Nowadays, there are many advancements in health care strategies and innovations that are meant to improve people’s quality of life in the modern world. Diagnostic imaging and conservative techniques are used today to manage different health problems without invasive procedures.

Chiropractic therapy has been in the limelight for a while since it claims to help combat a foe that countless people have to deal with: pain. You may have seen videos posted online of how chiropractors realign body segments and relieve discomfort with their bare hands.

Since it was first introduced to the public, people of all ages have turned to chiropractic care to treat headaches as well as musculoskeletal and neurological problems. Of course, though it has risen into distinction, some individuals still have a vague knowledge of the true significance of this alternative medical field.

As with all other treatments, it’s imperative for you to have adequate knowledge about the chiropractic approach you want to go for. Here are several questions to ask yourself before requesting the services of a chiropractic physician:

What Is A Chiropractor?

A chiropractor is a licensed professional health care provider that primarily deals with spine health and one’s overall well-being. They perform soft-tissue therapy adjustments to relieve pain, reduce stress, and realign and bones, joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments.

They believe in the philosophy that proper alignment of the internal structures and decompression of neurological tissues will lead to a healed and healthier body. Chiropractors make adjustments and manipulations manually to treat various conditions.

What Is Your Specific Chief Complaint?

Before seeking consultation, you must determine certain aspects of your specific chief complaints such as the intensity, location, extent, and duration of pain. Since no invasive procedure will be done, those factors will help the chiropractor make an efficient differential diagnosis, proceed with diagnostic imaging, and find the best treatment strategy for you.

One example is when you have a pinched nerve. This usually elicits a sharp shooting pain in the area due to other parts of the region or limb. It’d be easy to conduct further assessments and formulate a treatment when you inform your chiropractor about experiencing that symptom.

Pain can be incapacitating and affect your daily productivity. Thus, mentioning specific issues will hasten your treatment and recovery.

What Are The Health Conditions That A Chiropractor Can Alleviate?

There’s a wide array of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions that a chiropractor may help treat, including the following:

• Musculoskeletal Conditions
• Headaches
• Neck Pain
• Whiplash
• Back pain
• Coccydynia
• Spinal Misalignment
• Impinged Nerves
• Scoliosis
• Bursitis
• Tendonitis
• Herniated Discs
• Sciatica
• Spinal Injuries
• Degenerative Disc Diseases
• Joint Pain
• Nerve Injuries
• Muscle Injuries
• Neurological Conditions
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Concussions
• Vertigo
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis

Research and studies continue to discover other conditions that can benefit from chiropractic care. Though still several people question it, evidence-based articles prove its effectiveness and efficiency.

A chiropractor carries out a cervical distraction test and decompresses the nerve to alleviate neck pain and lengthen tight muscles in addressing issues such as nerve impingement.

Where Do You Look For A Trustworthy Chiropractor?

You may ask for a referral from your primary doctor or family and friends who’ve undergone chiropractic treatment. This way, you can find a trustworthy chiropractor with a good reputation in your area.

You may also search online and ask your insurance company if affiliated chiropractors are under your insurance plan. Do your research and look into each prospective chiropractor’s expertise, experience, and credibility.

Do You Still Need To See Your Primary Physician?

Chiropractors are licensed individuals who diagnose and treat conditions. You may seek consultation from them directly without seeing your primary physician.

However, if you have a terminal illness and comorbidities, it’s worth asking your doctor if you can undergo chiropractic therapy. Some conditions put you at risk for fracture, so chiropractic options in such cases might further injure you.

There’s a gap between chiropractors and other health care professionals. That’s why proper communication is needed to ensure your health and well-being.

Will Your Health Insurance Cover Chiropractic Services? 

Nowadays, most insurance companies cover chiropractic services. But you should consider calling your insurance agent to find out whether that applies to your plan.

Your expenses for chiropractic treatment would depend on the type of approach, duration of therapy, and use of other modalities. Thoroughly relay the details of your condition when asking the chiropractor for an estimated total cost. 

If You Have Other Ailments And Under Medication, Can You Still Undergo Chiropractic Therapy?

Before you undergo any treatment, a chiropractor will perform the following:

• Intensive medical history taking – This comprises your familial history, functional history, fitness, nutritional wellness, and surgical history. It also involves your living and occupational environment, general health status, current ailments, and medications.
• Physical examination – The chiropractor will take your baseline vital signs, body mass index (BMI), gross range of motion, muscle strength, and symmetry. There’s a screening of the general status of your cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, and neuromuscular systems as well.
• Diagnostic imaging – This is the key to your treatment. It’s vital to know the exact origin of the pain and other structural abnormalities. X-rays will help determine the underlying conditions that may contraindicate the therapy.
• Laboratory testing – This is essential in detecting other diseases that may hamper your treatment and recovery.

The results of the tests will determine if you’re qualified to undergo chiropractic therapy. The presence of deficiencies and abnormalities may require a consultation and medical clearance from your primary doctor.

If You Need Surgery, Can A Chiropractor Do It?

Although chiropractors are licensed professionals, they cannot perform surgery and prescribe medicine. Their philosophy lies in manual conservative treatments and less medication dependency, especially painkillers.

If your condition is out of their scope, they’ll refer you to a medical practitioner right away. 

Why Are Adjustments And Manipulations Noisy?

Chiropractic adjustments are sudden, controlled forces given to joints to realign the surrounding muscles, bones, nerves, ligaments, and tendons. Adjustments are noisy due to the pressure being released from the joints—the tiny air pockets in them make the sound.

Do Adjustments And Manipulations Hurt?

The sensation you’ll feel would be the same as when you’re popping your knuckles, so adjustments and manipulations aren’t painful. However, take note that certain people experience slight pain and soreness after the therapy.

Can You Perform Adjustments And Manipulations By Yourself?

Definitely not. Chiropractors are skilled health care providers. They require an undergraduate course to pursue four years of chiropractic medicine. They’ve studied the anatomy and physiology of a human being. If you attempt to perform chiropractic treatments at home, you might end up getting an injury or hurting yourself more.

What Other Treatments Does A Chiropractor Provide?

Chiropractors use manual approaches most of the time. However, they also recommend and incorporate other treatment strategies such as:

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

• Soft-Tissue Therapy

• Spinal Traction

• Ultrasound

• Therapeutic Exercises

• Nutritional Wellness Counseling

• Lifestyle Modification Counseling

How Long Do You Need Chiropractic Therapy?

Chiropractors won’t be able to tell you the exact number of therapy sessions or weeks it’ll take for you to get better. There are simply established short-term and long-term goals for your recovery. The duration of treatment varies when you undergo a reevaluation assessment where the baseline values will be compared to your recent one.

Final Word

Chiropractic care services are safe and effective. They may alleviate pain and strengthen the affected area to prevent the reoccurrence of an injury or a health condition.

The questions you ask yourself before seeking chiropractic therapy are essential to fully understand the procedures you’ll undergo. Knowing the answers to them would ultimately ensure your safety and well-being since you’ll be able to make smart decisions regarding your health.