Frequently Asked Questions

During your first visit, our chiropractor will review your medical history to get an idea of your state of health and past conditions. We’ll then go over your symptoms and the details of your injury or chronic condition. We’ll give you a physical exam, take x-rays, inspect your spinal health and nervous system, and test your mobility. This information is used to determine if you’re a candidate for chiropractic treatment. If so, we’ll outline a plan for treatment.

Chiropractors don't treat any specific "pain" or "symptom." They remove interference in the nervous system - the system that controls and coordinates all healing and functioning in the human body. Clearing the nervous system of interference allows the body to to do what it was designed to do - heal itself! If there is increased tone or fixation within the nervous system (Subluxation - fixated joint with irritated receptors/nerve endings) pain, poor healing, and delayed function occur between the brain and the body. Chiropractors remove nervous system interference and as a result, your symptoms resolve and you function and heal better.

Insurance rates reflect relative risk - If you’re a bad driver, are your insurance rates higher or lower than a safe driver? While other primary physicians (MD, DO) pay approximately $50,000 - $100,000 (or more) per year for malpractice insurance, chiropractors generally pay about $1000 per year for similar coverage. Chiropractic is safe indeed - according to insurance companies and the statistics. Adverse reactions to medications can be as high as 30% while the chance of serious complication due to a chiropractic spinal adjustment is between 0.00001% and 0.00003%.

No. Although many medical doctors do refer patient's to chiropractors, chiropractors are primary care providers so no referral is needed. Chiropractors are also highly trained in "differential diagnosis" - determining what they can and should treat versus what they should refer out to another doctor. It is for this reason that you also do not need to be "released" from your surgical or medical provider before you see a chiropractor.

Doctors of Chiropractic are educated as primary-contact healthcare providers and receive over 4,500 classroom hours of training (same as a medical doctor). Chiropractic doctors receive intensive training in the detection and correction of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex - which prevents the body from feeling well, healing well, and functioning optimally.

Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the healthcare professions. The typical applicant for chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding — four to five academic years of professional study are the standard.

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 adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical technique training to master these important procedures.

A chiropractic adjustment is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education and practice. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands to adjust the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore proper joint movement, function, and communication between the brain and the body. A chiropractic adjustments is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Once you start going to a chiropractor do you have to keep going even if you don't have pain anymore? You don’t have to do anything. But just as exercise, brushing your teeth, eating healthy foods, bathing, drinking plenty of water, and decreasing your stress are things you should do consistently - not just when you’re hurting - chiropractic is something you do consistently as a lifestyle habit to keep you healthy. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.

Adjustment of a joint may result in the formation of a gas bubble between the joints. The same thing occurs when you “crack” your knuckles. When the lubricating fluid (synovial fluid) between your joints shifts due to the movement of the joint, the trapped bubble will "pop." It takes about 10-15 minutes for that gas bubble to form and be "popped" again.