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What
is
Chiropractic and can it help me?
What level of education is
required to become a Chiropractor?
How is a chiropractor
licensed and what is his scope of practice?
Are different
types of chiropractic treatment available?
When did Chiropractic
begin?
Will x-rays
be
necessary?
Are
there Chiropractors who specialize?
What should I discuss
with my chiropractor about treatment?
What can I expect on my
first visit and how do treatments feel?
How long will it take
to get better?
Can
a chiropractor
refer me to a medical practitioner, if needed?
What is the cost and will
my insurance cover chiropractic care?
Answers:
Q: What
is Chiropractic and can it help me?
Chiropractic
is a healing art and science that asserts disease stems
from the inability of the nervous system to maintian a healthy
functioning body due to misalignments in the skeletal structure
producing pressure on the adjacent nerves. Chiropractic is also a
drug-free and non-invasive (non-surgical) form of healing.
Chiropractors
are
trained and licensed to treat disease without the use
of medications. The types of conditions that may respond to
chiropractic care are numerous and include the most common ailments in
our society such as low-back pain, headache, migraines, and muscle
strains, just to mention a few. Basically, any condition that could
benefit from restoring the proper nerve transmission to the affected
area could benefit from chiropractic care. So, will all conditions
respond to this type of treatment? Simply put, no. If you have a broken
arm, you need an orthopedist. If you have a damaged organ that could be
beyond natural repair or a malignancy, you may need a medical
specialist to address those problems. The good news is that
chiropractors spend more time being trained in x-ray diagnosis than
general medical practitioners and even though conditions such as
fractures (broken bones) cannot be treated chiropractically,
chiropractors can detect such conditions and refer you out to the
proper specialist. Back to Top
Q: What
level of education is required to become a Chiropractor?
Chiropractors
complete the same two year pre-med requirements as
medical doctors. They then attend an accredited college of chiropractic
for four years where each chiropractic student receives a total of over
4,000 hours of instruction in the field of health sciences.
Chiropractors receive instruction in human anatomy (the study of the
parts of the human body) physiology (the study of how the organs in the
body work) biochemistry and nutrition, as well as extensive training in
radiology (take and diagnose x-ray) as well as chiropractic technique,
physical therapy, diagnosis of disease. In addition, each chiropractic
student is required to perform a clinical internship program as a
student-doctor within an approved chiropractic college clinic. A
chiropractic must also successfully pass a National Board examination
before graduating and a State Board of Chiropractic examination before
he or she can become a licensed practitioner. Back
to Top
Q: How
is a chiropractor licensed and what is his scope of practice?
Each
chiropractor must pass a State Board examination in order to
become a licensed chiropractor in that state. Each state has a
different scope of practice (defines what a licensed Doctor of
Chiropractic can practice.) The scope of practice varies from state to
state based on a consensus of chiropractors and lawmakers. For
instance, some groups of chiropractors would rather see chiropractic
concentrate solely on the diagnosis of subluxation (the misalignment
between two vertebra that results in nerve interference to the area of
the body those nerves supply) and the adjustment (correction of the
misalignment) of those subluxations. Other groups within the
chiropractic profession believe Chiropractic should be expanded to the
use of physical modalities (physical therapy, massage, etc.) in adjunct
to the traditional manipulative care. So, in some states, your
chiropractic treatment may consist of the diagnosis of subluxation and
the treatment of such; while, in another state, the scope of practice
may extend to also include physical therapy, massage, acupressure,
nutritional counseling, and other forms holistic (natural healing)
therapies. Back to Top
Q: Are
different types of chiropractic treatment available?
Yes.
