Frequently Asked Questions
 

What is Chiropractic?
The term "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, which means "effective treatment by hand".  It started over 100 years ago when the originator of Chiropractic, D.D. Palmer, moved a bone in a deaf man's neck and enabled him to hear again.
 
Chiropractic is a type of natural health care based on a philosophy that if your nervous system is functioning at its best, so will your entire body.   The BASIC understanding is that when the spine is out of alignment, it pinches the nerves, which decreases vital communication from the brain to the body.  Chiropractic adjustments move the bones into position to remove this pressure and facilitate better health naturally. 

For example, when your neck muscles tighten up from stress, car accidents, sports injuries, etc. you may not be able to fully turn your head, or you may get dizzy or have headaches.  

Another example is if the mid-back gets injured it can affect the nerves going to the stomach, the lungs, or the muscles along the spine. When this happens, you can have symptoms like acid reflux, asthma, or stiffness and pain between the shoulder blades. 

There is always a cause to the symptoms you're feeling and Chiropractic looks at the structure of your body to determine this cause and then treats with adjustments to remove the pressure on the nerves and encourage proper function. 
 

How is a Chiropractor different from an M.D. or a D.O.?
Doctors of Chiropractic (Chiropractors) practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health. Our current healthcare system focuses entirely too much on medication. You have a cough? Take a cough suppressant; you have headaches daily, weekly, or monthly? It must be a shortage of aspirin in your system... here's some Advil, Excedrin or whatever. 

We have been taught to believe that a pill or liquid is what will make us 'better' and 'healthier'. Even weight loss... Americans would much rather take a diet pill than actually eat well and exercise!!
 
Chiropractors look at the body differently than MD's or DO's. We encourage movement, stretching, exercising, eating well, and getting adjustments to encourage the spine to help heal the body.
MD's may refer you to physical therapy where you will get training on exercises and stretching but you will also receive medications to cover up your pain.

DO's may do the above and also give you adjustments, but their training is focused on bones in a different way, with less training in adjusting techniques.

Here's an example, if you fall and break a leg or arm, you would go to a D.O. to have it set and casted. If you dislocate your shoulder completely (you'll know if that happens) go to a D.O. (or the ER) to get it set back into position, but then you can see a Chiropractor to help rehabilitate the muscles and ligaments and strengthen the area to prevent it from happening again.  

If you have back pain from bending over or from a slip and fall, you should see a Chiropractor to check the spinal alignment and get it adjusted back into position.

*** A little extra information that most people don't realize is that a Chiropractor IS a Doctor. D.C. stands for Doctor of Chiropractic. Any person with a Doctor title means they are experts in THEIR field, not EVERY field. A medical doctor is an expert in MEDICINE (medication), a dentist is a doctor who is an expert on teeth.  Chiropractors are experts in adjusting the spine and recommending ways to make your body healthy, but we would not re-attach a severed toe. 
Chiropractors actually spend MORE hours in class than an MD does while getting their Doctorate.  The biggest difference is that we spend time studying adjusting and MD's spend time studying medication. ***
 
Do you have to 'crack' my neck?
Absolutely not. Many people prefer the 'crack', they feel they get the most relief when their adjustments make noise, however the 'noise' is simply air releasing from a pressurized joint, like when you crack or 'pop' your knuckles. While many of our adjustments make noise, it is NOT an indication that the bones actually moved. There are other, more gentle, techniques that we can use and still get just as good results.  Don't be afraid to share your concerns with Dr. Parsons when you go in for your first exam. She will discuss with you all the options BEFORE your treatment so you will feel comfortable with what is going on.
 

What EXACTLY IS the adjustment?

The purpose of the adjustment is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become restricted in their movement, usually as a result of tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by single traumatic events, like improper lifting, or through repetitive stress, such as sitting in a position with poor posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.

Will it hurt?

Chiropractic adjustments rarely cause pain or discomfort. Occasionally, patients can experience mild soreness after a treatment but it usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

Why do I have to get an exam if I've been to Chiropractors in the past?

Dr. Parsons feels it is important to know a person’s health history prior to giving treatment.   Your health could have changed since your last adjustment indicating a change in what treatment is indicated, or the previous Chiropractor may have practiced differently than she does.  Dr. Parsons's exams are to ensure that her treatments will be safe and effective.

Do I have to get X-rays?

Not necessarily. Some injuries or accidents indicate X-rays for proper diagnosis and treatment, but it is decided on a case by case basis. Only about 10% of new patients are required to get X-rays prior to treatment.  

Will insurance cover my treatments?

Every insurance plan is different. Many insurance plans have Chiropractic coverage.  The best way to find out is to email or call our office with your insurance company name, your ID #, your full name, and your birthday.  We will call the insurance for you and let you know what your coverage is even before you walk in the door!  

Aside from back and neck pain, what else does Chiropractic help with?

Headaches, TMJ disorder, whiplash, sciatica, scoliosis, arthritis, hip/ leg pain, knee pain, shin splints, sports injuries, ankle/foot pain, shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain, numbness/tingling, muscle/ligament strains/sprains, car accidents, work accidents, disc herniations, childhood illnesses (see the Pediatric page for a more specific list), pain during pregnancy, nutritional counseling, etc. etc. etc.

This is just to name a few!

If you wonder if Chiropractic can help you, Call or Email today!

Will I have to go forever? How often? Will I get 'addicted' to adjustments?

Every spine is different and everyone needs a different treatment plan based on what is going on with them. Dr. Parsons will first recommend a treatment plan to get you out of pain, (this can be 2 to 10 to 20 visits, depending on what's wrong) then a treatment plan to stabilize your condition (2 to 5 visits), and then she will recommend Maintenance Care.

Maintenance Care is simply a term to indicate a type of plan to keep you where you are so the pain does not come back. It typically involves adjustments every 4-8 weeks.

It is YOUR CHOICE if you would like to come in after your pain is gone. Most patients realize that they have been living with such stiffness and tightness for so long, that once they are adjusted, they really FEEL GOOD!! Then they choose to take charge of their health and stay on maintenance.  Other patients decide not to continue and wait until the pain comes back (it always does in this day and age!) and we welcome you back anytime you need it!

When Should I go?

If you have a spine, call today. You should get your spine checked whether you have pain or not!  Do you see a dentist every 6 months? Why? To check for cavities you can't feel! So why wait until your spine hurts to see if your spine is out of place? GET CHECKED TODAY!