• Will my insurance cover chiropractic?
• Is chiropractic effective?
• Why should I see a chiropractor?
• What is subluxation?
• How does chiropractic care work?
• What is a chiropractic adjustment?
• Is chiropractic safe?
• Is chiropractic care safe?
• What can I expect from my visit to a chiropractor?
• What results can I expect from treatment?
• Do I have a pinched nerve?
• Do I have a slipped disc?
• What type of education do chiropractors get?
• What is an adjustment?
• Are all patients adjusted the same way?
• Can I adjust myself?
• Why do children need chiropractic care?
• Am I too old for chiropractic care?
• How long will I need chiropractic care?

Check Out Our FAQs

Let the caring staff at Elswick Chiropractic & Associates get you started on the road to rehabilitation today. Take some time to read more about the specifics of how chiropractic care can help improve your overall wellness and find relief from pain.

Will my insurance cover chiropractic?

Yes! Most health insurances will cover chiropractic. The common insurance we accept is Anthem Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Baptist Anthem, Baptist Health Community Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bluegrass Family Health, Coventry, First Health, Great West, Humana, Humana CareSource, UK-HMO, UK-PPO, United Healthcare, Medicare and Medicaid, Auto Accident and Personal Injury, and WELL CARE.

Is chiropractic effective?

Chiropractic helps to remove postural imbalances and structural misalignments that can accumulate in our bodies over time. Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy. For your body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous system to function well it must be free of interference. By restoring spinal function with Chiropractic adjustments, nerve interference by misaligned vertebrae is removed, thus allowing optimal nervous system function and improved health.

In 1000 cases studied (Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996; 3(3)) (1) less than 90 days were needed to attain maximum improvement in 91% of patients, (2) the average number of days to maximum improvement was 30, and (3) the average number of visits was 12.

Why should I see a chiropractor?

Seeing a chiropractor is not only for back pain and neck pain. Chiropractic care is an excellent way to keep your body at its peak performance through nutrition, adjustment, and overall wellness. In addition, chiropractic care has been known to help a wide range of conditions from fibromyalgia to diabetes.

A chiropractor is a 7 year trained neuromusculoskeletal professional in the diagnosis and care of spinal conditions.

What is subluxation?

When a vertebra becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the chiropractic profession as a subluxation. Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a minor slip or bump to a car accident or any sudden trauma. When a vertebra is subluxated, it begins to put pressure on nerves, blood vessels and everything around it. This pressure comes with a price. The subluxation interrupts the natural pathways that the messages sent from the brain need to be clear in order to be completed properly.

A spinal misalignment that results in an interruption of the normal nerve function in the body.

How does chiropractic care work?

Manual treatment of the spine and its adjacent soft tissues results in a reduction in nerve interference from the spinal nerves, an improvement in muscle function, and improved movement and mobility of the spine and its related soft tissue structures.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Chiropractic adjustments, also called manipulations, are minor movements in the spine that restore normal spinal alignment and joint function.

Is chiropractic safe?

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of back pain, neck pain, joint pain of the arms or legs, headaches, and other neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some form of exercise. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.

In addition to being a safe form of treatment, spinal manipulation is incredibly effective, getting patients back on their feet faster than traditional medical care. A March 2004 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic care is more effective than medical care at treating chronic low-back pain in patients who have experienced symptoms for one year or less. Similarly, a study published in the July 15, 2003, edition of the medical journal Spine found that manual manipulation provides better short-term relief of chronic spinal pain than a variety of medications. Moreover, a 2012 study in Spine found that only 1.5 percent of workers with back injuries whose first point of treatment was a doctor of chiropractic required surgery, compared to the 42.7 percent of workers whose first contact was a surgeon.

Is chiropractic care safe?

Research by Alan Terret et al. highlights the rate of iatrogenic problems associated with spinal manipulative therapy as rendered by doctors of chiropractic is only 1 in 5.85 million cases, which is less than the chance of stroke in a hair salon or being hit by lightning (one in 600,000). It equated to one occurrence in 48 chiropractic careers.

What can I expect from my visit to a chiropractor?

Your visit will begin with a consultation to discuss your complaints followed by an examination and possibly digital images (if needed). The results of this examination will be discussed and a treatment plan will be devised for your care.

What results can I expect from treatment?

According to Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996; 3(3) when 1000 patient case studies were reviewed for the effectiveness of chiropractic care the results showed the following: (1) less than 90 days were needed to attain maximum improvement for 91% of the patients, (2) the average number of days to maximum improvement was 30, and (3) the average number of visits was 12.

Do I have a pinched nerve?

Pinched nerves are typically nerves that have been irritated either by mechanical forces on the nerve, like the stretching of a nerve, or chemical irritation to the nerve caused by nerves that have become inflamed from injury. Chiropractors are neuromusculoskeletal specialists that are trained to identify, diagnose, and treat pinched nerves.

Do I have a slipped disc?

Technically, discs don’t slip. However, a disc can stretch, tear, bulge, herniate, or even rupture. Chiropractors are spinal specialists that are trained to examine and diagnose disc injuries and then treat them with noninvasive, non-narcotic treatment options.

What type of education do chiropractors get?

DC’s (Doctors of Chiropractic) are 7 year trained professionals in the diagnosis and care of spinal conditions. DCs are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school programs through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools.

What is an adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, “locked up”, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to improve spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.

Are all patients adjusted the same way?

The doctor evaluates each patient’s unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience. There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually, the doctor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly-accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require slow and constant pressure. After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.

Can I adjust myself?

Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create “popping” sounds, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment.

Why do children need chiropractic care?

Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Later, learning to walk, ride a bicycle, and other childhood activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child’s spine is the unique domain of a chiropractic doctor. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as “growing pains” can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the other health complaints seen later in adults. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child’s spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children.

Am I too old for chiropractic care?

More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about overmedication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity. Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite. Many patients report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results. As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care become more and more obvious.

How long will I need chiropractic care?

Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These longstanding problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine. Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be at their very best, find that a schedule of preventive visits is helpful in the maintenance of good health. Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of “crisis management” is usually more costly and time-consuming, our office stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.