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Greater Portland Chiropractic Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Chiropractic?
What does Chiropractic entail?
Is an adjustment painful?
What is the popping sound I sometimes hear when my chiropractor performs an adjustment?
Is chiropractic treatment available for children?
How long does an appointment take?
I’ve heard that once you start chiropractic care, you can never stop. Is this true?
Does my insurance cover chiropractic care?
Do I need a referral from my Primary Care Physician?
If I don’t have insurance, how much does chiropractic care cost?
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is hands-on approach to health care that includes the diagnosis, treatment and therapeutic rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system and the effects these systems have on a person’s general health. It is one of the safest, drug-free, non-invasive therapies available and is used most often to treat back pain, neck pain, pain in arm and leg joints, headaches and other neuro-muscular-skeletal complaints.
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What does Chiropractic entail?
A hands-on practice, the most common therapeutic procedure chiropractors use is “spinal manipulation” or a “chiropractic adjustment”. Neuromuscularskeletal injuries can occur as a result of a single event, such as lifting a heavy object improperly, or through repetitive stress, such as sitting in an awkward position over an extended period of time. As a result, tissues can become inflamed and “hypomobile” (having diminished function and restricted in their movement). A manipulation or adjustment restores joint mobility and, in effect, resolves pain and muscle tightness allowing injured tissue to heal. A painful condition can also cause referred pain and dysfunction in another area of the body. By treating these three main body systems, that being the nervous, skeletal and muscular systems, chiropractic care positively impacts general overall health and body function.
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Is an adjustment painful?
Most patients feel immediate relief following a treatment and some experience mild soreness or aching which typically fades within 12 to 24 hours. There may be some prolonged discomfort if muscles around the area affected have been significantly irritated. Cases of extreme injury can take longer to resolve as inflamed tissue requires time to heal and muscles which have been “frozen” are retrained.
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What is the popping sound I sometimes hear when my chiropractor performs an adjustment?
Inflamed and injured tissues undergo both physical and chemical changes. As a result of manipulation or an adjustment, gasses which have built-up in the tissue and/or joint are released. The “popping” sound is caused by the change in pressure with the release of these gasses.
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Is chiropractic treatment available for children?
Children, even infants, can benefit from chiropractic care. In fact, children respond quite well to chiropractic care. Children are normally very physically active and experience many falls and injuries in general. Chiropractic is a proactive way to correct early growth and movement issues as well as potentially reverse future adverse conditions resulting from untreated childhood injuries.
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How long does an appointment take?
The first visit to a chiropractor takes approximately an hour for examination and analysis of the patient’s particular condition. It includes an exam, x-rays and in most cases, a thermal spinal scan. The second visit includes explanation of the results of the initial exam as well as recommendation of a treatment protocol and also takes approximately an hour. Once the initial evaluation is completed, ongoing treatments and/or adjustments take approximately 10 to 15 minutes, with periodic short (10 to 15 minute) re-exams to evaluate treatment effectiveness and overall restorative progress.
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I’ve heard that once you start chiropractic care, you can never stop. Is this true?
No. Chiropractic care is proactive health care as well as restorative health care. Unfortunately, it is usually a painful condition that brings a person to a chiropractor. Over time as the painful condition is treated, muscles become retrained and tissues heal, a chiropractor will recommend monthly or even biyearly checkups. Just as you visit a dentist periodically to make sure your teeth are strong and healthy, a chiropractor wants to make sure your spine, muscles and joints are strong, healthy and moving as they should. As Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Or in chiropractic terms, the few minutes that a checkup takes outweighs the pain and problems that can result from a condition going unchecked.
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Does my insurance cover chiropractic care?
Most insurance policies cover some chiropractic care. We recommend that you contact the customer service number on your insurance card and ask what chiropractic benefits are included with your policy. Once you become a patient, we will sit down with you to discuss your coverage and, if necessary, payment options.
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Do I need a referral from my Primary Care Physician?
In most cases, no. The State of Maine has a law that allows you to self refer to a chiropractor is you have a fully funded HMO plan. PPO, POS, self funded and other plans may require a referral. Call the customer service number on your insurance card to check and see if one is required.
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If I don’t have insurance, how much does chiropractic care cost?
Greater Portland Chiropractic offers a time-of-service payment plan to all of our patients with limited chiropractic or no chiropractic benefits. This plan offers all of our services at considerably discounted prices.
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