1) Make sure the staff has your back (no pun intended) š
What we mean isā¦The staff should be supportive and being a patient advocate for you during your care. You are also going to have lots of different questions like cost time and finances, so making sure the staff is there for you is very important. During the phone interview, ask lots of questions and see how they answer you. If they seem annoyed and quick or dismissive then itās probably best that you seek another place that cares.
2) Consider the chiropractorās experience
Experience matters when youāre facing muscle skeletal or spinal health issues. We have over 16 years of clinical experience helping patients and delivering five star service. And what we can tell you is like any doctor coming right out of school, there is a lack of clinical experience and āknow howā when handling individual patient care conditions. So having those years of experience really does allow for the best care possible.
3) Read patient reviews
Reading what other people have to say about the chiropractor and chiropractic office can provide insight into how the chiropractor provides care and how his or her clinic operates. Patient reviews typically reflect people’s experiences about the chiropractor, wait times, office environment and staff. You can learn a lot about the practice just by reading reviews. We at Pure Health are one of the most reviewed chiropractic offices in the surrounding area. Feel free toĀ read about our practice.Ā
4) Make sure the chiropractor does a thorough exam and x-rays before giving you the best course of treatment
When a patient has come into our office who has been to a traditional medical doctor or chiropractor previously they usually comment on how their last experience did not include a spinal or joint x-rays or a thorough examination. The examination should include a medical history to rule out any pathology or red flags that indicate a specialty referral. For example, if the patient has Osteoporosis of the spine, this patient should only receive certain low-force adjustments that donāt put the patientās bone under weighted stress to avoid fractures. The symptoms that brought the patient into the clinic should provoke questions such as: 1. When did the problem start (Onset); 2. What is making it worse (provocative); 3. What makes it better (palliative); 4. Describe the type of pain (sharpshooting, dull, achy, stiff, burning, etc.); 5. Severity of Pain (a numerical number out of 10 is usually used, is the pain or discomfort radiating or referring to another area); and 6. Timing. The doctor should find out what time of day the problem occurs. For example, pain that is worse at night or pain that wakes you up is possibly a red flag for a serious medical condition. Some chiropractors donāt utilize x-ray of anatomy to treat. A picture is worth 1000 words. We most commonly use x-rays to not just visualize, but to actually see the loss of motion in a segment, and to visually see the direction of misalignment that may be causing the discomfort. X-Rays take away the āguessing gameā. It is also common that we take specialized x-ray views that show either excessive, restricted, or āstuckā motion. To give the best adjustments and restore motion, we must learn the condition of your joints. If the patient has healthy looking joints on an x-ray the patient will generally respond quicker and better. If the patients x-rays show significant arthritic joints, some treatment techniques would not be indicated. When all of the above expectations are met, rest assured you are in good hands. Chiropractic care is one of the safest medical disciplines in the world.
5) Do a free consultation
Thereās nothing wrong with talking to the staff or doctor and asking them questions about your condition and their approach before you commit to anything. Even a 5 to 10 minute phone consultation can help get a feel for the office to be comfortable and confident in choosing the right healthcare provider. If an office does not offer free consultations, that should be a red flag. At our office, we invite and encourage patience to schedule a free consultation. We believe interviewing your healthcare provider is important in your success. Health is a two-way street. Both patient and provider should feel comfortable and confident working together.
6) Make sure the chiropractic office offers different techniques and modalities for treatments
After years of experience we have learned many different techniques to utilize for different conditions and the patients specificity. For example, in our office we treat patients from geriatric to newborn, so it is important and imperative that we have different techniques to help restore proper nerve and musculoskeletal function. The most common chiropractic techniques are called Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, Impulse Thompson drop, Atlas orthogonal and NUCCA. Most commonly used at our facility are Diversified Impulse and Thompson Drop. When we utilize these techniques, it helps best for the vast majority of people of all ages and conditions. We also incorporate progressive rehab (physical therapy) with most of our treatment plans. These therapies include therapeutic ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, cervical traction, flexion distraction, spinal decompression, cryotherapy, moist heat, therapeutic exercises, therapeutic healing injections and massage therapy.