Frequently Asked Questions

 
 

Here are some of the most common questions that we hear in our practice. 

If you still have questions, please give us a call at 781-224-0010 or send us an email here. We are always happy to help!

 
 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

The Examination
The purpose of the examination is threefold:

  1. Assess the current state of your spine and nervous system.

  2. Determine if there are any malfunctions of the spine that are directly affecting your level of health.

  3. Learn what level of care (including frequency) is necessary to solve your problem and reach your goals.

Hands on Spine Palpation and other Neurological Function tests.

The doctor will conduct a full physical examination--checking your posture, using orthopedic and neurological testing and physically examining your spine to locate any areas of malfunction.

Once the examination is complete we have some homework to do!

We will spend time analyzing the tests and have the results ready for your next visit. The results of the tests will tell us:

  1. Exactly what is happening

  2. How we can help you

  3. How long it will take

  4. How much it will cost

  5. Answer any questions you may have.

On your second visit we will go over in detail the results that we’ve found and once all of your questions have been answered, and you and your doctor can agree to a plan of action that will solve your problem, you can start your care immediately.

HOW MUCH WILL MY CARE COST?

Everyone hates having their time and money wasted. That is why we offer consultations which require only a conversation and is NO CHARGE to you to make sure you are in the right place.

If you would like to continue with an examination, the cost includes your report and results ($150). We have several ways to pay including packages with discounts.

WHAT ABOUT MY HEALTHCARE BENEFITS?

If you are lucky enough to have health insurance coverage towards chiropractic care it can significantly reduce your costs even further. As a courtesy to our practice members we do try to verify benefits before you arrive. However, it is always your responsibility to be familiar with your plan benefit. Please contact your insurance provider prior to examination to learn the full extent of your coverage because there can be great variety in plans.

DOES CHIROPRACTIC HURT? 

If we find a problem with your spine and nervous system that we can help you with, our goal is to correct the problem as quickly and safely as possible.

Your comfort is vital to that process. The last thing was want to do is use too much force, twisting or torque which is actually counter productive to the adjustment process. The more your body is at ease during the adjustment the better!

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO SEE RESULTS?

There are 3 factors to be considered in answering this question.

  1. What are your goals?

  2. How long has your problem been there?

  3. The results of your Neuro-Spinal Examination

Of course, we can’t predict the future, but we can share the past successes we’ve had with previous practice members. There are fast, intermediate and slow responders.There are some that experience immediate changes after their first spinal check-up and correction. For some, it has taken longer.

On average, we can confidently say that the vast majority of practice members notice changes between the first 3-6 weeks of care. The most common initial improvements are:

  • Less pain

  • More energy

  • Clearer thinking

  • Improved sleep

  • Better mobility

WHAT IS A SUBLUXATION? 

It’s a term that refers to the motion and function of the bones in your back (your spine). When these bones (vertebra) aren’t moving the way they should be it changes the way the nervous system signals to the organs and tissues. It also creates inflammation in the area and sometimes causes muscles to become tight too. You may or may not be aware of these subluxations in your spine.

It is our job to identify and correct these subluxations to improve the communication of your nervous system.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN CHIROPRACTIC HELP?

We could give you a long list of conditions just like every other chiropractor does, but let’s be honest: Many seek out chiropractic care because of something going on with their body. It could be asthma, allergies, back pain, digestive problems, headaches, colic or difficulty breast feeding—you get the picture! The short answer is yes, it helps all of them, but the long answer is none of them.

…Read on to find out more. (This is a very important concept.)

Doctors and neurologists agree that our brain and spinal cord control everything. It’s a very complex structure and the only organ to be protected by bone. We live our entire life through our nervous system. Really, it is pretty amazing when you think about it what our body is doing and capable of every day.

If the brain controls everything it also controls healing. If you want to get better from anything, you need your brain to be talking properly to your body.

Take for example the nerves coming out of your neck. They go up into the head, sinuses, throat, nose, thyroid, thymus, and down into the arms. If the neck bones are interfering with the nerves coming out of the neck, it changes the way the nerves communicate with the body…kind of like static on a cell phone.

What does poor communication look like from nerves coming out of the neck? Allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, chronic ear infections, hyper/hypo thyroid, numbness into the arms, muscle imbalance and weaknesses… (You get the picture!)

Chiropractic helps the body heal by improving the communication along the nerves. Recall: the brain controls health and healing. If there is poor movement or poor posture in the spine you’re heading down a path of malfunction and breakdown of those nerves over time. Note that we are not saying every health problem us due to a spinal mis-alignment causing interference to the nervous system, but wouldn’t it make sense to check and see if that is the case? Restore proper motion and function of the spine and your body now has a better opportunity to heal from that health problem.

In the end chiropractic doesn’t treat anything. It isn’t a therapy for symptoms or conditions. In fact, most of the people that come to our office on a regular basis use chiropractic when they have no symptoms at all; they get their spine checked simply to be healthier. 

WHAT’S THE CRACKING SOUND? I DON’T WANT TO HAVE MY BONES CRACKED!

Eggs get cracked; spines are adjusted! 🙂

The sound is gas being released from the joint, not the sound of bone cracking. The joints that link the vertebra together are called facet joints and these are classified as synovial joints. This means that each facet joint in your spine is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue and produces a fluid to nourish and lubricate the joint. Dissolved gas accumulates in that fluid and sometimes releases with the adjustment to produce a pop sound.

The ‘pop’ sound isn’t necessary for an adjustment though… sometimes you hear it, sometimes you don’t.

I DON’T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS. CAN I STILL SEE YOU?

Believe it or not, many people come to see us without any pain or symptoms. They understand that any core problem with their spine and nerve system can have disastrous effects on their health and life and they understand that it’s easier to avoid a problem than try to fix it once you have it.

WHAT CAN I DO TO BE HEALTHIER AND SUPPORT MY CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

Obviously, a clear nervous system free of interference isn’t the only thing your body needs in order to be optimally healthy- but it is a good start! Try implementing these top three picks for creating the healthiest you:

  1. Basics! No lifting anything over 10 lbs. in the first week. No extreme activities. Really think about what you are putting into your body with respect to food, drink plenty of water and take your basic supplements: Vitamin D, Omega 3 EFA’s, and probiotics.

  2. Movement is incredibly important for a healthy nervous system. Address malfunctions in movement patterns by lifting and moving correctly and get a healthy dose of stretching and plyometric mobility.

  3. Quality Sleep: Go to bed early in a dark room with no electronics.

YOUR SPACE IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER DOCTOR’S OFFICE I’VE BEEN TO. ARE YOU A REAL DOCTOR?

Yes, and thanks for the compliment! We love our space, and yes, it’s a little different than a ‘regular’ doctor’s office, but that’s why our practice members love it so much and feel so comfortable here.

Doctor comes from a latin word ‘docere’ – meaning to teach. We aim to teach about health, vitality, balance and about the body’s amazing ability to heal and self regulate.

AM I GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP COMING HERE FOREVER?

Our practice members come for as long as they’d like to be checked for nerve interference. It’s your health, your spine, you have control over the process. You and your family are welcome to get checked for nerve interference for a lifetime; we have lots of lifetime practice members!