Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
What's
Wrong?
You
have both the right, and need, to know what is causing your problem.
Before any treatment is provided we will first obtain a thorough
history, then perform a complete orthopedic/neurological examination,
followed by x-rays if necessary (we do not x-ray every patient), to
properly diagnose your condition. Only after we are satisfied that
you are a chiropractic candidate will you be accepted for treatment.
Can
We Help?
Our
office policy/mission statement is a simple one: If we can help you
we will tell you. If we cannot help you, we
will
tell
you that as well and make the appropriate referral.
After we form the diagnosis and agree to accept you as a new
patient, we will fully explain your condition in a "Report of
Findings" (ROF). The ROF is typically done on the second visit,
which gives us time to thoroughly analyze your examination and
x-rays. Once we are satisfied we can effectively and safely treat
you, your condition is explained in a way you understand, and you
agree to treatment; you will be given your first chiropractic
adjustment, a safe gentle manipulation of the spine. If you present
with a non-spinal related condition, other treatment provided at this
office will be discussed (ex. nutrition, fibromyalgia treatment,
extremity treatment, etc.). If it is not a condition we normally
treat or if a second opinion or further testing is necessary, we will
make a referral to the appropriate health care specialist.
How
Long Will It Take?
This
is a very good question. Your schedule of care will be determined
based on what you need to recover from your condition, so it will
vary from person to person. Many factors affect the treatment
schedule. The most common are; compliance with treatment schedule
and recommended exercise, severity, how long the condition has been
present, job duties, lifestyle, age and pre-existing arthritic
conditions, delayed treatment, previous episodes/injury, disc
involvement, etc. Simple cases may take days to treat. Complicated
cases may take weeks, even months. You will be given only the
treatment you need, nothing more, and nothing less.
How
Much Will It Cost?
We
understand that the cost of health care is on the rise. It is our
goal to make Chiropractic care affordable to everyone. If you have
been injured at work or as result of a motor vehicle accident those
costs are usually covered 100% by an insurance carrier. We are on
the panels of most large insurance carriers. If you do not have
insurance, we offer other options for payment as well. Our mission
is to take the mystery out of insurance/work comp/personal injury,
and make it as easy as possible on you financially to be able to
afford care. Our staff is on your side!
What
is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a clinical science based on the following:
Law
of
Biology/Homeostasis:
The body is always attempting to return to "normal". The
body has the power to heal itself if given the chance. The power
that made the body can heal the body. If you get cut, you heal. If
you break a bone, you heal.
Theory
of the Nervous System:
There is a system in your body comprised of the brain and spinal cord
(central nervous system), special sensory organs (eyes, etc) and
spinal nerves (peripheral nervous system) that functions to control
and coordinate all the other organs, tissues, and cells in the body
and related to the internal and external environments.
Premise
of the Relationship between the musculoskeletal and nervous systems:
The musculoskeletal system, comprised of 24 movable vertebrae and
six layers of muscle, functions to protect the delicate spinal cord
and spinal nerves. "Dysfunction" of the spine can result
in irritation of the nervous system.
Hypothesis
of the Relationship between nervous system and health:
The nerves, joints, and discs, are all so close together, that
dysfunction of the spine, can cause irritation to the nerves, which
cause ill health in the body. Remember, the nerves control and
coordinate all organs, tissues, and cells of the body. If the nerves
don't work right, you don't work right!
"Chiropractic"
comes from the Greek word chiropraktikos,
meaning "effective treatment by hand."
Does
the chiropractic adjustment hurt?
Under
normal circumstances, adjustments don't hurt. Any discomfort felt
during the adjustment lasts only seconds. Chiropractic adjustments
are safe, gentle, and effective movements of the spine used to stop
the pain-spasm cycle.
Why
does it take more than one adjustment if the bone is simply "out
of place"?
Because
bones do not move out of place. That is a very, very old theory.
When you feel "out", you are in reality simply "tight".
Joints tighten for one of three reasons: (1) major trauma, like a car
accident, (2) minor trauma, like bad posture daily at your computer
screen, and (3) stress…although stress won't cause your problem, it
will definitely make an existing problem worse. When joints of the
spine tighten, they produce pain due to neurological interference. A
well-placed adjustment loosens those stiff painful joints, thus
blocking the pain signal traveling to your head, thus breaking the
pain-spasm cycle. Bottom line: In general, loose joints are healthy
joints, and like getting in shape, it is a "process" to
restore normal spinal mobility
What
conditions benefit from chiropractic care?
80%
of the patients who consult our office present with low back pain,
herniated or bulging discs, neck pain, or headaches. However, we
commonly treat other conditions such as arm and leg pain, thoracic
pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle pain,
fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, work injuries, and automobile
injuries (whiplash).
If you suffer any of the following
"medical" symptoms, realize they are quite often associated
with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction that may be helped through
chiropractic care:
Neck
problems
can cause…..Blurred vision, double vision, dizziness, ringing in
the ears, difficulty sleeping, depression, irritability, migraine
headache, chest pain.
Low
back problems
can
cause…..constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, menstrual pain,
impotence, stomach upset or reflux, irritable bowel, cramps,
swelling.
Dysfunction
in a child's spine
can cause……ear infection, colic, rashes, bedwetting, asthma,
allergies
Some
of these symptoms we can help, and some we cannot help-thus the need
for a thorough examination, proper testing procedures, and a proper
referral to another physician when it becomes necessary.
Is
there any research demonstrating the effectiveness of chiropractic?
A
wealth of research exists pertaining to issues surrounding
chiropractic healthcare. The bottom line: Chiropractic has been
proven to be cost effective and treatment effective. It reduces time
loss for injured workers and is an extremely safe form of treatment.
Patient satisfaction studies are extremely favorable to chiropractic.
