What to expect?
On your first visit to our office, if you haven’t already, you will be asked to fill out the initial paperwork, which gives us some information about yourself and your specific condition, as well as obtain any additional information needed. Documents to bring with you include imaging reports, laboratory results, lists of medications, and lists of surgeries and dates.
After your paperwork is complete, you will meet with the doctor. The first thing the doctor will do is sit down and talk with you about your condition and get a complete history in order to fully understand your condition. If your car breaks down you explain to a car mechanic what problems you are having with your car. The mechanic also asks you what type of fuel and oil you’re putting in your car. Likewise, the doctor wants to know what kind of problems or discomfort you have been experiencing and how you are fueling you body. Automobile accidents, falls, other traumas or injuries are important information in evaluating your spine and overall health. Once the doctor has a good understanding of your condition she can determine if it will respond to chiropractic care and if so discern the best way to treat it.
Payment Options
All payments are due at the time services are rendered. Acceptable forms of payment include Cash, Check, FSA, HSA, and Debit/Credit Card. ChiroHealth USA Network available.
Patient Forms
To save time during your first appointment, you can print and complete the New Patient Intake Form and any other appropriate forms beforehand. Please sign and date them with the date of your first appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions do chiropractics treat?
The conditions which doctors of chiropractic address are as varied and as vast as the nervous system itself. Much of what chiropractors treat are disorders of the spine and extremities. Most chiropractic patients understand that chiropractors can relieve pain, and regular chiropractic care will prevent pain, further injuries, and may stop or reverse many conditions. Millions of people suffer from back, neck, extremity (arms, legs) and other musculoskeletal pain, which are all effectively relieved by chiropractic care, without the need for medication.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Chiropractors are trained to identify and make referrals for conditions that should be treated by medical specialists, if need be. Common extremity complaints may include:
Back Pain & Stiffness
Carpal or Tarsal Tunnel
Headaches, Migrains
Joint Pain/Disfunction
Knee and Ankle Pain
Leg & Arm Pain/Stiffness
Muscle Spasms
Neck Pain & Stiffness
Pinched Nerves
Sports Injuries
Tennis Elbow
Conditions & Diseases
In addition to back and neck pain, chiropractic is also very effective for treating medical conditions for people of all ages including babies and the elderly. Conditions such as allergies or chronic ear infections in children, are successfully treated by chiropractic.
Many conditions are caused by subluxations (misalignments of spinal bones), which irritate or aggravate the nerves resulting in diseases or conditions. Chiropractic care can provide partial or full relief to many of these conditions:
Asthma
Arthritis
Bursitis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Colic
Ear Infection
Fertility Issues
Gastrointestinal Syndromes
Loss of Equilibrium
Menstrual Disorders
Multiple Sclerosis
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Tendinitis
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Respiratory Infection
Injuries
Many common injuries can also be effectively treated by chiropractic care. The most common injuries are automobile accidents, where the symptoms can be delayed by weeks or even months after the accident. Auto insurance often covers these injuries.
Work place injuries including falls, lifting injuries, and others are also treatable by chiropractic. Many work places offer insurance to cover these types of injuries. Chiropractic works well with sport injuries, and chiropractors can often improve performance. Some common injuries treated by chiropractors include:
Auto Accident
Chonic Injuries
Falling Injuries
Lifting Injuries
Sport Injuries
Whiplash
Work-related Injuries
How does chiropractic work?
Chiropractic works because you are a self-healing, self-regulating organism controlled by your nervous system. Millions of instructions flow from your brain, down the spinal cord and out to every organ and tissue. Interference to this incredible communication superhighway can lead to ill-health. Chiropractic is effective because of it’s focus on re-establishing this connection, thus improving the body’s ability to heal itself. This interference is called a vertebral SUBLUXATION.
What is a subluxation?
The spine consists of 24 moving bones. These bones must be in proper alignment for the spine and nervous system to be functioning at full capacity. Improper motion or position of the moving bones in the spine is called a SUBLUXATION. A subluxation can compromise this vital exchange of communication by irritating or causing compression on nerves and therefore negatively affecting the function of organs and tissues that particular nerve is responsible for. Specific chiropractic adjustments can help reduce this interference. Once this interference is removed, health often returns shortly thereafter.
How do you get a subluxation?
Many patients ask the doctor how they may have gotten their subluxation. To be honest, it is very difficult to pinpoint because there are so many opportunities throughout life to damage your spine, and often times without even knowing it. There are three basic causes of subluxation: The first is TRAUMA. Trauma can be any sort of fall, accident, sports injury, car accident, et.c. The second is EMOTIONAL. Our emotions can have a direct impact upon our posture, our degree of muscle tension and overall health. The third is CHEMICAL. A history of drugs, alcohol, pollution, poor diet, etc. can again have a direct impact on our body’s ability to function properly and develop the way it was designed to.
How do I know if I have a subluxation?