In fact, there are several. Chiropractor's refer to these
different ways to apply a chiropractic adjustment (the moving of a
vertebra to relieve pressure on a nerve) as "Techniques." Most of these
techniques rely on the direct physical application of a directed force
into the troubled area of the spine to get the vertebra to slightly
change position. There are other techniques that rely on the
stimulation of different muscle sites to help influence a better
alignment of the misaligned vertebra (bones that make up the spine) or
that use tractioning (mild pulling) to relieve pressure on the spine
and improve alignment of the vertebra. For instance, a technique called
Cox flexion-distraction, named after Dr. James Cox, uses a mild pumping
traction application to reduce disc herniations (slipped discs.)
You
may want to visit our Articles and Links page to read about some of the
various ways chiropractors correct problems with the spine as well as
check out our Chiropractic Dictionary, which contains a section devoted
to defining the various more commonly recognized adjusting techniques
utilized within the chiropractic profession. Back
to Top
Q: When
did Chiropractic begin?
Chiropractic
was founded by Daniel David Palmer, a healer, who
performed his first chiropractic adjustment in 1895. Palmer noticed
that his first patient, Harvey Lillard, had a vertebra in his spine
misaligned in the region that supplied blood supply to the head and
neck. Mr. Lillard also had a problem of being hard of hearing. Palmer
believed that the correction of the misalignment might help improve Mr.
Lillard's hearing and rendered the first chiropractic adjustment by
physically moving the area of the spine where the neck turns into the
upper back. Mr. Lillard's hearing was reported to have improve and word
of this new treatment began to spread. Palmer developed his technique
and his practice and opened the first college of chiropractic, which is
now known as Palmer University. The term "chiropractic" is derived from
the Greek "chir-" referring to the hand + "prassein", to do = to do
with the hands (to manipulate) dates to 1898, the year Palmer founded
the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.
Back to Top
Q: Will
x-rays be necessary? A:
X-rays are not always necessary; however, it will be up to your Doctor
of Chiropractic to determine what would be best for you. X-rays are
taken because the information these pictures of the spine contain help
your doctor to determine your diagnosis. X-rays have also helped
doctors find other very serious problems such as disease of the spine
that could be missed without them. They also give clues as to what to
expect in the amount of treatment that may be needed and even the type
of treatment that may be best for you. In fact, the way the vertebra
(bones of the spine) have formed, can have a significant impact on your
treatment. The only way this important information can be gathered, is
by x-rays. More good news about x-rays is that modern x-ray technology
has greatly reduced the exposure of radiation a patient now receives
during an x-ray exam. Back to Top
Q: Are
there Chiropractors who specialize? Yes,
some chiropractors do specialize but many choose to be general
practitioners and simply add a specialty to broaden their practice. For
instance, some chiropractors love to care for children and may take
special certified courses to become chiropractic pediatricians. There
are similar programs in chiropractic for radiology (advanced X-ray
diagnosis) orthopedics (advanced bone and joint studies) neurology
(advanced neurological studies) nutrition, and sports injury. The
doctors who participate and graduate from these courses, which are
sponsored through national chiropractic organizations like the ACA
(American Chiropractic Association) or the ICA (International
Chiropractic Association,) will usually place the initials that
represent these specialties after the D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic)
designation in his or her name. Therefore, John Smith, D.C. C.C.S.P.
would indicate that Dr. Smith had completed the Certified Chiropractic
Sports-Injury Practitioner program and can use this additional training
in his practice to better treat and understand patients who suffer
various types of sports injury. Back
to Top
Q: What
should I discuss with my chiropractor about treatment?
If you are going to see a chiropractor for the first time, you
should
ask the receptionist when you call for the first time for a
consultation (a scheduled appointment to meet and talk with the
doctor.) Some doctors will even provide this as a complimentary (free
of charge) service for new patients. During the consultation you will
be able to explain your condition to your doctor and ask him or her
questions about what he or she can do to help you.) Some important
questions to have answered might be ones like: - Has
the doctor
treated others who have the same symptoms as you are presenting with
and what were the results in those cases?
- What
tests, examination, x-rays, lab tests, etc. are generally required?
