How to Choose a Chiropractor That’s Right For You

Chiropractic care is a non-invasive and drug-free form of healthcare. It involves using gentle adjustments to the spine and other conservative manual therapies. Chiropractic care is known to provide relief from lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain. Chiropractic care can treat headaches as well as joint pain in the arms and legs. Chiropractic care aims to help heal your body naturally and promotes the proper function of the nervous system.

Making an informed decision

Whether you are selecting a chiropractor for the first time or if you’re a patient who has previously had chiropractic care, it is important to make an informed decision when choosing a chiropractor that is right for you. Recommendations, research, trust and experience are all important factors when selecting a chiropractor.

Ask for recommendations

Asking for recommendations when selecting any type of health care professional is always a wise decision. You can also call your health insurance provider and ask which chiropractors are in your area if you’re just starting your search. In most cases, your primary care physician already knows many types of doctors, including chiropractors. Another way to obtain recommendations that you can trust is to ask people from your circle of friends.

Many people feel comfortable creating a post on Facebook and asking for recommendations for chiropractors through their social network. This can often yield quick recommendations along with people even relating their experiences with the health care professional they are recommending. That said; be mindful of what information you share on your social networks, especially regarding your health.

Do your research

Searching on the web for chiropractors is a common way to discover nearby practices. Many chiropractors and chiropractic practices have websites and you can learn a lot about their treatment, services and even the chiropractors themselves. Most chiropractors’ websites will state how many years a chiropractor has been in practice along with information regarding their medical training and specialities.

You can also find reviews of chiropractors via online reviews on sites such as Google and Yelp. Often times your local newspaper or magazine may have “best of” or “readers’ choice” awards that may help you identify popular chiropractic practices in your area. Online reviews can be helpful in choosing a chiropractor that is right for you, but they shouldn’t be the only criteria you use.

Ask the chiropractor questions

As a patient, you should always feel comfortable with your health care provider. When searching for a chiropractor, you will want someone who is willing to educate you on your condition and explain how they can fix or help provide relief for your problem. You may want to contact a chiropractor or a member of their staff to have a brief conversation and gather more information.

Be sure to ask questions about treatments that the chiropractor and their practice offers. If you are seeking chiropractic care for pain relief, ask your chiropractor not only about immediate pain relief solutions, but also how the recommended treatment would improve or fix the structure of your spine as a long-term solution to your condition. Be sure to ask what types of health insurance coverage they accept.

Ask yourself questions

If you’ve reached out to a prospective chiropractor or member of their staff, reflect on your conversation to determine your comfort level if you were to choose their practice:

• Did the chiropractor strike you as friendly?
• Were you comfortable talking with the chiropractor?
• Did the chiropractor listen and allow you to fully describe your symptoms?
• Was the chiropractor receptive to any treatment concerns you presented?

Can your chiropractor help with your condition?

After your first meeting with your chiropractor, they should recommended a course of treatment and care for your condition. As a patient, you should not feel obligated to follow the chiropractor’s recommendations. Also, the chiropractor should not pressure you into making decisions about your treatment or payments for your treatment. If you are feeling pressured into making a decision or are not in agreement with the proposed chiropractic care, you should consider changing to another chiropractor.