropractors do not have medical licensing to practice the full scope of the medical field, which includes prescribing medications or performing surgery.

However, chiropractors are trained to identify the root source of pain and adjust the body so that its systems can work together to heal any damage or trauma. They are experts on the spine, as the well as the central nervous system and muscle systems.

A chiropractic adjustment, also known as spinal manipulation or joint manipulation, is a procedure in which a chiropractor uses their hands, or a small instrument, and a specialized table to apply controlled pressure to a specific area of the body.

Adjustments are highly targeted, and can focus on just one small vertebra, the bones that make up the spine, at a time. Regular adjustments aim to correct spinal alignment, alleviate pain, and improve the body’s efficiency and function.

Chiropractic care is a hands-on approach to healing the body from the inside-out. A fully natural treatment, chiropractic care focuses on maintaining balance between all of the body’s major systems. Care begins with the musculoskeletal system: the collection of all bones, muscles, tendons, and soft tissue of the body.

Chiropractic care is based on the diagnosis and treatment of misalignments within the structures of the musculoskeletal system, called subluxations. Chiropractors focus especially on subluxations of the spinal column, which affect the nerves, muscles, and organs. By addressing the issues of the musculoskeletal system, the neurological, respiratory, digestive, and immune system can all work harmoniously.