[Keep in mind that these recommendations may very depending on what is
discovered upon examination, the results of any initial tests, and the
severity of your condition.]
- What
type of treatment is generally utilized? Mostly you will want to find
out how the doctor performs an adjustment but you may want to also want
to inquire if physical therapy, massage therapy, or other forms of
therapy are also available and would be beneficial to your recovery.
- How
much time will be needed for an average visit? Visits can be a short as
a few minutes or about a half an hour if other therapies are involved.
- How
will the office handle billing and if you have insurance, will the
office check to verify your coverage. If you have to pay a portion of
your bill that insurance does not cover, how is this handled.
Back to Top
Q:
What can I expect on my first visit and how do treatments
feel?
Let's answer the second part of that question first. Will an
adjustment
hurt? Most often, the answer a patient would give is no. In fact, many
patients relate a strong feeling of relief when an adjustment is made.
There are some cases, such as ones that involve arthritic joints, where
an adjustment may cause initial discomfort. Sometimes a doctor will
apply moist heat and ice prior to or after an adjustment in these
cases. This helps any discomfort to dissipate and also helps the
adjustment to work better. Now,
let's handle the first part of the question, what to expect on your
first visit. This information is merely meant as a guideline and may
vary depending on your condition and how you and your doctor determine
what is the best way to manages it. In most cases, however, your first
visit, after any consultation, should consist of a chiropractic history
and examination. History: A
history helps the doctor to determine what to look for in the exam that
will follow. It is always helpful to write some things down like dates
that are important, when this condition started and if it had occurred
before, when were those times it was present. It is also good to have a
list of any current medications you are taking. It is especially
important to not hold information back for your doctor. Not admitting
you have anything wrong with you will not help your doctor in
determining your diagnosis. Other things that may be asked on your
history is the health of your relatives to help determine if could have
a genetic condition, the time of day or night the symptoms bother you
if they are not constant, the type of pain or dysfunction you
experience, what makes the symptoms better, and what makes them worse.
Your answers to all of these questions will help your doctor better
determine what to look for on the exam and how to manage your case. In
some cases, you may even be asked about your eating habits or be asked
to fill out a nutritional questionnaire. Examination:
During
the examination, your doctor will check the areas of your complaint and
will probably measure the motion of your joints (how far you can turn,
bend, etc.) and note the range where you experience pain or discomfort.
These figures help to access your present conditions and can also be
used later to chart your progress. Your reflexes may be checked, your
blood pressure may be recorded. Your muscles may be tested to see if
there is any loss of strength in an affected area. Your posture may be
checked as well as your gait (how you walk.) All of these tests are
commonly referred to as orthopedic and neurological tests. The names
may sound a bit scary but they are all really quite simple and do not
involve using needles or electricity. Actually, you may well find that
this examine is one of the best physical exams you have ever had.
X-rays: Your doctor may determine from the
results of the exam that
the problem will require a set of
x-rays. An x-ray is a simple procedure that involves standing in front
of a metal box that holds an x-ray film. After the doctor has the x-ray
film developed and reviews the findings on the film, he or she will
share these results with you. Often, films may be taken the same day as
the exam, however, the report of findings for the exam and x-rays may
scheduled for your next visit. The
Report of
Findings: When
the doctor has
determined a diagnosis from the history, exam, and
x-rays, if needed, he or she should discuss these findings with you and
set up a course of treatment. This is the time to ask about how many
treatments the doctor believes will be needed to see some initial
results and how much recovery should be expected over this course of
time. The
First Treatment: Your
doctor will take you through your first chiropractic adjustment and may
have other therapies that are applied as well. You can ask questions
about what each therapy is and does while you are being worked on. Your
doctor will generally also give you some good advice to follow such as
not to lift, how to sit, sleep, etc. to help your condition heal faster
and to avoid re injury. You may also be recommended one or more
nutritional supplements and directed how many to take per day. You
should take the time to express how you fell after your first treatment
is finished. In some cases, patients have reported immediate and full
relief of symptoms after only one treatment, but this is not typical.
