Category: General Health

Chiropractic Care: Your First Visit

You may have heard that chiropractic care has many benefits. It is a natural form of healthcare that can lead to long-term relief of pain, discomfort, and improved mobility. Most patients see a chiropractor when in pain, but you do not have to wait. If you want to lead a natural and healthy life, seek natural medical care through a chiropractor.

Regardless of your reason for seeking chiropractic care, you may wonder about your first appointment. What can you expect?

Paperwork. Many new patients mistakenly believe they will not need to fill out a lot of paperwork. Unfortunately, all medication professionals recommend it. This is for your own safety though. Even though chiropractors do not administer medication, they still need all the information on your background and medical history. In addition to the medical history forms, you will be required to provide your contact and payment information.

On average, it can take 10 to 20 minutes to fill out all required paperwork. Your chiropractor may ask you to arrive early. If you are pressed for time, ask to pickup these forms ahead of time. You can complete them at home and bring with you to your appointment.

Education. Chiropractic care is unlike traditional medical care. Yes, there are many similarities, but there are also many differences. As previously stated, they do not administer medication. They also do not perform surgery. What they do use is diagnosable medical tools, such as sonograms, x-rays, and MRIs. After these tools are used to get a proper diagnosis, manual therapy kicks in. Chiropractors use their hands, precise force, and their training to treat spinal and joint problems.

As for why education is important, many are unfamiliar with chiropractic care. Most Americans have it drilled into their heads that rest, relaxation, and pain medications are the best way to seek relief. After all, we have heard this for years. Your chiropractor will educate you on the history of chiropractic care, its benefits, the differences between other forms of medical care, and why you made the right choice to come in for an appointment.

Examination. You will undergo a number of tests when at a first chiropractic appointment. As previously stated, you will get a quick physical exam. Your doctor may take your height and weight, test your blood pressure, or take your temperature. If he or she suspects a serious injury, a sonogram, MRI, or x-ray may be used. If not, your chiropractor will rely on their hands to get a good feel of the area causing you pain.

Consultation. This step varies depending on appointment length, chiropractor preferences, and diagnosis. If your doctor wants to wait and review your tests or take time to think about a course of treatment, you will need to return for a second appointment. This should conclude your first one. Some chiropractors can and will diagnose right away. They will then consult their findings and preferred method of treatment right away. In fact, treatment may begin. This may involve a simple therapeutic massage or a spinal or joint adjustment.

Picture taking. Although optional, many chiropractors like to take pictures of their new patients. Some want to highlight improvements. Your chiropractor may use before and after pictures to show to new patients or at medical conferences, but most will ask for permission first. They may also want you to see the difference at the end of treatment.

So, there you have it. You can expect some of these things at your first appointment. All medical professionals are different, so your first appointment may vary slightly.

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Chiropractic Care: What to Expect

Do you suffer from constant pain and discomfort? For most, this is due to an injury. For others, there is no explanation. Pain can easily be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers, but relief is short lived. Since pain relievers do have risks, especially with prolonged use, it is important to seek proper medical care. One of your options is chiropractic care.

If you werent already aware, chiropractic care is a form of medicine. Some classify it as alternative medicine, as the treatment options are very different. Most notice a difference between the care provided by a chiropractor and a primary care physician. Chiropractors believe in manual therapy. This is therapy with the use of the hands. Common methods of solving pain problems include therapeutic massages and manipulation. For example, neck pain may be treated with a neck realignment.

If you like the sound of chiropractic care, the first step is to schedule an appointment. Chiropractors can be found online with a standard internet search or an online business directory. Most are also listed in the yellow pages of local phone books, under the heading of physicians or chiropractic care. If you have a number of local options, look for the best care with the most affordable price. Some insurance providers do cover chiropractic care. If covered by insurance, speak to a representative to see if your care qualifies for coverage and to familiarize yourself with in-network providers.

Not long after making your appointment, you will arrive for it. The wait can be as short as two days, but as long as two months. The more chiropractors you have in your area, the shorter the wait should be. As for your first visit, it will be similar to a consultation appointment. Your chiropractor will take your medical history. They may take your blood pressure, measure your height and weight. Your source of pain will be examined, like your neck, hands, knees, or feet.

