Don't Break Your Back: How to Find a Chiropractor That You Trust
Don't Break Your Back: How to Find a Chiropractor That You Trust
Finding someone to take care of your spine and neck is important. Here is how to find a chiropractor you trust when you back and neck are stiff.
Keyword(s): find a chiropractor
Have you been experiencing chronic pain? You’re not alone. In fact, nearly 20% of American adults have chronic pain.
You’ve probably considered everything from over the counter medications to surgery in an attempt to ease your pain and get back to your normal life. When other pain management techniques just aren’t working, you may want to see a chiropractor.
But, just like with any type of medical professional, you’re going to be putting a lot of trust into your chiropractor. So, you’ll want to ensure you find the right one.
Do you want to know how? Keep reading to learn our tips to help you find a chiropractor that’s right for you.
Ask for Referrals
Simply Googling local chiropractors will likely yield numerous results. You may begin to feel overwhelmed at the idea of researching each of these chiropractors before you find the right one.
But to make things easier, start by asking for referrals. Your doctor is a great person to ask as they likely know a few great chiropractors.
If you have friends or family members that have seen a chiropractor, ask who they went to. You can trust your loved ones to give you an honest review.
Check with Your Insurance Company
After asking around, you’ll likely be left with an easier list to manage. But before you get too attached to one chiropractor, you’ll want to make sure they work with your insurance.
Many insurance policies have a search function on their website that will allow you to see participating chiropractors. Make sure all your potential chiropractors are on this list. If you only got one or two referrals, this is a great chance to add some more possibilities to your list.
If your insurance doesn’t have an easy search function, you can also call prospective chiropractors and ask if they accept your insurance. Cross off any who don’t, so you won’t have to worry about paying out-of-pocket for treatment.
Check Their Credentials
You wouldn’t trust a doctor that doesn’t have a medical license, would you? Chiropractors work to readjust your spine, which can be dangerous if not done correctly. For that reason, chiropractors are required to have a license to practice.
Healthgrades.com is a great resource that will let you search for chiropractors and other health care professionals. You can see where they went to school, their certifications, what they specialize in, and if there have been any malpractice claims or disciplinary actions.
The site is easy to search, so you can quickly check the credentials for all of your potential chiropractors. You can also search state websites to find this information.
Look at Online Reviews
Whether you're searching for a chiropractor or buying a new pair of shoes, online reviews are a great source to help you make a decision. Ideally, you should choose someone with at least 4 stars on Google.
Be sure to read through both the good and bad reviews. This should help give you insight on their communication style, wait time, customer service, and the office environment.
You will likely come across a few negative reviews that may seem awful. However, keep in mind that there will always be at least one disgruntled customer, no matter how good of a chiropractor they are. Take these negative reviews with a grain of salt but be wary if many people are complaining about the same thing.
After checking out their online reviews, you can feel free to cross some of the lower-rating chiropractors off your list. You should be left with only 2 or 3 potential chiropractors at this point.
Look at Their Experience
While having the most experience doesn’t always equate to the best chiropractor, having a lot of experience is a good sign. If they’ve been in business for several years, it means they likely have plenty of happy customers that keep returning.
Experience also means that they have likely helped people with various conditions, so they’ll be able to cater treatment to you and your specific problem areas.
The best place to check for experience is their website. Most chiropractors will have an “About” section that will mention experience. If you don’t see it mentioned, they may be new to the game.
Set Up a Consultation
After completing all of the previous steps, you should be able to narrow your list down to your top choice and your second choice. Once you know who is on top, set up a consultation to put them to the test.
Make sure you ask if they are accepting new patients when you call. You may also want to ask how long it takes to get an appointment. When you suffer from chronic pain, you’ll want a chiropractor that has time to make regular appointments with you to better manage your pain.
It’s important to find a chiropractor that you feel comfortable with, so be sure to set up an in-person consultation. Take note of the chiropractor as well as the office staff.
Is everyone friendly and accommodating? How long was the wait? Is the chiropractor able to answer all your questions?
These are all things that can help you determine if this chiropractor is the right fit. Remember, if you’re going to be seeing them regularly, you won’t want to deal with long wait times or unfriendly front desk workers every week.
Find a Chiropractor That You Can Trust
There are so many practicing chiropractors to choose from. But they won’t all be the right fit for you. Luckily, from asking for referrals to scheduling in-person consultations, there are plenty of ways to find a chiropractor that you’re comfortable with.
Are you ready to find a trustworthy and friendly chiropractor to help ease your pain? Then set up a free consultation with us today to see if we're the right for it you.
