If you’re considering trying chiropractic care for the first time, you may have a lot of questions.
Questions like:
- Can it help my chronic back pain?
- Is chiropractic care safe?
- Do you need to go multiple times?
- Is it covered by insurance?
The answers are yes, yes, yes, probably.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, roughly 30 million Americans suffer with back pain every year. For some people, these are chronic conditions that cause you to miss work and seek all kinds of pain relief including chiropractic care. For others, it’s an occasional thing and you feel better with a chiropractic adjustment.
Is Chiropractic Safe?
In a word, yes.
A) Chiropractic care dates to 1895
B) Chiropractors attend four years of additional schooling after completing a pre-med program
C) It’s not habit-forming like opioids
Spinal manipulation, aka chiropractic care is considered a conservative approach to pain management and is recommended by traditional physicians.
In fact, you may not know that chiropractors attend a four-year rigorous training program after completing a full load of pre-med classes as an undergraduate. Then, they usually spend a year in a clinic working with patients like a residency program.
Chiropractic Care is a Gentle Approach to Pain Management
Your first visit includes a medical assessment and at our office, an x-ray. These offer a guide for your treatment plan which may include electrical stimulation (TENS), spinal decompression therapy, and/or traditional spinal manipulation.
Everyone receives an individual treatment plan.
Typically, the chiropractic adjustment involves you laying on the chiropractic table and we use a combination of body weight and quick movements to release pressure in your joints.
Many people experience immediate relief, though not all. In many cases, we’ll recommend 2-3 visits/week for a week or two to “jumpstart” the movement in your body. We may also make recommendations on diet/exercise/ergonomic tools to relieve pain. For example, resistance bands are an effective way to build strength.
For example, sitting slumped in front of the computer for hours a day will contribute to back and neck pain. So, if you raise your screen to eye level and get a chair that supports your back, you may have less pain. Taking these additional steps can go a long way toward reducing back, shoulder, and neck pain caused by poor posture.
Of course, there are dozens of reasons why you may have physical pain so you’ll want to come in for an assessment. Another common question is if we accept insurance. I can’t speak for all chiropractors but here at McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, we accept most of them. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat pain.