Some chiropractors can diagnose a problem by simply looking at or feeling your source of pain. However, additional tests may be needed. These may include an MRI or x-ray. Some chiropractors will begin treatment immediately, but you may need to return for an additional appointment. It will depend on the length of your appointment, the type of care needed, and how soon a course of treatment was decided on.

As for the second appointment, this depends. As previously stated, treatment may have started right away. If not, it will start here at the second appointment. Once again, treatment depends on the diagnosis made. If your chiropractor wants to treat your neck pain with realignment, they will start the manipulation. If ongoing therapeutic massages were recommended, your treatment will start.

After the initial treatment has been performed, it is important to communicate with your chiropractor. For example, if regular therapeutic massages are needed, you automatically know that continued care is needed. On the other hand, if your neck was realigned, you may mistakenly believe you are done. Despite the common misconception, chiropractic care does not always translate into continued care, but there are benefits. After a neck realignment, therapy may be needed. Patients regain mobility they never had before; it takes time and practice to readjust to it.

In addition to wondering about chiropractic care visits, many patients are also curious about payment. Not all insurance providers cover chiropractic care. And, not all chiropractors choose to work with insurance providers. If you are uninsured and paying out-of-pocket, this will not be a concern for you. Instead, examine your available payment options. They do vary. Some care centers accept credit cards, debit cards, and checks, while others only take cash.

Returning back to insurance coverage, do not make any assumptions. Always speak to an insurance provider first. If chiropractic care is covered, determine by how much. Do you need to pay for a percentage of treatment costs or just a co-pay? Can you seek care from any chiropractor or must you work with an in-network provider? These are all questions you need answers to before scheduling an appointment.

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Chiropractic Care versus Traditional Medical Care

Are you suffering from mild to severe pain and discomfort? Whether it is your knees, hands, neck, back, fingers, toes, or another part of the body that hurts, you may be ready to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. This is nice, but have you considered chiropractic care? If not, you should. It is similar, but also very different from traditional medical care. How?

Natural versus Artificial

Over the past few years, a lot of focus has been placed on natural and organic. Many Americans are making the switch to all natural and organic foods and supplements. This nice, but many of those same people turn to traditional forms of medicine and over-the-counter pain relievers to seek relief. This is not natural. Chiropractic care is. Chiropractors may use x-rays and MRIs to diagnose a problem and decide on a course of treatment, but that treatment is done with the precision of the hands. It is manual therapy.

Medications

Medications are commonly prescribed in traditional forms of medical care. They are not with chiropractic care. In fact, chiropractors are unable to write prescriptions. Some believe this is because they arent enough of a doctor. This is not true. The main reason for their inability to write prescriptions is because they do not believe in their use. Patients are not discouraged from seeking temporarily pain relief with over-the-counter products, but it is only temporary. Chiropractors prefer to make adjustments to treat the problem of pain at it source, not mask the problem with prescription medication.

Side Effects

In keeping with medication, it is important to note the side effects. They are common. It is rare to find a prescribed pain reliever without side effects. Even little side effects, such as an upset stomach or dizziness, can have a profound impact on your life. When seeking medical care, you want to seek relief, not have a new set of problems to deal with. That is why chiropractic care is best to treat pain, discomfort, and decreased mobility. Since there are no drugs prescribed, you will not experience side effects. But, you will get positive effects from either proper adjustments or therapeutic massages.

Safety

In terms of safety, there are little to no risks associated with chiropractic care. In fact, care is recommended for individuals of all ages. Both those young and old can benefit from chiropractic care. With traditional medical care, there are more risks present. Many of the medications prescribed are only safe for certain individuals. For example, those under the age of 4 can rarely seek safe pain relief from over-the-counter or prescribed medications. They can, however, get a safe therapeutic massage or undergo a safe realignment to treat pain and discomfort.

