The time comes and you are considering going to a chiropractor. You are having soreness or are doing great and looking for someone to keep you feeling that way. You type in the search “chiropractor” and a bunch of different options pop up. How do you decide who to see?
The chiropractic field can vary quite a bit on the type of care you will receive, treatment time, frequency of treatment, philosophy behind the care they provide, or how long of a time period you will need to be seen for care. That can be confusing if you have not been to a chiropractor before.
The easiest way to explain why there is so much variation is to think of just searching the term medical doctor and seeing what shows up. If you are not specific on a specialty you will also get a long list and it won’t be very helpful. Chiropractors tend to have different specialties and that is why the type of care will vary from clinic to clinic.
So, the question remains, how do you decide who to see? Some questions to ask yourself are what are:
- What is your main reason for wanting to set up that appointment?
- Do you want to do wellness care?
- Are you looking for injury help?
- Are you pregnant and needing help to feel better during pregnancy?
- Do you have a family with kids and want a family practice setting?
- Are you more athletic and looking for someone that understands that?
Once you have an idea of what type of care you are looking for the next question is:
- Are there any specific types of therapy you are wanting?
- Do you only want to be adjusted?
- Are you looking for stretching, deep tissue, strength training, acupuncture, massage therapy, or nutritional help?
The chiropractic field tends to have two main options.
- Adjustments only. The adjustment is typically the main tool for care and the appointments tend to be short in duration and more frequent.
- Adjustments and other types of therapy along with the adjustment. These appointments take a little longer, but you may be seen less often over the course of time.
Once you narrow down what type of chiropractor you think will fit your needs best, I recommend looking at the Google Reviews for that clinic to see what patient experiences have been. I also recommend calling the clinic or reviewing their website to look into what type care/therapies they provide.
The best option is to ask friends, family, co-workers, or people you trust who they recommend and how their experience was. They will be able to explain what type of care they received, and you will be able to make a better decision if that clinic is right for you.
The main goal in choosing a chiropractor, or any other health care provider, is to find someone that matches your needs well. Chiropractor care usually involves more than one appointment and you want to see someone that makes sense for you. Some people are very busy and like the convenience of quick appointments, and others want someone to spend more time with them.
I hope this helps make your decision easier if you are considering looking for a chiropractor.