It is more common to have some relief that gradually improves over the
course of treatment. If you feel that there are times between
treatments that you loose some progress, you should discuss this with
you doctor. You might be doing something that is aggravating your
condition but it may also just be part of your healing cycle. The
important thing is that your over-all progress improves over time.
Also, in some difficult cases, your response may not be one of relief
for a certain amount of time. Generally, your doctor can inform you if
this is suspected. For instance, in an acute trauma, such as an auto
accident, the condition may worsen the first week due to the bodies
natural swelling response for the first three days. However, studies
have shown that receiving the proper care for these traumatic accidents
results in faster and better healing after this initial inflammatory
process is over. Back to Top
Q:
How long will it take to get better?
This is one of the hardest questions to answer. It varies so much
depending not only on the condition but the condition of each
individual. For instance, some people heal more quickly than others,
some people have more swelling from minor accidents than would be
expected, and some people have a more severe injury than would
otherwise be expected by the physical appearance. Everybody is
different. So, how long will it take? well, there are some general
guidelines such as muscle strains take about 3 weeks to heal. Sprains
take longer, about 6-8 weeks. Low back disc injuries take the longest
to heal, about 3 full months. The important thing to remember is that
with treatment, you should feel better during the course of healing and
heal better. this means the tissue that repairs the injured area is
stronger than it would be if nothing is done. This can help prevent
weakness in the area and also prevent re injury in the future. Your
Doctor of Chiropractic will be able to assist you in determining what
treatment plan and course of treatment time will be best for you. But
what about if you have a chronic condition such as headaches or
migraines? Your doctor will discuss with you how chiropractic treatment
can be effective in treating and relieving many chronic ailments. The
course of time need to get these conditions under control will be
recommended and a maintenance plan of a visit or two per month may be
recommended to keep the condition from returning once initial treatment
is determined to be successful. Back
to Top
Q:
Can a chiropractor refer me to a medical practitioner, if
needed?
Yes. If your chiropractor determines your condition requires medical
attention or if medical treatment is needed along with chiropractic
care, your chiropractor can make the necessary referral. In many cases,
if a referral is needed to an orthopedist or a neurologist, your
chiropractor can probably provide you with a list of these specialist
he or she refers to. If the required medical specialty is of a
different nature, your chiropractor may refer you back to your general
medical practitioner with the results of your tests. Your GP can then
make the referral. In some cases, if you do not have a family doctor
(GP) your chiropractor may be able to recommend one.
Back to Top
Q:
What is the cost and will my insurance cover chiropractic
care?
Charges for treatment vary for city to city. Treatments generally are
less expensive in under-populated areas as opposed to larger cities.
The total cost for treatment will be determined by the number of visits
required, the amount per visit, any braces or nutritional supplements
that are required, x-rays, if needed, and costs for examinations. The
good news is that chiropractic has proven time and time again to be a
lower cost treatment plan than most medical plans when it comes to
treating such things as work related injuries. It is certainly much
less expensive than a back surgery. Your Doctor of Chiropractic should
be able to provide you with approximate costs during the report of
findings. You can generally ask what others with similar conditions
were charged to get an idea of affordability. You can also ask if the
office has a payment plan. As for insurance, the doctor's staff may
call on your behalf to check your coverage. Many plans do cover
chiropractic care but just as with medical care, most of these plans
cover a percentage. Good plans cover up to 80% of reasonable and
customary charges. (Reasonable and customary are terms defined by an
insurer to set a price the insurer feels is proper for any given
service in a service sector. Again, these charges are generally less
expensive in under-populated areas and higher in metropolitan areas.)
Some plans offer coverage but may have limits on how much treatment you
can have paid. It is always best to talk with the office staff to
determine what your insurance benefits will be and what portion of the
charges you will be responsible for. Back
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