Complications

Chiropractors cannot perform surgery. In most cases, it is not needed. Patients who seek medical care experience pain, discomfort, and decreased mobility. As previously stated, realignment or a therapeutic massage may do the trick. Since surgery is only considered a last resort and performed by surgeon, there is little risk of complications. Surgery opens up a world of complications, including the invasion of germs and infection. Since the body is naturally healed using manual therapy, complications are non-existent.

NOTE: Chiropractors encourage those suffering from pain, discomfort, and difficultly moving to seek chiropractic care. What they dont encourage is avoiding all traditional forms of medical care. Some conditions, such as the flu, cancer, and diabetes cannot be treated with manual therapy. Never put your health at risk. Chiropractic care is best to treat pain and discomfort. Always keep your primary care physician in mind for other non-pain related medical problems.

In short, there are many differences between chiropractic care and medical care. So, which should you opt for? If you suffer from pain or experience difficulty moving, contact a local chiropractor. See what they can do for you. Since there are little to no risks, you have nothing to lose.

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Chiropractic Care versus Pain Medication

Do you suffer from mild to severe to unbearable pain? Regardless of its cause, you may turn to pain relievers. These are available over-the-counter and by prescription. Did you know they are not your only alternative? In fact, they are one of the worst. A better option is to seek chiropractic care.

As nice as it is to hear that chiropractic care is better than pain pills, you may be wondering why. What proof is there? Continue reading on for a detailed comparison. In the end, you will see why chiropractic care is better.

Fixing the Problem

Pain medication does not fix a problem. Yes, it does provide relief, but only short-term relief. Pain medication only masks the problem. It is still there. As soon as your pain pills wear off, the pain is likely to return. If you suffer from recurring headaches, it may be another day before the next headache returns, but it will.

Chiropractors fix the problem. Yes, they want to treat your pain. They just go about it differently. They dont want to mask the problem. Instead, they treat it and by going directly to the source. For many, this is the spine and connecting joints. By treating the problem at the source, you will get relief, but that relief should be long-lasting, if not permanent.

Side Effects

Pain relievers are full of side effects. This is particularly true with prescription pain relievers. Takers can experience upset stomachs, drowsiness, nausea, and more. Even the smallest side effects can negatively affect our lives. How can you work if your pain pills make you drowsy? It will be difficult, if not impossible. Pain relief should improve your life, not create a whole new set of problems to deal with.

Chiropractic care is all natural. It involves manual therapy. This is therapy of the hands. Temporary relief is sought with ongoing therapeutic massages. Overtime, they can lead to long-term relief. Another form of long-term relief is chiropractic adjustments or realignments. For example, a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis can get less pain and improved movement with finger joint adjustments.

Safety

As previously stated, most pain relievers, even over-the-counter pills, have side effects. If it wasnt bad enough, there are many other additional risks. Certain medications can result in stomach ulcers and bleeding. This is common with continued and prolonged use. Some medications interact with others. Pain medications are risky for children, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing mothers. Still, people use them and doctors prescribe them. That however, does not mean they are safe.

Chiropractic care, as stated above, is natural. There is no medication given. The hands provide therapy. Since there is no medication and no invasive medical procedures, it is safe. In fact, chiropractic care is safe for individuals of all ages. The old, young, and even pregnant and nursing women can seek relief through this natural form of healthcare. All should, as it is safer.

Costs

With pain reliever, think long-term. They only mask the problem, so it is likely to return. This results in the consumption of more medication. Not only is this risky, but very costly. Even with insurance covering the cost of most prescription pain relievers, their costs add up over a period of time.

Many fear the cost of chiropractors. For starters, insurance does cover the cost of most treatment. Next, continued care is not required in all cases. Your chiropractor may perform a neck adjustment, have you comeback for a follow-up appointment, and return again to show you helpful at-home techniques to reduce pain. After that, you may be done. Three appointments with a chiropractor, even if you pay out-of-pocket, are cheaper than years worth of pain pills.

In short, chiropractic care is not only safer, but cheaper, less invasive, and long-lasting. So, the next time you find yourself reaching for pain relievers to treat you pain and discomfort, please stop. Make an appointment with a local chiropractor. You may be surprised how easy it is to seek long-lasting or permanent relief.

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