One of the most common initial symptoms and signs that someone may suffer from heart disease is death. The same goes with having a subluxation. Many times the subluxation lies just beneath the surface of being detected for many years, maybe being masked by a use of aspirin/muscle relaxers, massage, etc. The truth is, most subluxations have likely already been present for years and it took for example, the action of simply picking up a pencil to finally “sink the ship,” so to say. Routine check-ups with your chiropractor, similar to how we schedule regular appointments with a dentist can help prevent the development of subluxations and can maintain the body’s ability to function at its utmost potential.
Can subluxations disappear on their own?
Symptoms of the subluxation often will disappear over time. For example, an acute low back attack may resolve after 2-3 weeks of pain and discomfort. It is possible that the subluxation miraculously disappeared, but the more probable explanation is the body adapted to that state and ceased producing symptoms. The symptoms of the subluxation most likely will re-occur if the structural problem in the spine was never addressed properly, and will commonly be worse than the initial attack due to the cumulative neglect and damage that occurred previously.
Do I have a pinched nerve?
The hallmark sign of a severely “pinched nerve” is any assortment of these symptoms: pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and aching. Often times the pain seems to travel along a path. For example “sciatica” basically means pain traveling down the path of the sciatic nerve which is at the back of the thigh and into the calf. A subluxation in the spine is what causes these symptoms, although many times nerve pressure can occur without any of these signs and symptoms at all. This is similar to a car with its front end out of alignment, or its tires not rotated properly. Often times we don’t realize or understand the problem until months later when we notice our tires are wearing out. By then it’s commonly too late and a new set of tires are needed. It’s a little tougher to replace our spine. Problems like this in our car and in our spine are easily avoidable. Research has shown that compression to a nerve that equals approximately the weight of a dime will cause a decrease in that nerve’s ability to function by 50%.
Is Chiropractic safe?
Numerous studies validate the safety of chiropractic adjustments. One of the most thorough of these studies concluded, “Chiropractic care is greatly superior to medical treatment in terms of scientific validity, safety, cost effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.” (The Ontario Ministry of Health, 1993). If chiropractic were truly dangerous, wouldn’t it be expected that malpractice insurance companies, that are in business to make a profit, would be charging chiropractors large insurance premiums. Instead, the average chiropractor, with maximum liability coverage pays approximately $1,500 per year (less than most yearly auto insurance policies), while most medical doctors pay an average of $100,000-$200,000 per year.
Will adjustments make my spine loose?
No. Adjustments are administered only to areas of your spine that are subluxated (or bones out of position). This enables the soft tissues surrounding the spine to stabilize and heal.
How many adjustments will I need?
The number of adjustments is different for each patient. Many patients experience quick relief within their first few adjustments. Others take a bit longer. Each spine is different in its ability to stabilize and heal. Chronic cases can often take much longer, due to years of cumulative trauma and neglect.
How long until I feel better?
Some patients experience instant relief. Others take a few weeks, and some more, especially those with chronic cases. Are you keeping your appointments? Are you exercising? How’s your diet? Are you getting enough sleep? All these are contributing factors in the speed of your recovery.
How long will I need chiropractic care?
After patients get the relief and results they desire, many choose to continue with some type of periodic care. These patients show up for their appointments feeling great and simply want to have their spine checked regularly to improve their health, prevent degeneration within their spine, and also to maintain the correction their spine has achieved. Periodic checkups also help prevent or catch new problems before they become serious. Our job is to offer the very best care, and your job is to decide how much of it you want.
Can I adjust myself?
We commonly hear from patients, “I crack my lower back all the time.” It is not difficult to make a joint “pop” or make noise, but this is not an adjustment! Worse yet, damage can occur to a weakened joint by mobilizing it improperly. Adjustments are specific and take years to master.
What makes the sound during the adjustment?
There is fluid within the joints that helps lubricate and separate the bones. This fluid contains gas, and when the gas is given room to expand (as when the joint is moved during the adjustment), the formation of bubbles within the fluid occurs. This results in the “popping” noise. It is similar to opening a soda can or a bottle of champagne.
Will I receive medication for my pain?
No. Chiropractic doctors do not dispense drugs. Because we rely on natural methods, we can show you other ways to control your pain without the possible side effects of prescription drugs.
Why do newborns get adjusted?
The birthing process can be extremely traumatic on an infant’s new spine. Many studies suggest that colic, unusual crying, poor appetite, ear infections or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Pediatric adjustments are extremely gentle and often require no more force than the pressure one would use to check the ripeness of a tomato.
What if my policy doesn't cover chiropractic care?
Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know. It is your most valuable possession. It’s much more valuable than your car, your clothes, your golf clubs, etc. It is convenient when an insurance company will help pay the bill. But be careful! Don’t allow the profit motive of a huge corporation dictate what kind of care and how much care you may need. Find out how we make chiropractic affordable for just about anyone.
What if chiropractic doesn't work for me?
If we are unable to achieve the results you desire, we will gladly refer you to another specialist who may be able to help. Your health is our primary goal!