As frustrating as it can be to drive in Greenville, North Carolina you want to take the time to search for what you want in a chiropractor. If you’re hungry there is always likely to be a gas station closer to you than a nice restaurant with good quality local food. Why then do we not stop for a week old sandwich and a hot dog? Because you know not only will it taste far worse but you’re likely to pay the price for it later as well.  How much more important is choosing a good chiropractor than a single meal. I’m not saying you should drive an hour one way for each chiropractic visit. It’s still important to find someone in an area that allows you to frequent their office. While not having to take a whole day off of work every visit, but just because someone is easy to get to does not mean they are worth going to.

Co-workers, friends and family members are a great resource for recommendations because they have no reason to market to you.   They can be honest and up front about their experience.   Ask them things that matter to you such as “bedside manner”, care, results and this will give you an idea of what your experience might be like. Make sure that they tell you WHY they would recommend a certain chiropractor.  No sense in going to a chiropractor you coworker loves because he gets you in and out in three minutes and never takes x-rays if you want a chiropractor that is more comprehensive in his examination and treatment.

Look for an office that truly caters to the patient by having reasonable hours of operation. Your life is busy.  Your health should not get pushed to the back burner.  We’ve all experienced the frustration of calling to schedule a doctor’s appointment and not being able to get in for another two weeks.  Many people assume that this is the case with every doctor’s office.

If you can’t find a chiropractor that has hours that can accommodate your schedule or that you don’t feel comfortable with for any reason, make sure to let them know and if need be find a different chiropractor. The relationship between you and your chiropractor is often a very important one that can last for decades. Keep the lines of communication open and don’t be afraid to get a consult from another chiropractor if you are unable to resolve any concerns that you have after communicating them.

Mistake #4: Quality Examination and Treatment

This is may seem self-explanatory but you would be mortified by how often this does not occur in the health industry much less a chiropractic office. An examination should be thorough and include things to find out what’s wrong and how well you function. Your chiropractor must do a quality examination to find out where and what the primary condition is that is causing the secondary problems (neck pain, mid back pain, low back pain, sciatica etc.) that brought you in to see him/her. If they don’t know what your primary condition is and the severity of it, they will not know the how to treat it. It should also be measured (x-rays, posture, questionnaires, etc.) and reproducible to ensure you are getting better and by how much.

It is also imperative that these results are clearly explained.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a patient tell me about a chiropractor that just sat them down in a chair and put on a video and left the room or spend maybe two minutes just telling them they have “subluxation” and “I’m going to fix it”.  You shouldn’t accept that from any doctor including your chiropractor. Be sure to ask for details about:

• What is wrong?
• Why there is a problem?
• How are they going to fix it?
  • if you are looking for a chiropractor who is structurally based and says the treatment is intended to correct and improve your spine by making it straight (looking from the front) or curved (looking from the side) be advised that this type of chiropractic treatment is much more comprehensive than receiving only adjustments and/or pain based therapies like STIM, Ultrasound etc.
• How long they expect it to take?

Make sure to think of and write down any other questions you may have to ask the chiropractor before you get to the office. Don’t just assume that every doctor or chiropractor is capable of giving you the quality of care that you want. Ask questions and find out. No chiropractors will have all the answers but if they can’t answer most of your questions then it may be time to find a different chiropractor.

Mistake #5: Homecare Strategies and Rehabilitation

Postural exercises, deep stretches and spinal remodeling via traction help improve strength, balance, and coordination of your spine and body will prevent symptomatic re-occurrences from happening in the future. It’s a mistake to not find a chiropractor that emphasizes on how to maintain correction from adjustments and care.

The chiropractic adjustment is often the most important and most powerful treatment for a spine with abnormal structural shift or abnormal motion. However, it is imperative to include postural exercises and spinal traction that are customized to your specific spinal needs. No two patients are the same.  The chiropractic adjustment allows for correction but objective and measurable improvement to any abnormal spinal shift are rare and not reproducible without additional postural exercises and traction being done both at home and in the office. Don’t just settle for pain based care only to have your primary condition go untreated.