In this Article:
Chiropractic
Finding the Right Chiropractor
The key to finding the right chiropractor is getting the right name from someone you trust. Consider asking your regular physician for a referral; this will easily keep him or her in the treatment loop. Otherwise, you can ask friends or family to suggest a local practitioner, or you can check with your insurance carrier. If managed care, you will want to contact them anyway to find out whether they will cover a visit, and if so, you can request their list of affiliated chiropractors.
Additionally, professional organizations such as the American Chiropractic Association can offer a list of members in your region. Call them at 703-276-8800 or visit www.amerchiro.org.
Once you have a name or two, contact the Chiropractic Board of Examiners in your state to verify the chiropractor’s education, credentials and license, and see if he or she has any record of disciplinary actions taken against them—a step that should be taken when considering visiting any medical practitioner.
Tips Prior to Your First Visit
Chiropractic care is not a one-way street—your chiropractor should explain to you his diagnoses, any procedures, and what you as a patient should expect from the treatment, thereby regarding you as a partner in your treatment, therapies, and general well-being.
Some final tips:
• When calling to schedule your first appointment, inquire into whether they offer a free initial consultation or perhaps a discount for one’s initial visit.
• Keep in mind that your chiropractor needs accurate information from you concerning health and medical history, including any medications you might be taking, in order to make the right diagnosis. You risk your own health by withholding this kind of information.
• Bring a list of questions with you, ones you might otherwise forget when in the exam room. You might include questions such as whether the chiropractor will work in a complimentary fashion with your regular doctor should this be necessary.
• Another question might inquire into how many treatments the chiropractor thinks will be necessary before you begin to feel better. While no health practitioner can make perfect predictions, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
• To that end, if back or neck pain does not improve after a few weeks’ treatment, you should consider getting another opinion on your condition, either from another chiropractor or from a medical doctor.
• Chiropractic care in the form of spinal adjustments is not recommended for patients who have suffered a severe spinal injury that features symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the limbs. It is also not recommended for patients with health problems relating to weak bones, such as osteoporosis. Issues like these are why you need to be open and honest when seeing a chiropractor for the first time.
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