Questions frequently asked about chiropractic:

What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is the technique that moves bones back to their original position for the benefit of the body. The moving is called an "adjustment", and can be done in a variety of different ways using different techniques.

What is an adjustment?
An adjustment is the treatment of your body by the chiropractor which moves your bones back where they belong. Most chiropractors use their hands to adjust, but and adjustment can also be given using a tool called an "activator".

What is an activator?
An activator is a tool used by a chiropractor to perform an adjustment. The activator delivers a very specific but gentle thrust exactly where the doctor has found a bone out of place.

Does an adjustment hurt?
When done right, the chiropractic adjustment causes little or no pain. Some manual, hands-on adjustments can be uncomfortable because of the angle the doctor needs to put your body in to accomplish the bone movement. Adjustments can also be a little uncomfortable if the bone has been in that position for a long time. However, when using an activator to adjust the patient, while some spots that are adjusted may be tender, there is very little pain, if any.

What should I expect on my first visit?
First, the staff would discuss the legal aspects of your treatment, which includes: what will be done on this visit and how your medical privacy will be handled; they would also obtain your permission for the chiropractor to treat you and your condition. The chiropractor will then discuss with you the reason for your visit, and would follow up your history with any necessary exams, lab work, and imaging. If your condition allows, he will also begin treatment.

Will I always need to be treated by a chiropractor?
Almost all human conditions have a point at which they start and a point at which they conclude.
Using regular B.E.S.T. adjustments, nutrition, and cooperation, the body will be able to restore itself to optimal health. No further treatments are needed as long as the patient keeps their body at that level of optimal health. However, if the patient does not bear in mind the six essentials for life, and continue to care for their body, the patient will need to see their doctor again.

Does insurance cover chiropractic?
Sometimes. Some insurance companies give chiropractors the right to treat the patient as they see the need and be fully reimbursed for the treatment. However, those companies are rare. Most insurance companies will allow their customers a certain dollar amount toward treatment each year, and once that level is reached the company will not pay any more. As this is a cash-based clinic, you will be given the necessary paperwork to file with your insurance to be reimbursed. You should be reimbursed until you reach your yearly limit, at which time your insurance company will begin denying your claims. If you have an issue with your insurance company, we encourage you to call them and speak to a supervisor about the level of their chiropractic care provisions. A chiropractor criticizing the level of insurance coverage does not effect the policies of the insurance companies, but a paying customer unhappy with their coverage may make more progress.

How do medical doctors (MDs) and chiropractors (DCs) compare?
Medical doctors and chiropractors are remarkably similar in their training. Both take similar basic science courses, and both spend many years in training. The major difference between MDs and DCs is their focus and treatment. MDs take extensive pharmacology (prescription medicine) classes as they approach the end of their training. DCs take extensive neuromuscular (nerve and muscle) training classes, as well as many nutrition classes. So MDs focus on sick-care or drug training, while DCs focus on wellness care or nerve, muscle and nutritional training.

What is the difference between chiropractic and physical therapy?
Chiropractors take five years of classes in a 36 or 40 month period and focus on diagnosis, adjusting, and physical training. Physical therapists engage in an intensely competitive program to get into PT school, but they spend two years focused mainly on working different parts of the body to move in the way they should. While physical therapists are very good at what they do, they do not have the diagnostic or adjusting training that chiropractors have. Some patients are trying to obtain approval to take a short weekend course in adjusting and then have the legal right to do it, but chiropractors spend at least two years honing their skills and learning how to adjust, and more importantly, when not to adjust.

How many years do chiropractors attend school?
Students spend 3 to 3½ years studying to become a chiropractic doctor. Almost all chiropractic schools have at least a three-year, year-round program their students must complete before graduating, which essentially fits five years of training into three years. Additionally, students must complete at least three parts of the National Boards, a series of tests designed to determine if the students actually know what they have been taught. (Most states utilize part four of the National Boards as well, but some states do not require it. Texas is one of the states that uses part four in their licensing requirements.) Finally, all chiropractors have to pass a state licensing test that is specific to the laws of that state.

What are some common problems you treat in your office?
B.E.S.T. doctors can treat everything from bad backs, to whiplash, to reducing tension and stress, to cancer. While most people come to chiropractors for back treatments, chiropractors are trained in nutrition and diagnostic procedures that enable them to handle many more ailments.

Is chiropractic care dangerous?
No. Insurance companies are in the risk vs. reward business, so an investigation of malpractice premiums can indicate the safety of a doctor's practice. Chiropractic premiums are less than 10% the premiums of a medical doctor. So according to insurance companies, chiropractic care is quite safe.

