Chiropractic treatment is a solution for many people dealing with injuries or chronic pain. Learning how to choose a good chiropractor can help align your body in a safe, helpful way.
But choosing a chiropractor is a difficult process. Putting your health in another person’s hands can feel intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start.
Keep reading for the seven things you need to consider when choosing a chiropractor. Follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to a healthy life.
The first thing you should consider when choosing a chiropractor is who comes recommended. There are two places you should look for references and reviews.
First, ask your doctor for a list of referrals. This is a good place to start because your primary health care doctor knows what you need to be treated for. They will be able to make a good recommendation based on this information.
Your doctor will be able to give you a list that you can begin researching in the steps that follow. This is much more effective than simply turning to the internet to look for chiropractors in your area.
Secondly, you should ask your friends and family for their recommendations.
Chiropractic treatment is increasingly common. It is likely that people you know have experience with the treatment. They will be able to make recommendations based on their personal experience.
Insurance is a practical consideration. If you have an insurance plan, look for chiropractors that are covered by it to avoid paying for your chiropractic sessions out of pocket.
Chiropractic treatment normally requires several sessions. Your insurance plan might cover unlimited sessions, but often it sets a limit.
It helps to get each chiropractor on the phone and ask them how many sessions they estimate they can treat you in. This will help you estimate cost and potential coverage by your plan. It will also help you in comparing chiropractor fees.
Once you have your list of recommended chiropractors and have determined which ones are covered by your plan, you can start to do some background research.
You need to look for a couple of things. First, make sure that they have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree to ensure they have gone through rigorous training.
Second, make sure their license is up to date for your state. You can do this by calling their office and asking for their license number. When you look up their license, you can also find out if they have any record of malpractice.
While on the phone with their office, ask how many years of experience the chiropractor has. If you are being treated for a particular issue, ask about their experience with this issue. This affects how qualified they are to be your chiropractor.
Look up some customer reviews and see how they rank each chiropractor you are considering. Customer reviews should be read with a grain of salt, as everybody’s experience is different. But they can be helpful for identifying red flags when evaluating a chiropractor.
If you can’t find any customer reviews, that can also be a red flag. Then it is time to revisit your background research and determine how much experience your chiropractor has.
Any given chiropractor is going to have experience in treating multiple issues. But it is likely that they have a specialization. It is worth identifying this specialization and seeing if it is relevant to your treatment.
The specializations can be on a particular body part or type of injury. They can even be gender-based. Ask their office or check out their website to determine if a chiropractor’s specialization can help you.
You can’t underestimate convenience when choosing a chiropractor. If you are going to be visiting them more than a handful of times, you don’t want to drive long distances to see them.
Look for chiropractors that are near your work, your child’s school, or your home. Having them close by is a way to ensure that your sessions won’t be an added burden on your routine.
But you should also look into how accessible the chiropractor is. Are they accepting new patients immediately? Can you book routine appointments or is their schedule jammed?
If your chiropractor is booked solid for months at a time, it will be hard to get an appointment. It doesn’t matter how qualified your chiropractor is if you never get to see them.
Communication style is an important factor to consider when choosing a chiropractor. Chiropractors are going to be touching and adjusting your body, so you want to choose someone that you can communicate honestly with. You also want a chiropractor that will listen to you and can understand your concerns.
The best way to determine if it is a good fit is to get the chiropractor on the phone before committing to any sessions. Just explain that you are considering treatment and would like to speak with them first. This is a good time to bring up any concerns you have and ask questions.
This is also a good time to ask them about different ways that you can communicate with them during the course of your treatment. Some chiropractors will answer questions over the phone or video conference. This can help you make adjustments on your own and get the most out of your in-person sessions.
If you feel comfortable during the course of this conversation, then you may have found the right chiropractor for you.
Choosing a chiropractor can be intimidating, but now you know all of the things you need to consider when making your choice. Make sure they are qualified to treat your individual needs, and that you are comfortable interacting with them.
Once you choose your chiropractor, the hard part is over. Your chiropractic healing can begin.
