How To: 5 Tips for Choosing a Chiropractor

Choosing the right chiropractor, as with any medical professional care decision, can make a difference in your health in the New Year.  So Patch went right to a local source, Dr. Jonathan Amdur, our monthly columnist on health and nutrition, to get insight and tips on how to go about finding the right chiropractor for you and your family.

1. Tip one:  not all chiropractors are the same. Amdur explained that chiropractors help people in many different ways.  Some chiropractors specialize in sports injuries, children, seniors, neck or back pain, headaches, nutritional support, neurological conditions, stress management, exercise, health improvement.  So that mean you need to find a specialist to help with your particular health issue and ailment.

2. One of the biggest misconceptions that often leads patient to the wrong practitioner is that all chiropractors focus on pain relief alone. Many chiropractors specialize in musculoskeletal injuries such as whiplash, lower back pain and sciatica.  When you call a chiropractor you need to ask if they specialize or have had experience in treating the problem you suffering from.  If you are looking for quick relief and nothing more find out if that doctor provides that type of emergency/relief care. 

 3. Some chiropractors focus on vertebral subluxation/corrective care.  They locate and correct spinal misalignments that interfere with balanced nerve function in the body. This can result in pain but more importantly an abnormal response of the autonomic nervous system that controls most body responses.  This can lead to poor blood flow to organs and tissues or even abnormal organ response if left alone for a long time.  These chiropractors typically look at the body as a whole to help the person reach a level of optimal health.  This type of care typically takes longer than just a few visits to restore the spine to its proper position.  If you are looking for quick relief this may not be the office for you.  If you are looking for health improvement then this is for you.

4. If you are bringing your child to the chiropractor (and Amdur noted that many children respond very well to chiropractic care), find out if the office is experienced in pediatric chiropractic care.  The office should be kid friendly.  Don’t bring a young child to an office that doesn’t regularly care for children.  Common problems children are treated for include birth trauma, torticollis, scoliosis, asthma, frequent ear infections, and poor immune function.

 5. Inquire about the techniques used during sessions. Some chiropractors use very gentle techniques; so if you are nervous ask if they use non-force techniques that don’t necessarily require the “cracking” sound typically associated with chiropractic.  Most chiropractors know several non-force techniques specially suited for patients with osteoporosis, disc herniations, children, and post surgical patients.

Finally, remember that the first session should be a thorough examination should that includes xrays. This will help guide the chiropractor in determining what treatment you will need. If a practitioner says 'just come in and we will adjust you,' that is a clear warning signal the professional is not of the best quality.

Chiropractic is used as a treatment  by many people worldwide, but it's up to the patient to  decide how they want to incorporate chiropractic into their life and find the chiropractor that meets their particular needs, says Amdur.