Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: What happens during a patient's first appointment?

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A: The purpose of the first appointment is to evaluate your chief physical complaint(s) and your general health. A history is taken, an examination is performed, and treatment is provided to bring relief. The doctor explains your condition, its causes and consequences, and what treatment would be most beneficial. Home care instructions are often recommended. The time required for the first visit is 90 minutes.

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Q: What is a regular office visit like?

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A: We are not an in-and-out chiropractic office. A session is generally 45 minutes long. The doctor performs a brief evaluation of your current condition and provides appropriate treatment, along with recommendations for improving your condition.

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Q: I am in acute pain, should I wait to come in?

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A: The simple rule is that the longer you wait, the longer your condition will take to heal. The doctor can usually apply a number of therapeutic techniques and provide guidance that will help your body heal faster and with less tissue destruction. Pain is often accompanied by inflammation, which causes further tissue damage and forms scar tissue. Therefore it is important to be treated right away, allowing the body’s innate healing capacities to function optimally. If you are still unsure whether to make an appointment, please call our office, and we can advise you on what is appropriate.

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Q: Are chiropractic adjustments for everyone?

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A: Approximately 20 percent of our patients do not receive spinal or extremity manipulation. Because manipulation isn’t a tool for everyone or for every condition, we offer a wide variety of approaches to alleviate pain and suffering. For those who don’t benefit from osseous manipulation, we use different soft tissue and joint mobilization techniques, in addition to other physical therapies that reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore function.

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Q: Will I be required to undergo an X-ray?

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A: Not necessarily. We will order an X-ray only if there is a valid medical reason for doing so. We maintain a list of recommended radiology clinics, both local and in several nearby counties, including a local radiology center that strives to achieve high-quality radiological images using reduced radiation techniques.

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Q: Do chiropractors treat conditions other than back pain?

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A: Yes. A third of our practice pertains to neck and upper-back pain, a third to lower-back pain, and a third to complaints localized in the remainder of the body. This non-spinal component of our practice ranges from conditions and diseases affecting the joints, the nervous system—including numbness, tingling, and nerve pain—the head and temporomandibular joint (TMJ), as well as the muscles and bones of the upper and lower extremities. We also provide therapeutic approaches and plans for dealing with disorders.

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Q: Does insurance cover my care?

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A: We are non participating providers with all insurance companies, including Medicare. Payment is due in full at the time of your visit. Since we are non participating providers we will submit claims on your behalf and request that insurance company send reimbursement directly to you. Knowing your insurance benefits is YOUR  responsibility, so please contact your insurance company with any questions you may have regarding your coverage. If your insurance company requires a referral from your primary physician, it is your responsibility to provide us with a referral prior to your first visit.

 

All patients must complete our patient information form before seeing the provider. We must obtain a copy of your most current insurance card to provide proof of insurance.

We understand that coverage and reimbursement may vary among policy holders, so all information regarding individual coverage can be reviewed  with you the day of your appointment, per your request.

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If you have been involved in an automobile accident and your automobile insurance policy benefits include medical coverage (most commonly referred to as “Med-Pay”), we will submit all claims to your insurance company. For patients injured on the job, we also accept Worker’s Compensation insurance for both evaluation and treatment, pending the carrier’s approval. If you have any concerns regarding your insurance coverage, please contact our office, and our billing staff will answer your questions.

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Q: What is that popping sound during spinal manipulation?

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A: When a brief force is applied to a joint, a vacuum effect occurs in the joint, releasing nitrogen gas, hence the popping sound. Within 30 minutes the fluid in the joint reabsorbs the nitrogen gas. The popping sound is merely a by-product of chiropractic manipulation, which activates mechanoreceptors in muscles and joints to decrease the amount of pain and improve joint function.

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Q: Can a problem joint be adjusted too much?

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A: Definitely. If the same joint is adjusted frequently over a period of years, ligaments within that joint can become over-stretched. The repeated release of nitrogen gas increases joint size, causing further joint instability. This occurs most commonly when a patient adjusts his or her own back or neck repeatedly each day, over an extended period of time. It doesn’t occur in our practice, as we don’t treat the same patient daily and are careful not manipulate the same joint frequently.

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Q: How long will it take for chiropractic treatment to yield a discernible improvement in my condition?

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A: In most cases, immediately! We expect to see a positive change to some degree during each visit. Conditions involving acute pain are usually easier to treat. The trickiest cases are those involving chronic pain over a span of years, particularly when other health issues impede healing. In many such cases, patients have seen numerous other doctors about the condition, but may not have been evaluated fully or appropriately.

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Q: I am, or was recently pregnant. Is it safe for me to receive chiropractic care?

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A: Yes, chiropractic care can be tailored to ensure that your perinatal period is safe, and as comfortable as possible. We employ specialized approaches to accommodate the unique needs of the mother and the child. Often, during the third trimester through the postpartum stage, a woman’s lower back will go into spasm and pain, making it difficult for her to move. We offer effective, gentle soft-tissue techniques that reduce pain and restore movement.

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Q: Can a person who has had back surgery receive chiropractic care?

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A: Absolutely. We realize, though, that when a patient’s back is surgically altered, we must consider different aspects when assessing the patient’s condition prior to providing any therapeutic intervention. In our approach to evaluation and treatment of surgical patients, we seek to understand why the surgery was needed, determine what benefit it provided, and view the patient’s current condition in the context of the surgical intervention. We also explore the compensatory responses in both structure and function that have occurred since the surgery. Our overriding objective is to support the healing of the surgical area without doing anything to cause further harm.