Is chiropractic only for people with back pain?
Can a chiropractor help me?
Chiropractic is effective in most cases that involve the muscles and joints such as back or neck pain, headaches, joint pain, and sports injuries. It has been known to reduce TMJ problems. Chiropractic has also helped many women in pregnancy to have a proper pelvic and spinal balance so extra stress isn't put on the uterus and the baby. In addition to the above, many people have found relief from other conditions because of chiropractic's ability to assist the nervous system in effectively directing organs and tissues. For example, improvements in ADHD, gastric reflux, constipation, etc. have been reported.
How long will my recovery take?
As you probably suspected, recovery time is different from person to person depending on their goals, age, health, and if they are compliant with the doctor's recommendations. Nevertheless, you will probably know within four to five visits if chiropractic is working for you. The doctor too, will honestly tell you if you would be better off with another type of care and will give you direction on where you need to go. Still, there are three phases of chiropractic care that people typically move through:
- Acute injury phase
- Recovery phase
- Wellness and Prevention Phase. People in this phase desire to be in the best health possible. While they are feeling great physically, they get treatment periodically to prevent problems. This group also chooses to continue care that includes nutritional counseling, personalized exercise advice, and methods to eliminate mental and emotional stress. They know that, just like eating healthy or going to the gym, if you only do it once in a while, you can't expect results. Consistent check-ups and adjustments are one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle.
How much will it cost?
Dr. Erica offers a free consultation to anyone. When you choose to become a patient, we can offer a great discount for paying at the time of service. Your initial comprehensive examination is $50 and chiropractic treatments are $25 each under this option. While certainly not required, additional therapies vary in cost depending on whatever you'd like to do. If it is determined that you need x-rays, these are done at other nearby facilities at their own prices and insurance involvement.
Do you accept insurance?
While Dr. Erica chooses not to participate in any insurance networks, your insurance may be billed depending on the coverage plan that you have. Importantly, we have found that you will save the most money by paying for your visits at the time of service followed by receiving a reimbursement from your insurance company for what you paid. We will provide you with the all the finished paperwork and the address of your insurance company. All you have to do is mail it in. By you doing this, it saves us time and money, thus allowing us to keep our prices and overhead low. It also prevents us from charging more if an insurance company chooses not reimburse for care. We cannot guarantee your reimbursement because everybody's insurance differs. You are responsible for understanding the amounts of chiropractic coverage and any deductibles under your plan.
How often will I have to come?
We are not in the business of having you come in every week for the rest of your life. If that was the case, then we wouldn't be doing our job of getting you well. Typically, when an injured person comes in, we see them for several visits close together to get them out of pain and into healing. As improvement progresses, the visits are spread out until they are at the point where a patient may just need check-ups. And we can't stress enough the importance of prevention. Just as you visit your dentist regularly to prevent cavities and decay, it's important that you get chiropractic treatments regularly to prevent problems later on. After all, it's easier to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble!
How educated is a Chiropractor?
Most chiropractors have completed about four years of undergraduate education prior to entering chiropractic school, which is an additional four year program. The chiropractic school curriculum includes such subjects as general anatomy, physiology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, endocrinology, spinal anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, pediatrics, geriatrics, gastrointestinal, stress management, cardiology, public health, sports injuries, adjusting both of the spine and extremities, etc. How does this compare with medical school? Click here.
Is chiropractic only for people with back pain?
No. While chiropractic is very effective with this, people get adjusted for any number of health related complaints. Some people get adjusted because they simply want to be able to move better. Others, who are interested in their body functioning at its best, whether or not they have pain, get adjusted to prevent future problems. Also, because Abundant Health offers more than chiropractic, many patients come in for nutritional and exercise counseling. Some come in to learn tools to deal with stress effectively or break harmful emotional patterns.