Frequently Asked Questions in Raleigh NC

The benefits of chiropractic care include pain reduction, increase in mobility in the spine, joints and vertebrae for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions like, back pain, neck pain, headaches, car accident injuries, whiplash, carpal tunnel syndrome, Fibromyalgia, arthritis, sciatica, nerve pain, herniated discs and more.

Chiropractic adjustments work by restoring and mobilizing inflated and immobilized vertebrae in the spine. This has a pain reducing affect in the body.
Chiropractors are trained to know where to adjust and treat based on their education training which includes an 4 year undergraduate degree followed by a four year doctorate of chiropractic medicine degree.

Many wonder do Chiropractors really help? The answer is yes. Chiropractic is the third largest healthcare profession behind only Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy. An estimated 30 million people seek Chiropractic care each year.

Your Chiropractor may use different techniques that may not always produce a cracking or popping sound. Most of the time there will be an audible cracking sound in the joints after the chiropractic adjustment which is a combination of gasses being released in the joints and the vertebrae realigning together. However, the spine can still adjust without making a sound. Many Chiropractors use machines and instruments to adjust the spine that do not produce a cracking sound.

If a Chiropractor can’t crack your back it may be related to an underlying condition or the Chiropractor's experience or technique being used.

Again the cracking sound during a chiropractic adjustment is a combination of gasses being released in the joints and the vertebrae realigning and mobilzing together.

Yes, chiropractic care is covered under most insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield covers chiropractic care as does Cigna Health Insurance, Aetna Health Insurance, United Health insurance also covers Chiropractic care. Car insurances after a car accident will also pay for chiropractic care if medically necessary and related to the car accident.

In most cases there is no need to get chiropractic care covered by health insurance because most health insurances already cover chiropractic care.

A quick Google search of Chiropractors near me that take my insurance will provide a list of Chiropractors nearby that take your health insurance. At Carolina ChiroCare and Rehab we are Chiropractors that take Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and Aetna insurance. If your injuries were due to a car accident we will also file car insurance and accept treatment on an Attorney lien.

Chiropractic adjustments are generally considered safe. Chiropractors are trained in ruling out health conditions that are contraindications to getting a chiropractic adjustment. These conditions include cancer, fractures or a history of stroke.

A major study in 2007 found that the risk of injury after a chiropractic treatment was low to very low.

Thiel, H.W. et al (2007) Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine: a prospective national survey. [Online] Available from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17906581[Accessed 15 September 2016].

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is considered safe. Conditions like low back pain, sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome are common among pregnant females. Chiropractic care can also help pregnant females deal with pain in the hips and pelvis that occur during pregnancy. Some have questioned if chiropractic adjustments can cause a miscaraige. There currently is very little evidence to suggest that a chiropractic adjustment during pregnancy can cause a miscaraige. If you are pregnant make sure to tell your Chiropractor that you currently are pregnant. If you are pregnant and have early labor, vaginal bleeding, sudden onset of abdominal or pelvic pain, placenta previa, ruptured amniotic membranes, placenta abruption, ectopic pregnancy, or moderate to severe toxemia chiropractic care is not recommended.

Chiropractic care is not considered addicting like an opiate drug or smoking tobacco. However there can be a euphoric type of feeling after a chiropractic adjustment that some patients seek. This euphoric feeling is related to the release of chemicals in the body that are released after a chiropractic adjustment called Epinephrine and Norepinephrine. These chemicals are associated with pain relief and the feeling good after a long run often called a jogger's high.

Dopamine is also released in small amounts during a chiropractic adjustment and massage done by some Chiropractors. Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that makes us feel good. So to answer the question can you become addicted to the Chiropractor yes in some ways there can be an addictive quality but nothing like a known controlled substance or street drug. Having said this there are patients with underlying chronic conditions such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, chronic pain syndrome who do not get relief from their symptoms from most treatments except chiropractic care. These patients seek and require seeing their Chiropractor multiple times a week or month. How often should you get adjusted depends on your underlying medical conditions and your response to chiropractic treatment.

Is it safe to take your child to the chiropractor? Doctors of Chiropractic are trained in the treatment of children. Many Chiropractors have special certifications and educational backgrounds in treating children. Children who are heavily involved in athletics and sports seem to benefit the most from chiropractic care as there can be injuries associated with playing sports. Other parents seek out a Chiropractor for a crying toddler or baby for pediatric chiropractic adjustments.

For parents who are concerned about the cracking of the spine with their children many chiropractors use physical therapies such as soft tissue massage, stretches and exercises, ultrasound therapy and electrical muscle stimulation to control and modulate musculoskeletal pain. Chiropractors should co-manage and work with a child's Pediatrician at all times.

The research behind chiropractic care for behavioral issues like ADHD is inconclusive and parents should be cautious of Chiropractors claiming to fix behavioral issues in children.

Chiropractors must earn a doctor degree and go to school for 4 years of undergraduate degree followed by 4 years of a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree or D.C. Steps to become a Chiropractor also include passing four national boards and getting licensed in the state the Doctor chooses to practice. How much money a Chiropractor makes after going into practice depends on a number of factors mostly depending on a Chiropractor's experience treating patients vs. if he/she is the owner of their own clinic or works as an employee of a clinic.

Yes, patients who have had back surgery can still see a Chiropractor. Depending on the type of surgery the manual chiropractic adjustment may not be recommended. For instance If you have had a fusion surgery your Chiropractor should not perform a manual chiropractic adjustment. However, machine adjustment can be performed as well as physical therapies to help reduce pain. If you have had a discectomy surgery generally speaking your Chiropractor may be able to perform manual chiropractic adjustments.

Is it safe to use a Chiropractor after a fusion surgery? Yes but for gentler physical therapies like stretching strengthening exercises, massage, or laser therapy. Manual chiropractic adjustment should not be performed after a fusion surgery.

How long after surgery can you see a Chiropractor depends on many individual factors. There is no reason that someone shortly after surgery could not see a Chiropractor for gentle physical therapies like stretching and strengthening therapeutics, or electrical muscle stimulation to prevent weakening of back muscles. For manual chiropractic adjustment there should be a waiting period of around 6 months after surgery to consider receiving a manual chiropractic adjustment.

A chiropractic adjustment after a laminectomy may be a treatment option but speak to your surgeon and Chiropractor to know the risks versus the benefits to make an informed decision.

Chiropractors can recommend surgery as part of your treatment depending on your current conditions. Most chiropractors will work with a local surgeon in their area when surgery is recommended.

Once starting chiropractic care some benefits should be noticed from 1-4 weeks. This does not mean someone should be 100% improved but generally speaking there should be some noticed improvements in 1-4 weeks after starting treatment. If someone has been in an accident like a car accident injuries can take 6-8 weeks and up to several months to fully get back to normal.

How long it will take for chiropractic care to work can depend on several different factors like:

1. Age
2. Weight
3. General health and fitness level
4. How long the conditions has been a problem
5. What the actual conditions are
6. Other health consideration like smoking, diabetes or certain arthritis

How you will know if chiropractic is working is that you should notice your pain getting better. Improvements in ranges of motion, sleep, frequency and intensity of your complaints should all improve if chiropractic care is working. The Chiropractic adjustment usually lasts for 2-10 minutes.