‘My aching back’ is something people might just say in stride, but for others, it is a genuine physical problem. Back pain is a common problem that can affect anyone at any age. Backaches are one of the most common reasons why people seek professional help, often to alleviate pain or, in some cases, get rid of it completely depending on what has caused it.
Lower back pain is common. It could be from heavy lifting, maintaining a bad posture, or engaging in other activities such as high impact sports that result in muscle and spine injury. When the spine is misaligned, it can cause pain, affect movement, or impair nerve function. There are a host of reasons why you might be suffering from back pain in general.
Including spinal manipulation, a chiropractic practitioner uses various methods of non-surgical treatments to treat your back pain. People who have attended sessions with their chiropractor will swear by it. An effective chiropractor will often have a functional, individual treatment method designed only for you which is what makes treatments so helpful.
Just as dealing with anyone practicing healthcare, you want to know what to expect. To know what to expect, you need to ask the right questions. So here are some of the right questions to ask when visiting a chiropractor for the first time.
What techniques do you use?
There are around 100 named techniques that are used. Some chiropractors employ forceful manipulation of the spine, while others take a gentler approach over time. For example, the Gonstead approach is a treatment used by My Back Relief Clinic where the focus is meant to be as specific, precise, and accurate as possible. It addresses only the problem areas, rather than working on the entire spine.
How many sessions will I need?
Most of the time, you might get the answer, ‘it depends’. But there are certain clinical guidelines that will help determine a more or at least less vague answer. You could have improved function and less pain within 12 -18 visits. This is not a golden rule, but if the answer is way above or way lower than this average amount of visits, consider finding another chiropractor.
Have you treated this kind of condition before; what’s the success rate?
This is a two-part question, the first half giving you an insight into their experience. You should know, for example, that not all chiropractors can help in sports injuries, while others might specialize in it. Not all treat children, while others do. If around 15% of the patients have the same case as you, then that’s a good start. If they say they’ve resolved patient issues 100%, it could be true, or it might need further questioning.
What are your credentials?
Experience isn’t everything. You also want someone who has academic credentials as well. This is your spine, and the practitioner must have a background from accredited areas of study.
Image Source:https://images.pexels.com/photos/275768/pexels-photo-275768.jpeg
Feeling at ease
If you’re not satisfied with the answers given to you, then find someone else. And definitely look up reviews and ask around, reputation does play a vital role. Sometimes there are no wrong or right answers, but there are wrong and right explanations given to you. When you understand more, you will feel more at ease during your sessions.