Many people suffer chronic or acute pains from injuries, activities, or medical conditions. Whether affecting the neck, joints, lower back, or shoulders, these aches can disrupt one’s life. If you’re suffering from persistent pain and discomfort, a chiropractor can offer long-term relief to help you live your best life.
Who Is a Chiropractor?
A chiropractor is a trained health professional who uses non-medical approaches to treat patients. They treat a variety of conditions and symptoms affecting the neuromusculoskeletal system. Areas of focus include bones, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
The chiropractor uses their hands or special instruments to realign the musculoskeletal structure. Proper alignment of the structure restores the body’s natural ability to heal. This treatment relieves pain anywhere in the body without medication or surgery. This treatment can be used to complement conventional medical treatment.
When to Seek Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor can treat numerous spine-related symptoms. You might be a good candidate for chiropractic care if you’re experiencing:
- Frequent headaches
- Chronic back pain
- Neck, shoulder, or joint pain
- Poor posture
- Discomfort or pain after a car accident
- Stiff muscles or muscle aches
- Limited limb mobility and flexibility
A chiropractor can determine the underlying problem to help you get a permanent solution. As a result, you’ll enjoy improved physical well-being, long-term health, and quality of life.
Ask These Questions to Your Chiropractor
If you’re unsuccessful with other treatment methods, a chiropractor can help. For quality chiropractic care, you need to choose the best chiropractor. Pick a chiropractor you trust and are comfortable with to achieve your health goals. Here are five questions to ask your potential chiropractor:
1. What Technique Do You Use?
Chiropractic treatment involves multiple techniques. The common chiropractic techniques include:
Flexion-distraction
In this technique, the chiropractor manipulates your spine to decompress the spinal nerves. Flexion-distraction is ideal for treating facet joint pain, disc herniations, and scoliosis. The chiropractor uses an adjustable moving table to perform this technique.
Gonstead Adjustment
This hands-on technique realigns your lower back and pelvis to the spine. The technique helps to relieve pain and stiffness, realign joints, and increase mobility.
Activator Method
The chiropractor uses an instrument that delivers a gentle pulse to your spine. It can help treat neck and back pain or migraines.
Spinal Manipulation
This technique involves the manipulation of joints in your spine. Spinal manipulation can treat neck pain, lower back pain, sciatica, and headache.
Other chiropractic techniques include:
- Drop technique
- Diversified technique
- Spine mobilization
While some chiropractors specialize in a single technique, others can offer a variety. Keep in mind that no single technique can treat all conditions or disorders. Ask your potential chiropractor the techniques they’re skilled at and the ones they’ll use for your case.
2. How Long Will My Treatment Last?
Depending on your condition, a single chiropractic visit might not effectively treat the issue. But if a practitioner tells you your problem is treatable in several visits, make sure you ask more questions about the treatment plan.
A good chiropractor can’t advise about your treatment period during the first meeting. They need to first do an extensive analysis of your body mechanics and problems. After the analysis, they can only provide a general estimate of the length of treatment. They will be able to give you a better estimation after the treatment starts taking effect.
3. Do You Take X-rays?
In the diagnosis stage, X-rays can be beneficial to determine if you have underlying problems. They help the practitioner to know the condition of your discs, joints, and body alignment. Based on the results, your chiropractor determines the specific technique to use for effective treatment.
X-rays can more accurately estimate the length of your treatment. In case of issues like fractures, the expert determines if the treatment can worsen them.
4. Can You Provide Reviews?
Before you pick a chiropractor, ask for reviews of past and current patients. The references can give you first-hand information and genuine reviews about the chiropractor. You’ll learn about the chiropractor’s quality of care and customer service. Make sure that you don’t cross the line for doctor/patient confidentiality.
5. Do You Offer Payment Plans?
Payment options and plans are key considerations when picking a chiropractic clinic. You don’t want to experience financial difficulty when paying for your treatment. Pick a practice that offers flexible payment plans to patients. This shows the practice prioritizes patient care over finances. Pay attention to the plan terms and length of payment.
Check if the practice accepts money or insurance payments or both. If they accept insurance, check if your health plan covers chiropractic treatment.
It’s Time to Seek Chiropractic Care
Chronic pains can affect every aspect of your life and harm your productivity. If body pains and aches interfere with your normal life, seek chiropractic care. To enjoy chiropractic benefits beyond pain relief, pick a trained and qualified chiropractor. Make sure to ask these questions to help you find the best chiropractor.
