There are many benefits chiropractic care offers patients, whether you’re seeking treatment for back pain or high blood pressure. Chiropractic doctors can relieve pain and improve overall function without drug therapy — meaning you can feel better without worrying about side effects or dangerous drug interactions. But how can you choose a chiropractor? All chiropractic doctors must go to accredited schools and take licensing exams, so any chiropractor will be qualified to treat you. That doesn’t mean, however, that all chiropractors will be an equally good fit. Here are five questions you should ask before settling on a chiropractor:
- What Injuries and Illnesses Do You Treat?
Some chiropractors tend to stick to musculoskeletal complaints like back pain. If you tend to be a skeptic, this is the area of chiropractic practice that is supported by the most evidence, so a doctor like this might be right for you. Other chiropractic doctors will treat issues such as high blood pressure and allergies. It all depends on what you’re comfortable with.
- Do You Use any Tools for Adjustments?
This, too, is mostly a matter of preference. Both manual and tool-based adjustments are effective, and neither should cause extreme discomfort. Some people experience some soreness after manual adjustments, which is why they prefer a chiropractor who uses high-tech tools to deliver more precise force.
- How Long Should My Treatment Take?
The important thing is that your chiropractor has a plan and will make adjustments if you’re not improving. Make sure you’re not just getting adjustments for months on end, being promised each time that the next appointment will be the one where you finally start feeling better.
- Do You Offer Complementary Services?
Some chiropractic clinics offer in-house massage therapy and other complementary alternative treatments. These can be very helpful in a well-rounded treatment plan.
- Which Insurance Plans Do You Accept?
Don’t forget the details! Most insurance plans cover chiropractic care to some extent, so you’ll want to make sure you find a chiropractor in your network so you don’t end up paying more than you need to out of pocket.
Do you have any tips to share on choosing a good chiropractor? Join the discussion in the comments.
