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Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Accept Insurance?

 

Yes, we routinely submit insurance claims for our patients. While many insurance companies offer complete chiropractic coverage, some offer only partial coverage or no benefits at all. Our office accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, G.I.C., Neighborhood Health Plan, Veterans Choice, and Medicare. Additionally, we handle worker’s compensation, personal injury.  Cash rates are discounted to $165 for the initial evaluation and treatment and $65 for follow up appointments.  Re-evaluation appointments are needed for patients who have not been to our office for over 18 months.  

 

Our office can help verify your health care/chiropractic benefit but we strongly urge you to call your own insurance to verify coverage due to the wide variety of plans.  

 

 

What Do I Do If You Don't Accept My Insurance?

 

Its easy!  If you have out of network chiropractic benefits with your health plan all you have to do is pay our cash rate up front (we accept cash, check, credit cards, and Health/Flex Spending Accounts) and we will give your a detailed receipt with the charges and billing codes.  After that, you can get reimbursed directly from your health insurance company.  

 

What Is Active Release Technique?

 

ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

 

Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.

 

These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.

 

When Do You Take X-rays?

 

I do not require x-rays to adjust.  In most cases a good chiropractor can feel what an x-ray will show.  I only take x-rays if the history and examination findings indicate that it is medically necessary (trauma, anomaly, bone disease, old fracture, etc). Under these circumstances, I would refer the patient to their primary care physician or a local imaging center. This cost is typically covered by most insurance policies.

 

What Is Chiropractic?
 

There has always existed a void in the health care marketplace to serve the needs of those with neuromusculoskeletal complaints, such as low back pain, headaches, sciatica, numbness/tingling in the arms… that arise from a mechanical cause. Chiropractors exist for the purpose of treating mechanical joint problems. We explore movement and focus on the goal of restoring normal biomechanics to the spine and extremities with manual methods. Traditional chiropractic therapy typically consists of spinal manipulation, but also encompasses many other techniques used to restore joint function. See our services.​

 

What is an adjustment (Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy)?

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An adjustment or manipulation is the act of putting a precise, controlled force through a restricted joint in an effort to restore normal mobility and function of the joint and surrounding musculature. The adjustment typically results in a ‘cracking’ or ‘popping’ sound. The joints in your spine contain a fluid called synovial fluid. The brief movement creates a vacuum within the joint, causing some of the dissolved gases in the synovial fluid to come out of solution and form a gas bubble. This creates the audible sound typically heard with an adjustment. 

 

Are Chiropractic adjustments safe?

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The chiropractic adjustment carries a very low risk of serious complication. Patients may experience mild soreness following an initial treatment, which may last for 24-48 hours. Some patients feel improvement immediately. How a patient recovers depends on the ability of the patient’s body to adapt to the new flexibility acquired from the adjustment. This is not unlike soreness after an initial workout following a six month break from the gym.  Part of the skill of delivering an adjustment is the ability of the practitioner to adapt the adjustment to the patient's tolerance while maintaining its effectiveness.

 

How much care will I need?

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This is a difficult question to answer for any medical professional given that patients are not all the same. The main factors that determine how much care is necessary are the individual’s ability to recover, the treatment goals (symptom reduction, functional restoration, or prevention of further relapses), age, severity of the condition, chronicity of the condition, and adherance to the treatment plan & frequency. 

 

​Once a patient's primary complaint is resolved and proper movement and function are returned, exercises are given to maintain functional and structural integrity.  Patients that maintain physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle require very infrequent care unless they re-injure themselves.  However, some patients have significant degenerative changes or past traumas that have resulted in permanent changes.  These patients may require ongoing management.

 

That being said, I can say that it is not unusual to feel significant relief after the first visit, good improvement after 4-6 visits and a return to their previous level of health and function within 8-12 visits.  Those who elect to continue care on an infrequent basis and adopt healthier lifestyles suffer far less reinjury.

 

Would chiropractic treatments work for someone with scoliosis?

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At our office, we usually manage the most prevalent type of scoliosis, which is idiopathic (unknown cause) and seen in adolescents. While the spine is still growing through adolescence, chiropractic treatment is very effective in managing scoliosis through specific manipulation and, most importantly, proper exercise.

How does chiropractic differ from other medical professionals?

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Although the formal education recieved through chiropractic college is similar to that of a medical doctor, the main difference is that chiropractic is a manual, hands-on profession, which does not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. The main objective of chiropractic is treating the underlying musculoskeletal cause of the condition through conservative methods and allowing the body to heal itself.

What are the educational requirements of Chiropractor?

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The Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree requires a minimum of ten 15-week trimesters (three years, four months total) of full-time resident study, including a clinical internship. This is equivalent to five academic years.

 

Summary of course hours for a Doctor of Chiropractic:

  • Anatomy – 585 hours
  • Biochemistry – 75 hours
  • Physiopathology – 345 hours
  • Microbiology & Public Health – 120 hours
  • Diagnosis – 525 hours
  • Diagnostic Imaging – 270 hours
  • Clinical Laboratory – 75 hours
  • Associated Studies – 165 hours
  • Chiropractic Philosophy – 135 hours
  • Chiropractic Technique – 615 hours
  • Ancillary Therapeutic Procedures – 90 hours
  • Clinical Practice Issues – 75 hours
  • Clinical Experience & Outpatient Services – 1,320 hours
  • Total Core Hours – 4,380 hours
  • Elective Courses – 225 hours
  • Total – 4,620 hours
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In addition to completing graduate training, chiropractors must pass national and state licensing examinations prior to entering practice and adhere to state continuing education requirements.

 
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