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Frequently Asked Questinos How soon should I see results?
Do I need more visits once I feel fine?
What is the education of a Chiropractor?
Does a Chiropractor prescribe medication?
Does an adjustment hurt?
Chiropractic adjustments are the primary treatment made to millions of patients every week. Chiropractors treat patients for a variety of conditions; however a majority of patients seek treatment because of physical pain and/or conditions. The adjustment is applied gently to the spine and/or joints with the intention of removing the subluxation complex and restoring proper motion to the joints. There are a minority of patients who report mild discomfort up to several hours after the adjustment. This is often due to the fact that their spinal joints were not aligned, they were already in some degree of pain and their body has to adapt to the change in their spinal position. Your doctor will advise you of this potential and provide you with natural methods to alleviate any possible discomfort.
How soon should I see results?
Relief of pain and other “dis-ease” is usually expected in a rather short period of time considering the fact that drugs and/or surgery are not part of the treatment plan. Chiropractic is a drugless form of care. We all know that medication can cause most symptoms to go away, but it usually does not cure or solve the problem. Surgery sometimes repairs the problem, but it usually takes a long time to recover. Often patients have unrealistic expectations- expecting instant relief after treatment. However, patients must be mindful that the body just doesn’t heal over night. It may take days or weeks before noticeable relief occurs. Dependent upon the condition, one should expect noticeable relief within 2-4 weeks of beginning care. If none is noted, a re-evaluation should be performed and the doctor should re-assess his treatment plan and/or consider a referral.
How long do I have to come?
Our office recommends three types of treatment plans (Relief Care, Corrective Care and Wellness Care). Each varies in length of treatment ranging from 2 months of care up to 1 year dependent upon your condition.
It is entirely up to you when you end care. Typically, the doctor will ask your health goals during the initial exam and report of findings. The doctor may recommend wellness or elective care for you initially- dependent upon the exam results or once you have met your goals as well as your providers.
There is a myth that once you begin Chiropractic care you must come “forever.” Well, let us explore this. Chiropractic care is not a cult or religion or anything like that. It is merely an Alternative form of healthcare. Some may say that it is a lifestyle that emphasizes wellness and prevention care. Our model of care promotes prevention rather than “Reactive” care to dis-ease or symptoms.
Do I need more visits once I feel fine?
Symptomatic relief is expected rather early in care. Therefore, it is likely that you may think you are in the clear and your pain/discomfort/dis-ease is gone. However, your doctor should have explained that symptoms are not solely what we are attempting to remove. We want to totally correct the problem by removing the subluxations in your spine. This correction takes multiple visits to “re-train” your spinal joints and muscle memory. Usually, ending care prematurely can be detrimental to your health; causing you to return to our office with the same or similar complaints because you ended your care prematurely. Remember, symptoms give us a clue that there is an underlying problem. We want to correct the problem not the symptom. The doctor’s treatment plan must be followed in order to obtain optimal results through Chiropractic Care.
What is the education of a Chiropractor?
Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.
The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired 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. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training.
Doctors of chiropractic — who are licensed to practice in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in many nations around the world — undergo a rigorous education in the healing sciences, similar to that of medical doctors. In some areas, such as anatomy, physiology, rehabilitation, nutrition and public health, they receive more intensive education than their MD counterparts.
Like other primary health care doctors, chiropractic students spend a significant portion of their curriculum studying clinical subjects related to evaluating and caring for patients. Typically, as part of their professional training, they must complete a minimum of a one-year clinical-based program dealing with actual patient care. In total, the curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency which is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This has been the case for more than 25 years.
This extensive education prepares doctors of chiropractic to diagnose health care problems, treat the problems when they are within their scope of practice and refer patients to other health care practitioners when appropriate.
American Chiropractic Association
Does a Chiropractor prescribe medication?
No, Doctors of Chiropractic are not licensed to prescribe medication. In fact, the profession prides itself in being the largest drugless healing profession. Chiropractors are trained to provide vitamin and nutritional counseling. In fact, medication should not be the first line of treatment for any health condition. Lifestyle changes should be made first.