Does chiropractic manipulation cause strokes?
If you want to know if it is possible, then yes. However, it is very rare that an adjustment will cause a stroke. There are two arteries that travel up the side of your neck vertebrae that can develop plaque as you age. If a chiropractic neck adjustment is delivered with too much rotation or force, plaque can break free from one of those arteries and block an artery in the brain (the basilar artery), causing a stroke. There are tests that a chiropractor can perform to assess your risk of stroke, and a positive test will cause a chiropractor to change his treatment protocol for you. When an Activator tool is used, however, very little force is delivered. At the same time, there is little to no rotation involved in an Activator adjustment. Furthermore, B.E.S.T. is a non-force technique. Both rotation and force are necessary to cause plaque to break loose and create a stroke.

Is chiropractic care dangerous for infants or senior citizens?
No. If the chiropractor follows his training, he will be gentle with both infants and senior citizens. Taking into account their different health needs, and treating them with gentle care, chiropractic is both safe and effective for infants and senior citizens.

Why do chiropractors claim to get results with problems that have not responded to medical care?
Because of their training, chiropractors treat conditions with adjustment and lifestyle changes, such as diet changes and nutritional supplementation. Because of their training, medical doctors treat illnesses with drugs and surgery. Some problems that do not respond to drugs and surgery do respond to adjustments and lifestyle changes, and for that reason, some conditions that do not respond to medical treatment respond to chiropractic treatment.

How would someone know if they should see a chiropractor?
Basically, anyone who has bones and joints should see a chiropractor!  Almost everyone puts their body through difficult stress every day, from excessive walking or standing, to sitting improperly, to playing sports.  Many of the things we do put pressure and stress on our body, and our back and hips maintain our ability to be mobile and do the things we want to do in life. If more people took care of their bones and joints through chiropractic care while they are young, there would be fewer surgeries and fewer chronic pain patients over age 50.

How would someone go about choosing a chiropractor?
Make sure your chiropractor has the training you want and the knowledge you seek. Additionally, make sure your chiropractor performs the techniques you want performed. If you like rough adjusting, most chiropractors can oblige. But if you want low force or no force adjusting, other techniques, like Activator Methods (AMCT), or B.E.S.T. should be sought out.

Many pro athletes use chiropractors. Aren't they already healthy? Why do they use chiropractors?
As mentioned before, anyone with bones and joints should see a chiropractor. It isn't so much that they have something wrong with their backs or joints as it is that they want to keep their bodies in shape, and reduce stress on their joints. Professional athletes put their bodies under disproportionate stress for a short number of years, and that concentration of stress can cause early degeneration and arthritis if an athlete does not keep his or her body in good condition.

Why should I refer patients to a chiropractor?
Well, since anyone who has bones and joints should see a chiropractor, do you want your friends and family to receive the same care and attention that you have received?  Do you want their backs to stay in good shape as they age?  Aside from the maintenance, if anyone you know has a health problem -- with their bones, joints or otherwise -- your chiropractor can likely discover the cause and make good decisions to properly diagnose their problem and either give them the appropriate care or refer them to the appropriate doctor.

When should I refer patients to a chiropractor?
When you see anyone with a health need… when you see anyone who is hurting or has been for a while… when you see anyone who is at the end of their rope and has tried every other treatment… refer them to a chiropractor. Kindness is giving help to those who need it, and if you cannot provide that help yourself, refer them to someone who can. Chiropractors are well trained, and there are many excellent individuals out there who can assist anyone you send them. So offer a gift of kindness to those who need a healthier lifestyle -- refer them to a chiropractor.

What is a Naturopath?
A Naturopath is a doctor whose goal is to achieve balance in the body so health may be restored and maintained. Therapy of a Naturopath involves the use of modalities that are non-toxic and non-invasive working with the body to strengthen and heal itself naturally. A Naturopath does not diagnose or use drugs. However, the doctor acknowledges the benefit of medical science and supports patients who are under the care of medical doctors by working as a partner in their wellness treatment.

What is Medical Massage?
It is a one hour massage session that focuses on relieving stress in the body or interference that may be causing pain in the body. The massage may be specialized for specific areas or may be a full body massage if stress relief is the primary need for the session. Gentle electronic acupuncture, essential oils or B.E.S.T. therapy may be used during the session to accomplish the patient's health goal for their medical massage.
(A doctor's prescription is required for any massage if you have been in an auto accident or are recovering from a workman's comp injury.)

What is a Half-Hour Massage?
A fully clothed massage session for stress-relief, area-specific problems, or headaches. Patient will be asked to sit or lie depending on the therapy needed.

What is Electro-Acupuncture?
It is a needle-less, painless, symptom-specific treatment using a "Pointer Plus" electronic device on acupuncture points. Electro-acupuncture is used for 5 to 10 seconds at each point making the treatment take only minutes. The purpose of electro-acupuncture is to use the body's own energy to promote healing.

What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are oils derived from living plants. They may be used to support healing or aid in pain relief. Patients who have allergies, are toxic, are sensitive to inhalants, or consume the traditional American diet causing a pH blood imbalance may not be able to use essential oils.