If you aren't familiar with chiropractic care, it can seem a little scary! With the famous TikTok accounts and media buzz, there are some common misconstrues we see regarding our chiropractic care. Here are some of our most popular questions we get asked as chiropractors!
What is the popping sound?
Without getting too science-y, the pops, or 'cavitations' are nothing more than gas being released from a joint while moving. The joints we adjust are 'synovial', meaning they are a fluid spilled space within the joint capsule. This noise occurs when this gas gets rapidly separated, causing the cracking sound. While most people feel more release when they hear or feel the cracking, it is not 100% necessary for the adjustment to be successful. Sometimes we can feel the movement behind our hands without hearing the pop. And this is okay! And NO, popping your knuckles and joints do not cause arthritis!
Can you adjust more than my spine?
Duh! Extremity adjustments are so much fun. Some common joints we adjust outside of your spinal joints include:
Feet + Ankles
Ribs (Your rib joints with your thoracic spine)
Hips
Shoulders + Elbows
Hands + Wrists
So, YES, more than just your spine!
Can you help with more than just neck and back pain?
DUH X2! We treat the whole body. Muscles, ligaments, tendons, you name it. Everything flows together. Your neck issue may be causing your shoulder pain, or your shoulder issue may be causing your neck pain. For a full list of conditions we treat, click HERE!
You can help with my muscle pain?
Outside of adjustments, we do do a lot of muscle therapies. These include muscle scraping, dry needling, cupping, stretches, and others. We believe that you need to treat not only the joint, but the surrounding areas. So while you may come in for muscle pain, don't be surprised if we also adjust the surrounding areas to help your joints move better. And vice versa... don't be surprised if you have low back pain, that we also work on your hip muscles, etc. Check out our muscle therapies HERE!
So... Do I have to keep coming back for forever?
Only if you want to! Our treatments come in two waves. First, we help treat you in office. Next, we make an 'at home plan' to help keep your pain from returning and improving your function. This includes stretches, exercises, referrals, or whatever you need. Now, some people feel best coming in the office for reoccurring treatments, while others feel like the at home treatments are good enough. And both are fine! So while short answer, no, you don't have to keep coming back for forever, but in all honestly, some people want to! They feel best when they get their maintenance adjustments and muscle work. We promise to be a non-pressured environment, so while we have our recommendations, it is completely up to you how often/how consistent you receive treatment after your initial treatment plan.
How long is it going to take for me to get better?
If we could tell you right away how long it's going to take, I'd be rich! But everyone responds differently! Just how every body is different. Based on our years of clinical experience and expertise, we can estimate, based on previous cases, how we can expect your rate of healing to go. But at the end of the day, everyone responds differently to care. This is why here at Woodland, we don't have a set number of treatments planned out, because we want to be continually checking in and changing your plan based on your rate of healing. If you made me give you an answer, we have seen that most people feel some significant healing in 4-6 visits, but to be 90% better depends on your body, your rate of healing, your compliance with treatment plans, and a lot of other factors.
I don't like to be popped, can you still help me?
Of course! We understand that it can be a little scary. It is safe and effective, but at the end of the day, you are in control of what happens to your body. Because of this, we offer lower force adjustments, that include tools, the Activator and Arthrostim, and Thompson Drops. We can also alter our adjusting force to your preference. In addition, our muscle therapies would be a great fit for those who prefer not to be adjusted, as well as guided stretching and other manual therapies.
Is Chiropractic safe?
Short answer, it is very safe! Here is why. For starters, we perform a very thorough exam, where we may or may not order x-rays, and we do our due diligence to rule out any red flags. Adjustments themselves are indeed very safe. We only perform them if we a) can see that your body can handle the adjustment, b) that you are not showing any signs of something serious, like a stroke, and c) you are not at risk for any complications. There are barely a handful of complications a year from adjustments (all over the world), and the majority comes from a chiropractor who either adjusted someone they shouldn't have, adjusted them in an extreme way, or the person was showing signs of a complication beforehand that they did listen to. At the end of the day, you do get to decide if you would like to be adjusted or not, and how, which is why we offer different styles and forms of adjusting.
What kind of training does a chiropractor receive?
In the state of Kansas, you are required to have a bachelors degree, followed by a doctorate degree from an accredited school. That is 4 years of undergrad, and 3.5 years of a doctorate. The doctorate program alone is over 4,500 hours of coursework, and in addition requires thousands of hours of clinical hours. While not 100% as in depth as medical school courses, chiropractic school closely follows almost the exact coursework and guidelines as most medical schools. In addition to graduating, you are required to pass Part I, II, and III of an online national board exam, Part IV of an in-person clinical exam, your school's OSCS (clinical exams), as well as the national board of physiotherapy. So yes, it is a little extra schooling!!
Have more questions? We would be more than happy to answer us! Here is our CONTACT page, where you can ask us anything regarding chiropractic!