FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Chiropractic is a natural healthcare profession with its basis in the function of the nervous system. Primarily, it is a non-drug therapy intended to treat the source of the pain in an effort to improve mobility – rather than mask symptoms to provide a false sense of recovery.
Specifically, Chiropractors consider the function of your nervous system and how it’s influences the rest of your body. For example, your nervous system has a considerable amount of control over your hormones; thought patterns; and bodily functions – with genetics also playing a significant role. As the nervous system is influenced by the body’s musculoskeletal system, imbalances in your joints, bones or muscles will influence the way you’re nervous system functions, thus having a direct effect on your health.
Chiropractic is often regarded as a ‘pain relieving’ therapy, but it is much more than that. When you consider that pain is the conclusive indicator to bodily disorder (i.e. tooth ache = exposed nerve due resulting from increasing tooth decay) it makes sense to apply therapeutic treatment during the early stages of a condition or better yet, as a means of preventative treatment.
WILL TREATMENT HURT?
For the vast majority of the time – no, treatment will not hurt. The high-velocity/ low amplitude adjustments used are often more pain relieving than anything else. Some post treatment discomfort may be experienced, but mores so just from the after effect of having an already inflamed and painful area treatment by manipulation or pressure point therapy. Essentially, patients will leave a treatment session feeling improved.
DO I NEED A DOCTOR’S REFERRAL?
Whilst you may benefit from discussing your musculoskeletal health needs with a doctor, you do not require a doctors referral - and can contact us directly to book an appointment.
CAN I GET CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT FOR PREGNANCY RELATED ISSUES?
Yes, in fact Chiropractors have been renowned for treating lower back pain in pregnant patients. Most women suffer will experience lower back pain in the final trimester of pregnancy, and immediately post pregnancy. This is due to not only the hormonal changes that affect joint laxity (suppleness), but also because of the shifting weight balance to the front of the body. Any postural problems that were asymptomatic (not noticed) prior to pregnancy, will now have been exacerbated from your body’s altered dynamics.
The techniques used on pregnant patients are gentle, focused and purposeful – and will be different to the techniques used on non-pregnant patients. Contact is mostly done to the tendons & joints at places such as the inner pelvic region – but never to the unborn baby itself – this isn’t necessary. – —– Chiropractic care has been rumoured to assist the unborn baby reach its optimal position – which in addition to an optimally functioning spine, may assist in a less complicated birth.
CAN I BE TREATED WHILE TAKING ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATION, MUSCLE RELAXANTS, OR OTHER PAIN RELIVING MEDICATION?
Pain medications often have their place in the short term/acute management of an injury, for the sake of reducing the immediate/ raw symptoms that follow a traumatic injury. In other cases however, patients can opt to take prescribed medications as the actual treatment itself – which only masks the pain and puts them at risk of further injury if they are unable to judge their body’s limitations.
Prolonged use of pain medications can have an adverse effect on other organs like the liver, kidneys and gastro-intestinal tract – which over time can resulting in more significant long term ailments.
Chiropractors however are realists, and appreciate that some patients will require pain-relieving medications or muscle relaxants – if symptoms are severe, and in that regard, patients do undergo Chiropractic treatment whilst they are taking medications. Admittedly, pain relieving, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medication may be a necessary in cases where symptoms are severe – just so the patient can tolerate physical contact at all.
WHAT TYPES OF HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU ACCEPT?
We are registered providers with all the major private health insurers, as well as a number of lesser known boutique insurers. This means you can swipe your private health card on the day of treatment to claim your rebate, and only have to pay the outstanding gap. Please note, that on occasion some private health insurers are undergoing software updates and other external processes that can interrupt the electronic claiming process. On these occasions patients will need to pay the full fee to our clinic, and then approach their insurer to personally request the allocated refund.
DO I NEED A DOCTOR’S REFERRAL?
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HOW IS CHIROPRACTIC DIFFERENT TO PHYSIOTHERAPY?
Chiropractic healthcare was formulated in the United States by DD Palmer & BJ Palmer, who performed their first ‘adjustment’ on a patient who was experiencing hearing loss. The treatment itself involved the manipulation of the patient’s upper cervical spine, which is reported to have made his hearing spontaneously return.
The profession has since developed to be the second largest means of healthcare sought, with the first being ‘Medicine’. Chiropractic originated from the ideology that an optimally functioning nervous system is key to overall optimal health.
Chiropractic was once considered a therapy primarily focused on bone & joint health – exclusively; but it is much more than that. Chiropractic is best described as a healthcare profession that utilises techniques on both joints and muscle tissue to encourage better performance of the nervous system.
Whilst there may be some overlap with how Physiotherapists and Chiropractors treat; the techniques and philosophy are different. Also, Chiropractors are required to complete a 5-year Double Degree qualification.
COULD MY BONES BREAK OR DISLOCATE?
No, each joint in the body is capable of being manipulated to some degree (some easier than others). When an ‘adjustment’ is performed, a popping sound will often result which just gas is dissolving in the synovial fluid of a joint – not bone cracking as such. The ‘dissolving’ action sends a signal to the spinal cord telling the joint & muscle to ‘release’. When a joint and muscle release from spasm the pain decreases and nerve function improves (as it is not longer blocked or bottlenecked). Over the long term, maintaining optimal nerve function will assist cartilaginous bone and nervous tissue to be less irritates and inflamed.
HOW LONG DO THE SESSIONS LAST?
Some patients do not require warming up and are quite easily adjusted. Most Chiropractors will however do some stretching or soft tissue therapy to loosen the patient up prior to an adjustment. At our clinics we find soft tissue techniques to be quite useful in relaxing a patient so the adjustment is easier and less forceful.
We acknowledge that every patient responds differently to Chiropractic care, which is why one treatment method will not suit every patient. Every patient responds differently and as such one method will not suit everyone. Chiropractors are trained in numerous techniques and we adapt our treatment to suit the patient’s medical history and tolerance to musculoskeletal therapy.