If you’ve never needed it yourself, it can be confusing to understand what chiropractor care encompasses. Different practices offer different types of services, and some may provide a wider range of services than others. Because of these variables, it can be difficult or intimidating to explore chiropractic care without peace of mind about what it’s going to entail.
This blog will break down the services provided by a full-service chiropractor. We’ll explain what chiropractic care is in general, explore some benefits many patients receive, and explore bonus offerings many chiropractors offer on top of the traditional means of care.
According to records at the American Chiropractic Association, more than 35 million Americans are treated annually by chiropractors. It’s a very common practice, but who uses it and what does it mean?
What Is Chiropractic Care?
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) defines chiropractic care as “a profession that emphasizes the body’s ability to heal itself.” Generally speaking, it includes manual therapy like spinal manipulation, improving a patient’s range of motion, or performing certain exercises or physical tasks to either improve the body after an injury, surgery, or as a means of preventative care.
It’s a non-invasive form of care, unlike taking medication or undergoing surgery. Patients generally prefer this form of care to surgery or other medical procedures if they feel it is beneficial for them and they see improvement. Patients will generally visit a chiropractor weekly, biweekly, monthly, or periodically throughout the year depending on their condition or ailments.
What Are The Benefits of Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care comes with a slew of potential benefits. Depending on your condition, it may help you more or less than it can help others. It all depends on your goals, injury history, and where you’re at in your recovery. Some basic benefits of chiropractic care include:
- It can help manage chronic pain
- It can relieve headaches or migraines
- It can improve your posture
- It can improve your range of motion
- It can expand your flexibility
- It can treat neck or back injuries, like whiplash
- It can improve blood flow
- It can reduce your reliance on pain relievers or medication
- It’s noninvasive compared to surgery
- It’s more affordable than certain treatment options
- It can help athletic performance
- It can get you back to 100 percent
- It can reduce symptoms of arthritis or scoliosis
Additionally, chiropractors can help treat the following conditions:
- Those with arthritis or chronic pain
- Those recovering from car accidents
- Those with joint pain or dysfunction
- Those with stiff muscles or aches
- Those with sciatica
- Those with paralysis
- Those with a lack of energy
- Those with digestive issues
- Pregnant women
- Veterans
- And more
The good news is that most chiropractic care methods don’t have a downside. If you don’t like it after the first session, you can walk away early and explore other treatment options. But you may find after just a session or two that your quality of life has improved greatly.
What Does a Full-Service Chiropractor Offer?
Other than the normal range of motion exercises and physical treatments are seen in nearly every chiropractic office, some chiropractors offer even more options. Some of the most common treatment options of full-service chiropractors include:
- Acupuncture: an Eastern medical therapy that incorporates the use of thin needles to activate healing capabilities through a connected channel of energy throughout the body.
- Massage therapy: this helps to improve blood flow and positive muscle health, especially after an injury.
- Physical therapy: not to be confused with chiropractic care, physical therapy focuses on more than joints, bones, and ligaments, but takes a holistic, full-body functional approach over time.
- Spinal decompression: additional back and spine adjustments for those dealing with acute lower back pain or spinal issues like scoliosis.
- Hyperice: an innovative treatment option that allows you to experience ice treatment easily through an ice bath or technical icing technology therapy.
- Extended therapy and rehabilitation: for those who need a lengthier recovery campaign than most
The best chiropractic offices will offer some combination of these services to provide their patients with a well-rounded, holistic approach to improving their physical condition. Some might not need certain treatments that others do. That’s why chiropractors need to be scalable and tailor their treatment options to a patient’s specific needs.
Is Chiropractic Care Expensive?
Depending on your needs and required treatment options, your chiropractic care bill will look different. It also depends on how many sessions you attend throughout the month or year. Some offices provide free consultations and first appointments, but generally, it’s going to cost you a decent amount of money. You get what you pay for, so you don’t want the cheapest chiropractic care.
According to Forbes, it varies widely between $30 to $300, depending on what you need, the extent to which treatments you utilize, and if it’s a singular visit or the first of a series of visits. But in some cases, you can get the same results you’d see after an expensive surgery, which would no doubt cost more than chiropractic adjustments or care campaigns.
Most insurance companies cover chiropractic care when it’s medically necessary, but if you’re going on your own account, they may not. It all depends on your particular situation and treatment needs.
Conclusion
Chiropractic care is a beneficial treatment option for a variety of audiences. It doesn’t matter your age or injury history, a chiropractor can help get you back to 100 percent. This noninvasive care is popular nationwide and provides a slew of benefits to those recovering from injuries, suffering from chronic pain, looking for a better range of motion or performance, or those dealing with chronic issues like arthritis, scoliosis, sciatica, and more.
If you believe chiropractic care could help improve your quality of life, give it a try. It’s low risk and could lead to you feeling better than you thought possible. And it won’t set you back as much as other types of medical treatments might.
A full-service chiropractic could also recommend other treatment options depending on your situation and history, such as acupuncture or a lengthier physical therapy campaign.
