How To Choose The Best Huntsville Chiropractor
When you're in pain, you need to know you're going to get the best possible treatment. Here are some tips on how to choose the best Huntsville chiropractor.
More than 50% of US adults have suffered from back or neck pain for five years or more.
The good news is that there is something you can do about it. The American College of Physicians recommends spinal adjustment as a method of treating back pain.
If you're looking for a chiropractor to help with your pain, you'll want to find the best possible treatment available.
Read on as we look at some handy tips for how to choose the best Huntsville chiropractor.
Reviews and Referrals
The best way to get an opinion you can trust is to ask friends and family.
If you know anyone who has visited a chiropractor, they will be able to tell you how good the treatment was and how comfortable they felt. And most importantly, whether the treatment was effective.
If you don't know anyone who can refer you, then take a look at online reviews. This will be a useful guide, but remember to take the most extreme reviews with a grain of salt.
Do They Have the Required Credentials?
Another important thing you will need to check is that they have all of the required credentials to practice as a chiropractor.
The educational and licensing requirements for chiropractors are very strict. Doctors should have completed a nationally accredited four-year graduate program that includes over 4,000 hours of teaching, labs, and internship.
You are well within your rights to ask for evidence if you are unsure about your chiropractor's qualifications.
How Busy Are They?
If you call your chiropractor or visit them in person, it will give you an idea of just how busy their practice is.
If you are the only person in the waiting room and are always able to get straight through when you call them, then this may be a sign that they don't have that many patients. This could be for a number of reasons, such as only having recently opened. But a lack of patients could also be a sign that their service isn't the best.
Conversely, if you can never get through to reception when you call and find it hard to schedule an appointment, then it may be that they are a little too busy for your needs. The last thing you want is to be unable to seek treatment when you really need it.
What Techniques Do They Use?
One of the key things you will want to answer is what treatments your chiropractor offers.
Most good chiropractors will clearly set out on their website exactly what treatments are available. If you're still not sure after reading through their site, it's best to give the practice a call. That way you can get the most accurate information on their services.
Do They Make You Feel Comfortable?
If you're going to have treatment, you'll want it to be somewhere that you feel comfortable.
Good-quality chiropractors will offer a free consultation. This is a great opportunity to visit the practice and see if it is somewhere you feel at ease. Are the reception staff welcoming? Do they keep you well-informed?
And most importantly, do you feel comfortable with the person who will be performing your treatment? If you answer "no" to any of these questions, it may well be worth looking elsewhere.
What Is Their Treatment Plan?
If you do have a free consultation, this is the time to ask what your treatment plan would be.
You should expect to receive an appropriate examination, a clear and accurate diagnosis of the cause of your pain, and an outline of what your treatment will involve. If a chiropractor does not offer you these things, then they are unlikely to be the best choice.
If their only concern is to get you in for treatment without looking at the underlying causes of your problems, then they're not doing their job properly.
Do They Offer Additional Treatments?
Back and neck pain are difficult problems to deal with, and there may be additional treatments that could be of benefit to you.
Find out what else is offered. Treatments such as massage, nutritional counseling, ultrasound, laser therapy, and cryotherapy can all help to alleviate back pain when used in conjunction with spinal manipulation.
The aim is to not only remove or reduce the pain, but also treat the causes of that pain. If your chiropractor does not offer many other treatments, you may be better suited looking elsewhere.
How Much Do They Charge?
One of the deciding factors when choosing a chiropractor will be the cost.
But keep in mind that just because a doctor charges the most, that does not mean they are necessarily the best. At the other end of the spectrum, a practice with the lowest prices will not always offer the best quality either.
If you are concerned about payment, most good chiropractors will be able to help. They will be able to accept major health insurance plans. And they should also be able to offer payment plans to help you to spread the cost.
Warning Signs
Finally, there are some warning signs that you should look out for during your search.
If your chiropractor claims that they are offering a miracle technique that no one else can offer, this should set alarm bells ringing. If they recommend a course of ongoing treatment, with no proposed endpoint or goals to reach, then they probably have money rather than your wellbeing at heart.
And if they ask for substantial payment up front for a long period of treatment, then you would be better off looking for a different practitioner.
Are You Looking for a Huntsville Chiropractor?
If you're looking for a Huntsville chiropractor that you can trust, then we're here for you.
Millar Chiropractic Clinics is the largest group practice in Huntsville and was awarded the Best Chiropractor in Huntsville in 2018, 2017, and 2015. We have six clinics in the Huntsville area, including two specialty clinics. We have more than 200 five star ratings on Facebook and 300 on Google.
Request a free consultation today.
