Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is one of the safest branches within the health care system, by effectively utilizing natural, drugless methods of treatment. It is based on the scientific premise that good health depends, in part, upon movement and proper integration of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, and the supporting soft tissue. When these systems and tissues are functioning properly, you are able to complete your day-to-day activities, manage and control your pain, and recover from injuries along the way. Studies show that more than 80% of people will experience low back in their life. Although we wish we could prevent or avoid those episodes completely, we understand that's not the reality. Which is why we focus our efforts on doing what we can to prevent episodes, providing proper treatment during them, and teaching you how to best self manage your recovery.
Doctors of Chiropractic believe the human body possesses a natural and built-in ability to heal itself. By using non-drug and non-surgical treatment methods, your body function can be restored or rehabilitated – and further disability can be prevented.
Doctors of Chiropractic are primary contact providers who:
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Evaluate, treat & prevent neuromuscular system disorders
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Manually adjust the spine & other joints
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Treat soft tissue structures with manual therapies
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Provide health & wellness assessments
What Is Sport Chiropractor?
While most people only associate the term chiropractor with neck or back pain, sports chiropractors have extensive additional training in sports physiology, strength conditioning, rehab exercise, and proper training techniques. A good sports chiropractor will have extensive training and understanding of the function of shoulders, hips, and knees, which are often sites of sports injuries.
They study how the body moves and the importance of proper symmetry and strength in various functions and movements of a particular sport. This understanding allows a sports chiropractor to recognize the signs of weakness in a particular area that is already injured or may be susceptible to injury. It is the understanding of the complex interdependence of various structure with each other that helps the sports chiropractor to make a proper diagnosis and determine the quickest and safest path to full recovery.
Many professional athletic teams understand the advantage of using a sports chiropractor. In the MLB for example, 28 of the 30 teams have a sports chiropractor on staff that regularly treats their team at home games and spring training.
Elite athletes worldwide are starting to insist that a sports chiropractor be available at their competitive venues.
What Do Chiropractors Do?
Doctors of Chiropractic use time honored methods of consultation, case history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and x-ray examination to treat patients. This examination of your spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes Chiropractic different from other health care providers.
Accidents, falls, stress, tension, over-exertion or any other factor which may cause an inability of the spine to move properly, can result in joint restrictions. These restrictions can cause poor movement patterns in your body. By restoring proper joint biomechanics through the use of adjustments, manual therapy, and exercise your movement will improve, allowing better functionality. This will, in turn, increase your general mobility, circulation, and decrease arthritis and degeneration.
What Do Chiropractors Treat?
The first thing that comes to most people’s mind is back pain. It is true that for backaches, sciatica, whiplash and disc problems one should try conservative care, like chiropractic, first. The art of adjusting the spine has been proven beneficial for these problems since the time of Hippocrates.
Although "pain" is the most common symptom patients present to the clinic with, what is actually being treated is the function of the joint or tissue that is causing that pain. This can be in the joints or regions of the spine, as well as the extremities like shoulders, knees, and feet. Because chiropractors base their care around the function of the body, they are able to treat a wide variety of symptoms that arise from losing this function.
How Does The Chiropractor Locate The Problem?
Every new patient fills out a patient history form which helps to identify the problem with which you are chiefly concerned. Then a consultation, physical exam, and careful examination and analysis will be performed to detect any structural abnormalities which may affect your condition. This typically includes a posture analysis, range of motion analysis, palpation of the spine, and possible orthopedic and neurologic examinations. Sometimes x-ray imaging may be deemed necessary to rule out more serious conditions, but this is rare.
How Well Educated Is My Chiropractor?
Today, at least six years of highly specialized college training is required to graduate and earn licensure. Chiropractors must meet stringent educational requirements, including approximately 600 hours of externship, a basic science examination – the same examination that is given to medical students, as well as an additional four rounds of rigid chiropractic board examinations. In fact, class hours spent earning their doctorate doesn’t differ much from that of a medical student. Check out this chart showing the courses studied by chiropractic students in comparison to medical students.
How Long Will My Care Take?
Everyone is different and everyone has a different goal for their health. How long it takes to actually "get well" depends on many important factors, such as, lifestyle, age, duration of the condition, living habits, metabolic condition, occupation, genetics, attitude, and of course, your cooperation. After a proper consultation and physical exam, your doctor will develop a care plan specifically designed for you. The doctor’s recommendations will give you an estimate of the time it will take to correct the problem, feel the difference, and then how to maintain your amazing results.
Am I Too Young Or Too Old For Chiropractic?
