Choosing a chiropractor can be a difficult thing. Should you just go with the first ad that you see?
If you’re suffering from a headache or a throbbing pain in your legs, shoulders, or back, there are multiple providers that you could choose, but your medicine cabinet and even your local pharmacy may not be enough.
If you have been having problems with your running, you have probably looked on the internet and asked friends for solutions, but if they are not working, you should do more than treat the symptoms of pain. You might need help to find the cause of the pain and fix it. This is where you should consider an effective conservative treatment, like chiropractic care. For anyone deciding to see a chiropractor, the question becomes how are you going to decide whom to choose? Just on the basis of their advertisements? It’s crucial that you pick the right healthcare provider to help you solve your pain issues so here are some suggestions that will help you zero down on the right chiropractor for your needs.
Good chiropractors will offer you effective, safe, and affordable solutions to your issues. In general, the chiropractic community believes in prescribing conservative treatments (like deploying non-surgical, non-drug methods) and treating the human body as a fully interconnected, interdependent whole instead of only focusing on the parts that cause pain. Similarly, I believe that good physicians (medical doctors) will also handle the psychological, social, and physical aspects of your health issues with safe conservative methods, wherever possible, and not just rush to medication or surgery.
If finding a good chiropractor near you through friends, family or your healthcare providers is proving difficult, you can always search online. Google will obviously find someone near you, but driving distance is a low priority in my opinion compared to a number of other factors. Some patient drive from Bowling Green to see me up in Sylvania. Just like you don’t go with the first ad you find, proximity does not mean that they are ethical or effective. Other online directories might be useful as well. The Better Business Bureau can be a good source as can your local Chamber of Commerce. If you plan on using your health insurance, you can search your health insurance company’s website to find a chiropractor near you.
Now that you have a short list of chiropractic physicians, you need to narrow down the list. It is now time to check out their Google Reviews and Online Testimonials to get a sense of the provider, regardless of how you got their name. Check out their website and see what type of content they have available and what types of conditions they regularly treat.
Every chiropractor knows generally how to treat certain lower back and neck issues, but there are a multitude of ways for chiropractors to practice, which may affect if they are right for you. Many chiropractors use standard modalities to help control pain that you might find at a physical therapist’s office, like electric muscle stimulation, traction or cold laser. Unfortunately, there are some chiropractors who do poor evaluations that only take a couple minutes and then immediately start treatments. Some chiropractors only do spinal adjustments would not know what to do with a knee. Some chiropractors x-ray every patient and use the x-rays to scare people into unnecessary care.
On the other hand, some chiropractic physicians perform an in-depth evaluation to get to the root of the problem and figure out your issues. The good chiropractors have multiple tools in their toolbox so that every visit does not become a hammer in search of a nail. Soft tissue treatments, like Graston Technique, can be extremely helpful in resolving painful conditions. The chiropractic physician should be trained in corrective exercises in order to teach you to help you care for your problem on your own. Many chiropractic offices have massage therapy available onsite that may be extremely beneficial for your tight muscles as well.
There are certain specialties or certifications that may be useful to you depending on your goals. A runner, triathlete or any other type of athlete should really make sure that any chiropractor they choose has training and a certification in sports medicine. Some chiropractors will treat sports injuries without specific training in sports medicine.
Chiropractic physicians can specialize in a variety of fields like orthopedics, rehabilitation, neurology, radiology. Sports medicine is the most common specialty enjoyed by chiropractors who hold the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) credential. Other than the CCSP, the more advanced certifications are hard to find in this area but are a sure sign you have found a quality provider as they require a great deal of work and dedication. The highest-level certifications in these fields known as a Diplomate (Some chiropractors falsely advertise being a Diplomate of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which is required to be licensed at all in any state.) For example, my specialties in chiropractic neurology and sports medicine require that I do ultimately double the yearly continuing education that a basic chiropractor does.
Finally, you should ensure that your chiropractor holds a license to practice in your state. License Verification can be performed on the Ohio State Chiropractic Board’s website (or local state) and any past sanctions for violations of state law will be visible. I believe it is also important that chiropractor holds membership in the American Chiropractic Association and the Ohio State Chiropractic Association or local state association.
New research studies show that maintaining the musculoskeletal system in top shape is vital to good health. Our studies indicate that joint pains that are caused by a decreased degree of joint motion are responsible for many common non-surgical musculoskeletal issues. Chiropractors solve these issues with the help of exercise, spinal manipulation, and other forms of treatment.
Expert chiropractic doctors will help you take care of your body’s musculoskeletal system with efficient lifting techniques, posture training, and exercise. They will help you improve your diet and prescribe a healthy mix of foods you can consume to improve health. Your chiropractor will ensure that future episodes of acute disability and pain are mitigated to the minimum instead of simply stating that periodic spinal adjustments are all that you need to solve your condition. A chiropractor will also conduct regular evaluations of your condition and provide information about your progress during each visit.
There are many diagnostic procedures that can be used for evaluating your health condition. This includes a comprehensive physical examination and a health questionnaire. Chiropractors may make use of X-rays to know the state of your body’s musculoskeletal system. It can also help them determine whether you suffer from any conditions that require the expertise of another healthcare provider. Good chiropractors only order X-ray tests for patients who are in need of it. You can ask your chiropractor regarding the need to undergo X-ray tests and clarify your doubts regarding other treatment or diagnostic procedures. No patient needs to have repeated/regular X-rays to check for spinal alignment.
Musculoskeletal issues may happen due to a wide variety of reasons and may occur anywhere in your body. Good chiropractors will conduct a detailed evaluation of your health and come up with a diagnosis to treat your condition.
A good chiropractic physician will do their best to treat your condition quickly, so that you can return to your normal life at the earliest. Chiropractic adjustments are a great non-invasive treatment procedure which can yield wonderful results when used by a skilled chiropractor. Many studies have concluded that it can mitigate pain issues significantly and help people function better, increasing their quality of life.
Good chiropractors use well-documented, effective procedures to treat your neuromusculoskeletal system. However, stay away from people who make too-good-to-be-true claims. Pick someone you are comfortable with, a chiropractor who pays attention to your health issues, and makes use of sound modern healthcare principles to treat your condition.
A reputable chiropractor can help you avoid musculoskeletal problems by providing you with information about how you can maintain a healthy posture, engage in exercise regularly, and practice other beneficial habits. Remember that no one has a crystal ball on how you might respond to treatment. I would be wary if you are told on Day 1 that your care plan will last 6 months or a year, especially if they give a discount for paying thousands of dollars up front.
There are many factors in choosing a chiropractor, but you need to weigh what is important to you. You need to spend a little time doing research in order to help you run your best. Some have the training to put you back together without telling you that you just need to stop running and some do not.
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