FAQ's

• What's wrong with me?

Accurately identifying the cause of spinal pain or other discomfort almost always requires a thorough consultation and examination. Every individual is unique and different from the next, so too are the health conditions they suffer and the treatments they require.

Chiropractic doctors are highly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries and abnormalities common to the spine, extremities and rest of the body. Rest assured that if you are suffering from back or neck problems, extremity problems or other health related ailments chiropractic can provide you with the effective professional relief you demand. If your condition is out of the chiropractic scope or would be more appropriately managed by another health care specialist, we will gladly and promptly make the necessary referral.

• Can Chiropractic Help Me?

Chiropractic has helped millions of people worldwide suffering from all types of problems and not just back and neck ailments. Chiropractic works with the spinal column and its intimate relationship with the nervous system - the major controller of all bodily functions. By optimizing spinal column structure and biomechanics, irritation and stress are removed and health can once again be achieved.

You may be surprised to learn that research studies have provided scientific evidence showing chiropractic care is not only effective in the treatment of back and neck ailments, but can also provide effective relief with children suffering from ear infections, women suffering from dysmenorrhea (painful menses), and a number of other seemingly "non-spinal" conditions. While it's not prudent to guarantee relief from such conditions or claim to "treat" these conditions, chiropractic has successfully helped millions of individuals with all sorts of health conditions by positively affecting the nervous system.

• How Long Will It Take?

While treatment lengths vary somewhat from person to person and from condition to condition, there are a few rules of thumb you can follow:

- Newer injuries, if treated appropriately and immediately, tend to respond to fewer visits assuming that major tissue injury has not occurred. Many of these first time injuries can be effectively managed in as little as 3 to 4 visits. 
- Conditions that have been present for greater than 3 months and recurring conditions are generally more stubborn and difficult to manage. Resolution may require 12 visits or more.

The only sure way to determine how long your treatment will take is to schedule a consultation and/or examination.

For those of you who believe in just waiting for the problem to "go away" on its own - understand that the longer your condition has been around, the more treatments it will eventually require to resolve.

• How Much Will It Cost?

Costs vary and generally depend on the number of treatments required to effectively treat your condition. A number of studies have shown that chiropractic care is extremely cost effective when compared to other "medical" forms of care for similar conditions.

• Do I Have To Keep Coming Back For Treatments?

You may have heard the notion that once you go to a chiropractor you have to keep going back. Before we answer that question, ask yourself how many times you have visited a dentist? Like most people, you've probably gone dozens of times. Why? Quite simply, to prevent your teeth from literally rotting out of your head.

Once we have eliminated your pain and rehabilitated the injured tissues we do recommend that you maintain a schedule of periodic spinal checkups. Like your dentist and like many of the medical experts are now recognizing, prevention is the key to reducing recurrences of existing health conditions and minimizing new injuries in the future.

So the answer is yes, we want you to keep coming back, but just periodically. Periodic chiropractic care minimizes spinal and nerve stresses, reduces recurrences of old injuries, prevents new injuries from developing, minimizes degenerative processes, which enhances overall health and wellness.

• Are Chiropractic Treatments Safe and Do They Hurt?

Chiropractic treatments are extremely safe for individuals of all ages - from infants to 100 year olds. Our treatments are safe because we only use natural and noninvasive methods of care. Research consistently shows that care from chiropractors is among the safest care available and is literally light years ahead of traditional medical care in terms of "safeness".

The treatments themselves are generally not painful. In fact, most patients look forward to their treatments as many experience instantaneous relief immediately afterwards. Individuals who present with moderate to severe pain may experience some minor discomfort for obvious reasons, however, care is always gentle, safe and noninvasive.

• Do you treat auto accident injuries?

YES! According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly 1/3 of all claimants injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) seek treatment from doctors of chiropractic. This is an impressive number given that the National Safety Council (NSC) has determined there to be more than 12 million MVA's annually involving more than 20 million vehicles.

The reason individuals like yourself choose chiropractic care for treatment of injuries sustained in MVA is simple - chiropractic care is exceptional in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, especially of the spine. Since the most common injuries associated with MVA's are sprains and strains of the spinal muscles and ligaments, it's only natural that chiropractic be the treatment of choice.

Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.

• Do you take Medicare or other health insurance?

YES! We gladly accept most health insurance. Please have your insurance card with you when you come for your appointment. You can also call your Insurance company’s customer services and ask what your Chiropractic benefits are on your contract. Insurance contracts can be confusing and we are happy to help you. If you are self-pay, we have affordable rates and payment plans if needed.

• What’s the cracking and popping?

Cavitations. In chiropractic care, cavitation refers to the popping sound you sometimes hear during an adjustment. It's caused by a gas bubble rapidly forming and releasing within the synovial fluid (joint lubricant) when the chiropractor manipulates a joint. This doesn't necessarily indicate success, and a good adjustment can happen without a pop.