FAQ
Q: I've heard that once you go to a chiropractor, you have to go forever. Is that true?
A: After ten years in chiropractic, this is still the most common question I hear. In fact, I used to think this way. Until, that is, I realized that the spine really needs to be maintained from birth throughout life. So, it’s not once you go… Consider chiropractic like you would dentistry, exercise, or eating a good diet. It’s not once you start brushing your teeth, exercising, or eating well, that now you have to do it forever. You should have been doing those things anyway, but maybe you weren’t aware of it before. Chiropractic's role at maintaining the proper health of your spine and nervous system, which runs your entire body, is even more important than those other things. After all, you can’t replace your spine and nerve system if it wears out! So just as you would consider eating well a lifetime endeavor, or getting regular exercise a lifetime endeavor, you should also consider regular chiropractic check-ups for you and your family a lifetime endeavor. In our office, we have specially designed programs for patients who see the value of maintenance and prevention rather than being reactive with their health.
Q: I heard that chiropractic is really expensive. Is that true? What are your fees?
A: Chiropractic is actually very inexpensive. An entire year of care in my office for a family of four costs less than a weekend stay at the hospital! You can practically get a lifetime of chiropractic care for the cost of one back surgery. People will spend thousands of dollars to put braces on their children’s teeth! Your spine is your lifeline. It is the most vital part of your body, yet is under constant stress and abuse. How much is your health worth to you? I have had patients who spent $1000 on chiropractic care and avoided surgery, lost work time, rehabilitation time, and been able to enjoy their life more. So when you compare chiropractic to other forms of health care, it is very inexpensive. And besides, it has the potential to give you more energy and vitality, boost your immune system, and balance you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The United States armed forces just completed a study that showed chiropractic could save the military 25 MILLION dollars in expenses by making it available to all members of the military. We never turn patients away for financial reasons. If you are committed to your health, we have cost effective care plans that can work for you. Our goal is to provide our patients with excellent chiropractic care at a reasonable fee.
Q: Do chiropractors and physical therapists do the same thing?
A: Absolutely not. If physical therapists had the same training and did the same thing we did, they would be called chiropractors! There's a major difference between the two professions. Chiropractors view the body in a completely holistic way, which differs entirely from the physical therapy approach. Physical therapists focus primarily on treating musculoskeletal injuries. Chiropractors focus on restoring nervous system function. Since chiropractors work directly with the nervous system, which runs the body, our goal is to rebalance the body to allow a person to reach their full God-given potential. When the body is in balance, it feels great and more importantly, functions like it was created to! Chiropractors perform specific, scientific chiropractic adjustments that, over time, restore the spine and nerve system back to its optimal position and function. I work with many physical therapists and see a great value to what they do, but it certainly does not replace natural chiropractic care.
Q: I have great insurance coverage. Do you accept insurances?
A: Yes. The goal of our office is to make your chiropractic experience as enjoyable as possible. We work with most insurance companies directly, as a service to our patients. However, our focus is on your health, and we refuse to lower the quality of care that we offer by even one percent. Therefore, my recommendations are always based solely on your exam findings, and never on an insurance company executive’s bottom line. Because many of our patients have limited or no insurance coverage, we have designed affordable payment plans for our patients. Our top priority is always your health.
Q: I heard that chiropractors can break bones, cause strokes, and actually injure people. I'm scared about going to a chiropractor because of this.
A: Many fear tactics have been used over the years to prevent people from going to chiropractors. In 1990, chiropractors won a major lawsuit against the medical profession for attempting to prevent people from going to chiropractors and to, in essence, bring the chiropractic profession to its knees. Our profession prevailed, as it always does, and the medical profession was actually brought to its knees! But our victory just kindled the fire and to this day, there are medically-backed organizations that are attempting to thwart chiropractic's tremendous role in the health care arena. So many of the things you hear stem from groups like this that want to scare people away from chiropractors.
In reality, chiropractic is incredibly safe. My chiropractic malpractice insurance company had ZERO claims in the year 2000. Contrast that with the 400,000 people that will die and the millions that will be serious injured and hospitalized at the hands of medicine every year. Recent data indicates that patients undergoing chiropractic care have a 50% LESS chance of stroke than the general public. This is because spinal adjustments actually enhance blood flow to the brain! So know that when you go to a chiropractor, you are utilizing one of the safest forms of health care available. At SouthCoast Chiropractic, we pride ourselves on the loving, gentle care that we offer patients of all ages.