What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a specialty which focuses on restoring normal muscle and joint movement; problems at either of these areas can lead to issues such as low back and neck pain.  is a profession built on the foundation that the spine houses much of your central nervous system and therefore even minor motion deficits in your spine can affect your overall health and wellness.  Chiropractors utilize a broad spectrum of techniques to manage their patients’ overall health with the most prevalent technique being spinal manipulation.  This technique is performed by manually introducing a high velocity-low force thrust in a specific direction to correct the faulty joint motion pattern.  Chiropractic is widely accepted as a safe and effective practice for many health problems, including back and neck pain.

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Chiropractors are trained in reading diagnostic imaging (including X-ray, CT and MRI) and lab work.  Chiropractors commonly perform hands-on therapies, provide nutritional counseling and supplementation, prescribe therapeutic exercises and perform physiotherapy (including various types of pain management).  It is the goal of the Chiropractic profession to provide a safe and effective alternative to drugs and surgery whenever possible so that our patients can live a life of optimal health without excessive side effects.

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Why choose Chiropractic care?​

Chiropractic care is a unique form of healthcare; we address the patient’s complaint from a whole-body stand point.   Chiropractic treatments are considered much less invasive than the medical approach of drugs with countless side effects and interactions and potentially dangerous, costly and ineffective surgical procedures. Your Chiropractor may recommend the use of certain nutritional supplements as your nutrition status directly relates to your overall well-being and pain level.  Chiropractic care is accepted as both a safe and effective form of treatment with limited to no side effects and has proven itself in countless studies as being just as effective as or more effective than the medical course of treatment for many musculoskeletal complaints.  It is our belief that most patients should try Chiropractic treatments for musculoskeletal complaints before traditional medicine as it has proven its safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness.  If Chiropractic treatments do not improve your complaint after a course of care, we may refer the patient to another provider that may be able to help you with your complaints.





Once I see a Chiropractor, do I have to keep going?

No, absolutely not.  We think you will choose to continue going once you experience how you feel afterwards, but the choice is always the patients.  Another key element of Chiropractic care is patient education.  The more you understand about how Chiropractic care can positively affect your health, the more likely you are to make the decision to continue treatments in order to maintain your optimal health.





I can “crack” my own neck/back.  Why should I have you do it for me?



There are several reasons why this is not a good idea.  Typically when you “crack” your own neck, you are doing more harm than good.  Certain segments of your spine become dysfunctional meaning you feel the need to “crack” your own neck. However, when you perform non-specific “cracks”, you are generally moving the joints above and below the actual dysfunctional joint, as these spinal levels become more mobile to compensate for the dysfunction.  This in turn alerts local muscle tissues that there is too much movement in the region and causes muscle spasms in the area to prevent injury, creating further joint restrictions.  An adjustment to a specific joint is required to restore proper movement to the area.  In many circumstances it is this muscle tightening that causes you to feel the need to “crack” your neck multiple times per day.  This should subside after the corrections have been made and the surrounding soft tissue dysfunction has been addressed by the Chiropractor.





Is Chiropractic care covered by my insurance?

It depends on which insurance you have and if your Chiropractor has chosen to accept reimbursements from your insurance company.  Greece Chiropractic has chosen to become participating members with most of the insurance companies that are prevalent in our area.  Even if Chiropractic care isn’t covered by your insurance company (or we have chosen not to accept them); Chiropractic care is still very affordable without insurance.  A typical visit costs around $40.





Do I need X-rays to be treated by a Chiropractor?

Most of the time, we do not require films to be taken, unless there was significant trauma (i.e. car accident, falls, etc.) or if our initial exam indicates that films should be taken in order to properly diagnose and treat the patient.  If this is the case, we will then order X-rays.  We have an agreement with New York Chiropractic College (both Dr. West and Dr. Richardson’s alma mater) to have films taken at their Jefferson Rd. location.  Films are reasonable priced if they are not covered by your insurance.  If you have already had X-rays of your spine taken within the past 3 years, we may ask to see them.





Is Chiropractic safe during my pregnancy?



There is no evidence that shows there are any contraindications to pregnant women receiving Chiropractic care.  Typically Chiropractors will alter their treatment plans to cater to the pregnant patient, but overall the treatments are safe for both the mother and the unborn child.  We understand that the woman’s body changes in various ways during the course of their pregnancy and some of these changes will affect the way we adjust the spine.  Pregnant patients typically have a fair amount of neck, back and pelvic discomfort and we are trained to provide safe, non-invasive therapies to our pregnant patients..





Is Chiropractic care safe even after I’ve had back/neck surgery?

Chiropractic care can help most patients make a better and faster recovery from many types of spinal surgery.  Chiropractors are trained to be mindful of areas that have previously undergone surgical intervention.  Many people are actually able to avoid surgery in the first place with regular Chiropractic care, but if you have undergone surgery we would be more than happy to assist you in a recovery from your surgical intervention.





Is eating healthy really that important?

 

The old saying “you are what you eat” is not far from the truth. The foods and nutrients that we eat can be found within and used throughout the body; so if we don’t eat them then our bodies can’t use them.

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Can what I eat affect my pain?

What you eat directly affects your pain. Certain nutrients help to battle inflammation which is the root cause of pain.

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