Those that practice chiropractic care do so because it provides pain relief to so many.
It is a form of health care that focuses on the body’s structure (mostly the spine area) and the function of the structure.
Those who practice the art of chiropractic are called “doctors of chiropractic, chiropractors, or chiropractic physicians”. They basically use a hands-on form of therapy, which is referred to as “manipulation” or “adjustments”.
Those who seek chiropractors often suffer from musculoskeletal ailments of the bones, connective tissue (cartilages), joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
There is a risk of injury from having your neck adjusted and a lower risk of having your back adjusted. You should investigate these risks before agreeing to participate in this therapy. It is also important to let your entire healthcare team know about any treatment you are thinking about engaging in.
Chiropractic practitioners believe that the structure of the body and the corresponding function are connected. They also believe that the body has an amazing ability to heal itself. The primary goal of chiropractic therapy is to help the body heal by promoting a positive relationship between structure and function.
The most common health complaint chiropractors come across is chronic low back pain. Other reasons for seeing a chiropractic doctor are headaches, neck pain, repetitive action pain, and sports injuries.
Patients being treated may also receive the following treatments: acupuncture, counseling on weight loss and diet, electrical stimulation, heat or ice, homeopathy, and supplements.
This is a type of healthcare that focuses on a patient’s overall health and well-being. A lot of emphasis is placed on providing natural, drug-free, non-surgical treatments that allow the human body to heal itself naturally.
Therapy can include the use of water, light, massage, ultrasound as well as different types of support materials like braces and tapes. The patient may be counseled on total life wellness, too, so diet, lifestyle, and how to manage stress may be discussed at length.
Patients should know that chiropractic is state regulated. Chiropractic practitioners are licensed and most states do require them to attend continuing education classes to keep their licensure up to date.
Each state varies when it comes to which services it allows chiropractors to provide, so patients should check with the chiropractic organizations in their state to find out what applies to their state. There are no states in the U.S.A. in which chiropractors can be licensed to perform major surgery or to prescribe drugs to their clients.
More than 50% of all HMO’s and 75% of all private healthcare plans cover chiropractic services. Patients need to check with their individual health plans to see if they are covered before they receive treatments. All states in the U.S.A. have worker’s compensation benefits for chiropractic services and chiropractic services can be billed to Medicare and most states allow chiropractic services to be billed to Medicaid.
Depending on your plan of coverage, your treatments may be required to be approved in advance and there may be limitations to the number of visits covered, or there may be rules about using in-network chiropractic practitioners.
So, it is always wise to call your healthcare plan administrator or customer service number and ask questions before receiving treatment.