Our office houses a large database of research. Simply inform the
front desk or the doctor what you are interested in and we will be
happy to pull specific literature for your review. Or easier yet,
you can just click on the Research
Tab
on the Home
Page
of
our website.
Do
chiropractic physicians believe in other forms of healthcare?
No
physician can cure everything. We believe in a team
approach
to healthcare. As such we maintain an extensive referral list of
other physicians, including: orthopedic and neurosurgeons,
neurologists, pain management specialists, physical therapists,
dentist, OB/GYNs, family practice physicians, personal trainers,
dieticians, podiatrists, psychologists, Christian counselors, and
many others. If we cannot help you, we will make every effort to
find someone who can!
My
friend, spouse, physician, etc....does not "believe" in
chiropractic. What can I tell them?
The
best response to anyone expressing an archaic view of the
chiropractic profession is to ask questions. Remember, chiropractic
is NOT a religion, or a belief, therefore there is nothing to
"believe" in. Chiropractic is based on sound scientific
principles. Consider the following:
Forget about the word
"chiropractic" and let's talk about what a chiropractic
physician actually does when you visit the office:
Do you
believe in performing a Consultation?
Do
you believe in performing an Examination?
Do you believe in X-rays,
MRIs, CT Scans, EMGs,
etc.?
Do you believe in an accurate Diagnosis?
Do you believe in Conservative
Treatment
such as ice, heat, ultrasound, electric stim, rehabilitation?
Do
you believe in Exercise?
Do you believe in proper Nutrition?
Well then, if you believe in all that, what is there not to
believe about Chiropractic? I just described the practice of
chiropractic!
The only item not mentioned above is "spinal
manipulation".
And there is more research on spinal manipulation than any other
treatment available for back pain. (Click on the Research
Tab
of our Home
Page to
learn more).
"I
heard that once you begin care, you have to keep going for the rest
of your life."
If
that were true every chiropractor would be so busy they could never
accept any new patients. The majority of patients come in, get
treated, get well, and it's over. Once you improve it remains your
sole decision to either re-visit the office for future acute episodes
of pain, or place yourself on a maintenance program with four
proactive goals in mind: (1) minimize your pain, (2) maximize spinal
function, (3) decrease reliance on drugs/medication, (4) and keep you
employed….a favorite goal of most employers!
"What
is the benefit of "maintenance" care?"
Maintenance
care is no different than periodic visits to your dentist. Once you
start eating right, do you always have to eat right? Once you start
exercising, do you always have to exercise? Answer: It totally
depends upon your personal goals. The care of your spine and nervous
system is no different. We will help you meet whatever goals you set
for yourself and help you understand the merits of your choice.
Remember, your doctor works for you. It is not the other way around.
"How
safe is Chiropractic care?"
Unequivocally,
Chiropractic care is one of the safest forms of health care available
for the treatment of spinal conditions. Compared to the risks of
taking medication and the complications of surgery, risks associated
with Chiropractic care are minimal. Are you aware that approximately
16,500 people in this country die every year from the side effects of
aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)?
Add another 20,000 deaths due to Tylenol. Tylenol mixed with alcohol
can produce a deadly cocktail. Chiropractic is safer and more
effective than most all forms of healthcare!
"I
heard that an adjustment to the neck can cause a stroke or
paralysis?"
Again,
Chiropractic care is one of the safest forms of health care available
for the treatment of spinal conditions, including the neck. According
to the most recent studies, you have less than a 1 per 5 million (one
study even says 1 per 8 million) chance of experiencing a stroke due
to an adjustment to the neck. Paralysis is even rarer. Serious
risks of spinal adjustments are so rare that researchers have a
difficult time even predicting the odds. An aspirin is more
dangerous. Despite the low risk, we perform tests to even further
minimize the risks to you before we ever perform that first
adjustment. Click here for a definitive research review on the relationship between neck adjustments performed by a licensed D.C. and stroke (published in Spine Journal in 2008).
"Do
chiropractic physicians believe in drugs?"
Of
course we do. We simply do not believe in drug abuse and misuse. We
believe in Chiropractic first, drugs second, surgery last. When it
comes to spinal care, with the exception of a rare neurological
emergency and especially with regards to back pain, Chiropractic
should be your first choice, not your last choice. In complicated or
difficult cases we often recommend that the patient return to their
medical physician for any medication they deem appropriate to assist
in the recovery. We maintain an extensive referral list of medical
physicians who work cooperatively with our office. In fact, our
office receives a large number of referrals from medical doctors from
all around Fairfield County.
"How
educated is your Doctor of Chiropractic?"
You may be surprised to know that like medicine it generally
takes 8 – 9 years of college after high school to receive a degree
in chiropractic (4 years undergraduate and 4 -5 years graduate). A
chiropractic degree from an accredited chiropractic college, followed
by passage of the state boards (until 1975 MDs and DCs in Ohio sat in
the same room and took the same test to become licensed), ensures the
public that the chiropractor is well rounded in knowledge and scope.
Since chiropractic physicians neither prescribe drugs nor perform
surgery, chiropractic colleges place heavy emphasis on
neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Therefore while we are
responsible to be able to diagnosis and/or recognize general medical
conditions, our background provides a clear advantage in the
diagnosis and treatment of neuromusculoskeletal problems compared to
most medical physicians. If you suffer heart or kidney disease, your
medical physician is the appropriate choice. It is to your benefit
to explore both natural and allopathic (drugs and surgery) approaches
and choose your best option, or team. Bottom line: No physician can
adequately treat everything. Medical doctors, chiropractic
physicians, and other health professionals all have a place in the
healthcare delivery system.
FAQ
page courtesy of Dr. Ron Farabaugh,
Past
President of the Ohio State Chiropractic Association