Everyone can benefit from chiropractic care no matter how young or how old! If you have a spine, it needs to continue to move to stay healthy.
During the busy, active days of childhood, it's common to see all sorts of trips, falls, and accidents. That's a normal part of being a kid! And because kids are active and growing a ton, they tend to bounce back from those injuries much faster than their adult counterparts. However, there are times where they still need help and guidance as they recover, which is when most kids come to the clinic.
As a person ages, most will lose general range of motion and strength. One of the best ways to stay independent in our later years is to keep our strength and ability to move safely as long as possible. Most of our older patients come to the clinic to help keep them active, manage pain, or recover from a fall.
Chiropractic places considerable emphasis on movement, function, and activity. When those healthy needs are being met, the body tends to stay healthy while managing or improving symptoms.
How Does A Chiropractor "Adjust" My Spine?
An adjustment is the precise manipulation of vertebrae which have abnormal movement patterns, and interfere with normal nerve supply. Chiropractors spend countless hours learning the art of examining the spine by movement and touch, and special spinal examining procedures in order to administer a specific spinal adjustment.
The adjustment is usually given by hand. It consists of placing the patient on a specially designed adjusting table and applying pressure, using specialized techniques, to the areas of the spine that do not move properly within their normal range of motion. Every doctor tends to treat uniquely based on their experience, training, and the patient's needs.
Do Adjustments Hurt?
Chiropractic adjustments are generally gentle and are done in a way to minimize further discomfort. Your clinician will discuss this during your appointment. Depending on your initial condition coming in to seek care, muscle tightness may cause some mild soreness from tissues being stretched during an adjustment. Most patients describe an adjustment as a "relieving release" or an "ahhhh" sensation.
Are Adjustments Safe?
Chiropractors see incredible results with their patients everyday using no chemicals, no surgeries, and no medications. They don’t take anything out, and they don’t put anything in making it one of the safest and natural forms of health care. In fact, the most treatment effects include improved mobility, improved function, and a decrease in pain.
Although studies have shown chiropractic care to be very safe, there is a risk, as with any treatment,. Most side effects include soreness, or tenderness in the treated region. In research studies, in very rare cases, fractures and strokes have been reported. The extensive exam is done in part to minimize this risk to the best of our ability. If you have concerns, please bring it up to your chiropractor during your visit.
What Is The "Pop" Sound Heard During An Adjustment?
When an adjustment is made, pressure is released from the joints. That pressure gets released in the form of tiny air bubbles which then cause a “popping” sound similar to cracking your knuckles. It’s totally safe, and simply means that your joints have moved enough to create that pressure change. It's not uncommon for adjustments to not make this "pop" noise.
COMMON QUESTION: "What if I don't like the "pop" sound?"
If this noise is something that bothers you, bring it up to your chiropractor. There are techniques we can use that are just as effective, without causing that pressure change in the joint.
Do I Have To Keep Coming Back?
Your treatment and success depends on how often you want to come. You can choose to come in when it hurts, or you can choose to come routinely which typically results in fewer overall visits. The people who see the greatest benefit are those who routinely see their chiropractor. Spinal adjustments stimulate nerve flow, and improve mobility. As mobility improves, circulation will improve. This will in turn, help prevent degeneration and arthritis in the future. Many people even find that they hardly get sick after they start chiropractic care because their nervous system is working correctly thus allowing their immune system to function at its greatest potential. Getting a few adjustments over time can have an incredible possible effect on your health, so why wouldn’t you want to keep coming back?
Do You Take My Insurance?
We handle a wide variety of insurance claims including motor vehicle accidents, worker's compensation, and commercial health insurance. We are In-Network for the below companies, but not limited to:
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Blue Cross Blue Shield
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Cigna
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HealthPartners
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Humana
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Mayo Health Solutions
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Medica
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Medicare
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PreferredOne
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UCare
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United Healthcare
How Much Does It Cost?
At Kinetic Spine & Sport we believe in the value of true health care for you and your family which is why we have a pricing structure that allows for all different sizes of families and budgets. After carefully examining your current condition, a custom plan is created for you and your situation. Many patients are surprised at how cost-effective and affordable chiropractic care is!
"Bodybuilders and fitness people have been using, very extensively, chiropractors in order to stay healthy and fit. Whenever I had a little problem with my body, I always ran to one of my dear friends [Franco Columbo,D.C.], he was always right there with the adjustments. This is how I found out the best way of going, is to use chiropractors, not only after injuries , but also before injury"
- Arnold Schwarzenegger