ask a chiropractor
Do you suffer from back pains, posture issues, or spinal problems?
Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability. What you need is a procedure known as chiropractic care.
It’s a hands-on manipulation to align your body’s musculoskeletal structure. Chiropractic care enables your body to heal on its own without medication or surgery. However, choosing a chiropractor will not be easy without the right questions.
10 Questions to Ask a Chiropractor on Your First Visit
On your first visit, you need to ask your chiropractor questions to unravel everything. Here are ten questions you need to ask a chiropractor for your first visit.
1. Do You Offer Free Consultations?
A chiropractor won’t expect a patient to choose him or her for their first visit. Most chiropractors provide a free and no-obligation consultation to establish the patient’s concerns, so take this time to ask any questions regarding the treatment plan and your condition.
Free consultations are a chance for you to visit your chiropractor and their team. You can check whether their services can aid you and your condition. If their services are not to your liking, you can leave with no strings attached.
If a chiropractor wants you to pay for a consultation, you should leave. Find a chiropractor that will not force you to have your treatment at their office.
2. Can I Take a Look at Your License?
Looking at the license is the first thing you have to ask a chiropractor. The license can tell a lot about their training, experience, and skills. A chiropractor has to have the initials “DC” after her or his name.
DC stands for Doctor of Chiropractic. The license is proof of their four years of completion in a chiropractic college course. You can also confirm if they have any disciplinary actions and malpractice claims.
3. Can You Give Me a Reference?
Don’t be afraid to ask a chiropractor if they can give you at least three to five references. Any reputable chiropractor will be glad to tell you of their satisfied customers. It’s illegal to give names of patients, but chiropractors can ask patients to sign a release.
Ask for three current patients and two for other chiropractors. Call up and ask the current patients about their experience with the quality of service and care. Other practitioners should be able to attest to the skills of your chiropractor.
4. Do I Need an X-Ray?
Some chiropractors need a study to pinpoint spinal issues for your treatment plan. The x-ray can help them determine the health of your discs and joints. They can also give you an estimate of the length of procedures and the healing process.
You don’t need to get an x-ray if you know you don’t have a severe condition. Remember always to ask why they need an x-ray from you. Make sure you ask this question during the free consultation.
5. What Payment Plans Are Available?
Before investing in a chiropractor, you need to ask about their payment plans. Check if they accept cash and insurance payments for your care. Make sure you check your insurance policy to know more about copays.
You can also see the maximum number of allowed visits from your insurance. If you plan to pay out of your pockets, ask about the initial visit costs. Consider calling other offices to compare the prices of their services.
6. What Techniques Do You Usually Practice?
Most chiropractors specialize in only one technique. This means that not every condition will respond to the technique. Check if their technique can relieve your pain and help restore your range of motion.
Chiropractic care benefits come without the use of surgery, medication, and drugs. Many chiropractors use the HVLA or High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude technique.
This is when chiropractors use their hands to pop the spine and neck into alignment. There is also a low-force technique where they manipulate the joints of people with back problems, like osteoporosis.
7. Do You Have Experience in Treating My Condition?
If your chiropractor suggests a different technique and procedure, ask if they’re experienced. You don’t want a chiropractor who does a procedure on you without the proper training. From a children’s chiropractor to an adults’ chiropractor, ensure they have the proper experience.
Ask for proof and references for the procedure to avoid accidents. Make sure you ask in detail about the technique, such as the Graston technique or cold laser therapy. Ask about the length of procedures, benefits, cost, and the immediate need for it.
8. How Many Times Should I Visit?
A single visit may not completely correct your spinal issue. Some chiropractic adjustments need consistent visits to get results. You should ask your chiropractor how many visits you need in general.
Some chiropractors may not know how many visits you need to relieve your pain. Ensure that they can tell you where you are in the procedure and how close you are to a better condition. It’s a question to make sure you are not visiting and paying more than you need to.
9. What Can I Do to Improve My Situation?
Chiropractic care can help you fix the condition you have now, but you should also know how to maintain it. Ask your chiropractor about aftercare and how you can prevent the condition from coming back. They should be able to provide you with ways to prolong your chiropractic benefits.
With the proper diagnosis, your chiropractor can tell you what you did wrong before. Reputable chiropractors should also tell you how to prevent it from happening again. They can tell you how methods can help with things like food, stretches, sleeping habits, and so on.
10. What Additional Services or Therapy Do You Offer?
Beyond aligning your joints and spine, many chiropractors offer different services and therapies. This includes hydrotherapy, TENS, supplement recommendations, exercise plans, and so on. Ask if you need any of these additional treatments to quicken your healing process.
Use These Questions to Ask a Chiropractor on Your First Visit
You need to know everything about your chiropractor to put your full trust in their treatment. Ask a chiropractor these ten questions and determine if they’re right for you.
Fix your spinal issues with chiropractic care! Do you believe that these questions are not enough? Check out our other blog posts for more guides on choosing the best chiropractor for you.
My friend was in an automobile accident. The first day she did fine. After that, she began to have some neck pain. She is seeking out a good chiropractor to help her. It is a good idea to ask any potential chiropractor what else they do besides aligning joints and the spine. It would be important to my friend to know if there were supplement recommendations, plans for exercise, or any additional treatments to help her heal.