Chiropractic is a profession that covers a wide variety of practices and techniques. This can make it hard for you to pick the practitioner that is most compatible for you and why you need to see them. It is important you know how to find a good chiropractor.
Since chiropractic practices involve mostly hands-on procedures, you should consider both the reputation of the chiropractor and their treatment styles.
Getting To Know Your Chiropractor
Before you start your treatment, it’s best to have an in-office consultation or phone interview with the practitioner you’re thinking of booking with. This is so you can learn about their techniques, clinic, and chiropractic philosophies in general. You should also check out whether their schedule works with yours and how often they suggest you visit them. Usually, a reputable chiropractor will request an appointment to discuss these details.
Here are some examples of important questions to ask yourself at the first meeting with a chiropractor:
- Is the chiropractor acting friendly and respectful?
- Do I feel comfortable talking with them?
- How many years have they been in practice?
- Would I feel comfortable with the practitioner’s treatments and practices they are describing?
These questions ensure you have a good gut feeling about working with the practitioner and whether you’ll be happy working closely with them. With this information, you’ll be able to find a good chiropractor in your area. Finding a good chiropractor will also make you want to visit them more often.
What is Your Chiropractor’s Reputation?
A practical first step when setting out to pick a good chiropractor is to get your primary care physician’s recommendations. You could also ask a physical therapist for any chiropractors they view as trustworthy. For example, you could ask: “If you needed to visit a chiropractor, who would you recommend?” Many medical professionals should be able to make an appropriate recommendation.
You could also ask your friends, neighbors, or co-workers about chiropractic clinics that they have visited. Their recommendations can be valuable, but their definitions of the best chiropractic care may vary from yours. Typically, if you get suggestions about the same chiropractor from multiple people, they are likely to be reliable.
As with many other businesses, you should look at their office’s reviews on Google, Yelp, and similar websites. These sources may have details about chiropractic philosophies or chiropractor practices you wouldn’t expect when you need to find a good practitioner. Sometimes, even a good chiropractor in your area can have patients with negative experiences.
What is Your Chiropractor’s Educational Background?
To feel most comfortable with your chiropractor, you should trust their educational background. One thing you should consider is whether they have a post-graduate or undergraduate specialty. While this isn’t necessary, some chiropractors have pursued programs in areas such as orthopedics and sports medicine that might be relevant to you. You can learn this by researching or asking them directly.
While the majority of chiropractor practices are reliable, some may have chiropractic philosophies that are questionable. These are some examples of techniques to be wary of:
- The chiropractor says they are the only ones that can perform this new treatment.
- They say they can cure severe chronic conditions like asthma or heartburn.
- The same types of chiropractic practices are used for every patient, no matter the condition of the patient.
- The same types of treatment are continuously recommended with no end goal in sight.
If you visit a practitioner’s office and experience any of the above, it may be time to get a second opinion. When you’re looking for a good chiropractor, suspicious techniques should not be a part of the process.
Questions to Ask About Their Techniques
When you are looking to find a good chiropractor, it is important to have a basic understanding of the techniques they use. This way, you’ll be able to assess if there is an appropriate patient-practitioner relationship. Here are some examples of questions to ask yourself after the first visit with your practitioner:
- What techniques do they use, and why are these used? Since most chiropractors know a range of techniques, they will choose the ones best suited for each patient’s condition.
- Does the practitioner use an instrument or their hands for spinal manipulation?
- How experienced is the chiropractor in treating problems similar to my condition?
- Do they like to use low-force adjustments or deeper, popping ones?
After you ask these questions, you may even find yourself researching more information on specific chiropractic techniques. By doing this, you’ll avoid questionable practitioners and receive the best quality of care. When it comes to how to choose a good chiropractor, research is the most important part.
Contact Us
Every patient deserves a chiropractor with the knowledge of techniques that are fitting for them. If you’re located in the Sacramento area and are searching for a great chiropractor, contact Sunrise Chiropractic today!
