Here are a few answers to the most frequently asked questions about Chiropractic. I hope that these will be helpful to you, but if you have a question that is not answered here, please do not hesitate to call me – I will happily answer any question you may have about chiropractic care.
Do I need a referral from my GP in order to see a chiropractor?
No. Chiropractors are primary health care practitioners and can provide chiropractic services independently. This means that you can set up an appointment with me without first consulting your GP, although your Doctor may suggest that you see a chiropractor if he or she feels that chiropractic care may help you.
Could chiropractic care make my conditions worse?
Chiropractic care is a safe, non-intrusive procedure that will not hurt you as long as it is provided by a certified and qualified chiropractor. Complications of chiropractic care are extremely rare and not nearly as likely as they are with surgery or other forms of treatment.
If I start chiropractic care, will I have to continue chiropractic treatment for life?
Many people think that once chiropractic care starts, it has to continue. While I do recommend that my patients keep periodical appointments in order to ensure their condition remains stable and can be monitored, chiropractic care is not the reason patients keep coming back. People who require chiropractic care present conditions that can be treated by chiropractors. It is not the care you receive from your chiropractor that makes you need to continue with appointments, but rather the condition you had before starting chiropractic treatment. Some conditions can be successfully treated so that the patient does not need to continue with chiropractic treatment, but most conditions require continuous care.
I have had back surgery. Can I still benefit from chiropractic care?
Yes, you can. It is an unfortunate fact that many people who have undergone back surgery see symptoms of their original condition (often in the form of pain or reduced flexibility) come back after a number of years. Chiropractic care is a safe and efficient way of alleviating the pain associated both with your back condition and the stress of back surgery.
Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?
Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.
Do insurance plans cover chiropractic?
Yes. Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, Workers’ Compensation, Medicare, UnitedHealth, Aetna, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans for federal employees, among others.
What type of education and training do chiropractors have?
Doctors of chiropractic are educated as primary-contact health care providers, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the musculoskeletal system (the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine and extremities) and the nerves that supply them. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.
In addition to the years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work, Chiropractic College requires another four to five academic years of professional study. Doctors of chiropractic are educated in orthopedics, neurology, physiology, human anatomy, clinical diagnosis including laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging, exercise, nutrition rehabilitation and more.
Because chiropractic care includes highly skilled manipulation/adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical technique training to master these important manipulative procedures.
In total, the chiropractic college curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.