What You Need to Know

  • Does insurance pay for chiropractic treatment?
  • Is it true that once you have chiropractic treatment, you must keep going back?
  • Will chiropractic adjustments cause arthritis?
  • Do chiropractic adjustments hurt?
  • Is chiropractic treatment safe?
  • What does the “DC” after your name mean?
  • I hear that chiropractors “crack” your back. Is this common?
  • What is Chiropractic?
  • What is the Vertebral Subluxation?

Does insurance pay for chiropractic treatment?
Yes, many health insurance companies reimburse for a portion of chiropractic treatment. We will call to confirm your benefits and highly recommend that you do the same. We accept BCBS, Aetna, PHCS, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha, United Health Care, Coventry, and many more. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident or work related injury, personal injury and worker’s compensation insurance will pay for the care that you require. An attorney is recommended but not necessary for your personal injury case. We will work with your attorney to ensure proper payment and management of your injury. Each insurance company has rules that must be followed in order to ensure payment. If you were involved in a car accident, please bring with you a copy of the accident report and your insurance policy declarations page.
Patients involved in a work related injury must supply the claim number and insurance company information in order to initiate an initial evaluation.


Is it true that once you have chiropractic treatment, you must keep going back?
No. Actually, many people elect to continue their chiropractic treatment after feeling well. Why? Because periodic elective “maintenance care” makes them feel better. Chiropractic treatment is an integral component to many healthy people’s “health maintenance” plan; similar to diet, exercise and proper sleep. Also, there is an increase in endorphins after a chiropractic adjustment that gives a sense of stress reduction and well being. This effect is a factor that influences patients to continue maintenance type adjustments and enjoy their chiropractic experience.


I was told that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. Will chiropractic adjustments cause arthritis?
Contrary to what your mother may have told you, knuckle cracking actually does not cause joint arthritis. However, knuckle crackers tend to experience more joint stiffness later in life.

Regardless, spinal adjustments / manipulations are quite different than cracking one’s knuckles. When a spinal adjustment is performed, the joint is slightly gapped momentarily; opening the joint surfaces. Knuckle crackers actually grind the joint surfaces together, potentially irritating the joint. There is no current evidence to suggest that chiropractic manipulative therapy is detrimental to your spinal joints. Although, there is evidence that hypomobile/subluxated joints are those which primarily go through degenerative changes such as osteo-arthritis. Adjustments target these Subluxated joints and prevent arthritis from forming by increasing their range of motion (ROM). Increased ROM is the mechanism by which manipulation ensures optimal nutrient and biochemical exchange within the joint. This exchange prevents degenerative changes of the involved joint. Chiropractic has become a viable treatment option for those who suffer from a variety of arthritic conditions.


Do chiropractic adjustments hurt?
Chiropractic adjustment rarely causes discomfort. However, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

Is chiropractic treatment safe?
Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects.

The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.

Neck pain and some types of headaches are treated through precise cervical manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment, works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion and reducing muscle spasm, which helps relieve pressure and tension.

Neck manipulation is a remarkably safe procedure. While some reports have associated upper high-velocity neck manipulation with a certain kind of stroke, or vertebral artery dissection, there is not yet a clear understanding of the connection. The occurrence appears to be very rare—1 in 5.85 million manipulations— based on the clinical reports and scientific studies to date. If you are visiting your doctor of chiropractic with upper-neck pain or headache, be very specific about your symptoms. This will help your doctor of chiropractic offer the safest and most effective treatment, even if it involves referral to another health care provider.

It is important for patients to understand the risks associated with some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain — prescription and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) — as these treatments may carry risks significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation. According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.

Resource: American Chiropractic Association 

What does the “DC” after your name mean?
The title “DC” stands for “Doctor of Chiropractic”. “Doctor” literally means “teacher”. Therefore, in keeping true to our title, we educate our patients about their condition, how to improve their health and how to stay as healthy as possible. Similarly, your MD [Medical Doctor] should do the same. Doctors of osteopathy are DO’s and Podiatrists are given the letters DPM which stands for Doctors of Podiatric Medicine.
How long does it take to receive a treatment?

Most treatment sessions require between 15-30 minutes; depending upon the depth and scope of care necessary. The initial examination typically lasts 45-60 minutes, depending on the complexity of a patient’s condition, and whether a treatment is received immediately after the initial evaluation. Do be aware that if the patient receives a massage before the adjustment that day there will be 45 minutes allotted for that visit.


I hear that chiropractors “crack” your back. Is this common?
Chiropractic adjustments most commonly elicit an audible “pop” or “crack” sound. Chiropractors refer to this as an “audible release” or “cavitation sound”. Treatment success is not contingent upon this noise. Research has proved that small pockets of air or bubbles are found in the tissue fluid surrounding a joint capsule. When the joint tissues are stretched during a chiropractic adjustment, the pockets of air ‘pop’ creating a cracking sound.


What is the Vertebral Subluxation?
The vertebral subluxation is the term applied to a vertebra which has lost its normal position and/or motion in relation to neighboring vertebrae. Vertebrae which do not function properly within the spinal framework generate mechanical stress. This accelerates the wear and tear on the surrounding spinal muscles, ligaments, discs, joint and other spinal tissues. Pain, palpatory tenderness, inflammation, decreased spinal mobility, and muscle spasm and hypertonicity will eventually follow. Additionally, because of the direct mechanical and physiological relationship between the spinal column and the spinal nerve roots, vertebral subluxations as well as other spinal abnormalities have the potential to impair proper nerve functioning. Once nerve functioning is compromised, communication within the body becomes less effective jeopardizing the overall health and wellness of the individual.

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