Chiropractic Care

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic care: Doctors of Chiropractic are non-surgical spine specialists who assess and manage patients with neuromusculoskeletal disorders and related clinical conditions including but not limited to, back pain, neck pain, headaches, and extremity complaints. When addressing patients’ needs, chiropractors utilize appropriate diagnostic procedures and conservative therapeutic interventions, with a primary focus on spinal and extremity manipulation.

Although by a discussion of the problem and physical examination mostly cases will solve. Also, chiropractors utilize blood tests, MRI, CT Scans, X rays, and other diagnostic tests when necessary. As with other health care disciplines, chiropractic is carrying out to accountability and predictability in obtaining measurable outcomes. These would include but are not lean to pain, physical function, and patient satisfaction.

Chiropractic Education

Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.

The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of a pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology, and lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding. 3-3.5 years of professional study. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training.

Doctors of chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state-licensed. Chiropractic colleges also offer post-graduate continuing education programs in a variety specialty fields ranging from sports injuries, radiology, occupational health, orthopedics and/or neurology.

Doctors of Chiropractic receive extensive education in medical health sciences, alternative treatments, and a broad spectrum of specialties such as sports injuries, radiology, prenatal care, nutrition, orthopedics, and neurology, among others. To practice, they must successfully pass four national board examinations and obtain state licensure, ensuring their proficiency and dedication to patient care. Furthermore, they pursue ongoing professional development and continuing education to maintain their licensure.

What does chiropractic care at The Hetrick Center look like?

Our chiropractic care provides a non-invasive, safe, cost-effective, and efficient approach to restoring the proper function of your muscles, joints, and nervous system. Our chiropractors diagnose and treat a wide range of orthopedic conditions, tailor personalized treatment plans to help you achieve your individual health and wellness goals. We often integrate our experienced therapists into your care and collaborate closely with medical professionals in the community for comprehensive co-management.

We also recognize the essential role of optimal bodily function, and we are committed to promoting a model of healthcare centered on wellness and prevention.

Patient FAQ’s

What treatments can I expect?

Our patients should expect their initial visit with the chiropractor to be approximately one hour so that the chiropractor can perform a thorough history and exam. If x-rays or other diagnostic tests are medically necessary, they may order them. Depending upon the severity of your injury or complaint, follow-up visits will range anywhere from one day to six months later, or you may simply call us the next time you are in need of an appointment. Follow-up visits are usually 20 minutes. We believe in using multiple disciplines in order to best treat our patients. Also, we offer different services such as Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Clinical Nutrition, Aquatic Therapy, and more, to be useful in conjunction with Chiropractic Care.

How long does Chiropractic Care take to work?

This is a very common question, and unfortunately, there is no one simple answer to this because the amount of time needed for recovery is variable, not only for each different condition but also for each individual patient. Generally speaking, conditions that have been present for a longer period of time will logically require somewhat longer recovery time, although there are always exceptions. Our approach is such that the immediate goals are to help you get relief from pain and disability as quickly as possible, while at the same time, addressing the underlying dysfunctions that create the pain. Teaching you strategies to manage and reduce any future episodes that may occur is also important. In this way, we attempt to help you expeditiously reduce pain and return to normal function. Typically, within six visits we expect at minimum 30-50% improvement. If these goals are not being met treatment strategies will modify and further diagnostic testing or referral may be scheduled.

What is the cracking noise that often occurs with manipulation?

Often when a joint is manipulated, it makes a “popping” sound. There is fluid inside all joints, and within this fluid, there is dissolved gas. When manipulation is performed, the gas in the fluid forms a bubble and pops, producing an audible sound. Although this is not necessary for manipulation to be effective, it is simply the sound of the joint suddenly releasing from its restricted state.

Do I have to have my back cracked?

Not necessarily. Manipulation is a technique that is useful to correct joint dysfunction, which is a condition in which there is loss of normal movement of a joint – a common cause of spinal pain and dysfunction. So if you do not have joint dysfunction then there is no need for manipulation. Even if you do have joint dysfunction, if you’d prefer, there are “non-cracking” techniques that can be useful to correct it, which are often equally effective.

Will manipulation hurt?

Most of the time, manipulation is very comfortable. Slight to moderate discomfort has been reported in about 1/3 of patients, with 10% reporting more noticeable discomfort. In the majority of cases, any discomfort that does occur is gone within 24 hours.

Do I need regular chiropractic check-ups?

Although there are certain uncommon instances in which regular, periodic treatment may be suggested, this is the exception rather than the rule. There will likely be certain exercises that are given to you to do regularly, that have been shown to prevent re-occurrences of back pain. Chiropractors at The Hetrick Center place much emphasis on teaching patients self-care strategies so that they can manage conditions themselves, only needing to return to the doctor if these strategies are not successful.

Can children be treated by a chiropractor?

Chiropractic treatment for children and adolescents is not uncommon. Adjustments for children of all ages are gentle, safe, and effective. Restoring and maintaining function is crucial throughout the child’s developmental years.