The decision to see a chiropractor is empowering. It makes sense that you’re eager to schedule your first appointment. After all, this new care path could help you to live without the pain, stiffness, fatigue, or digestive issues that have been taking a toll on your well-being. Taking care of some key details before making the call can make the process of seeing a chiropractor even more empowering. There are three big details to address before your chiropractic visit.
1. Your Insurance Might Cover Some of Your Chiropractic Care
Insurance companies are increasingly providing coverage for alternative medicine. As an integrated form of medicine, chiropractic care can be used to treat a variety of injuries and conditions in people of all ages. For years, insurance companies wouldn’t even consider covering chiropractic treatments. However, emerging research on the benefits of chiropractic care for long-term healing and improved outcomes has prompted more and more insurers to extend coverage.
Insurance companies are learning that chiropractic interventions can actually save them money by reducing the need for invasive procedures, hospitalizations, and emergency visits. A 2019 study looking at the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of including chiropractic care under Medicaid found that chiropractic care provides better outcomes at lower cost, leads to a reduction in costs of spinal surgery, and leads to cost savings from reduced use and abuse of opioid prescription drugs.
How can you know if your insurance covers chiropractic care? You can start by reaching out to your insurance company to ask about the types of chiropractic care covered under your policy. If chiropractic care is part of your plan, be sure to ask about the number of covered visits you can make per year. You can also ask for information about how costs and payments are handled if you need visits beyond what’s covered. If you need help determining what’s covered for chiropractic care under your insurance plan, the staff at Dorsa Chiropractic can walk you through the process of confirming benefits before your first visit to help you avoid any surprise bills. Many of our patients are surprised to discover that chiropractic care is actually covered under their plans. The big rule here is that you often don’t realize that you’re letting benefits go unused until you reach out to your insurance company.
Of course, chiropractic care doesn’t have to be off the table just because it’s not covered by your insurance plan. Many patients work out payment plans and bundling options with their chiropractors. The reality is that many people will end up spending more on deductibles for covered treatments than they would by paying out of pocket for chiropractic care that provides better outcomes.
2. You Might Not Be “Fixed” After One Visit
Expectations are often high when a patient walks into a chiropractic office for the first time. If you’ve decided to try chiropractic care through the recommendation of a friend who had “miraculous results” after years of living with pain that no doctor could resolve, you may be coming into the experience with the expectation that your pain will be fixed with the snap of a finger. It’s important to remember that chiropractic care involves structural shifts and adjustments deep within the body’s soft tissues. If you’re dealing with chronic pain and injury, there’s a good chance that your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue are all accustomed to being out of balance. This is why chiropractic adjustments are often done in regiments that require several appointments several times a week for a span of a few months. What’s more, maintenance adjustments are often needed in cases where an adjustment can’t hold permanently.
The good news is that your symptoms are likely to progressively improve with each session. It’s important not to become overly confident just because pain is subsiding. Completing your chiropractic regiment is important for getting complete, long-lasting results. The bottom line is that chiropractic care can often offer quick results even though it’s not a quick fix. It may have taken years of sitting, standing, or sleeping on an injury “the wrong way” to get to the point of extreme pain you’re living with today. It could take at least a few sessions to fully restore your soft tissue to its pre-injury state.
3. All Chiropractors Have the Same Levels of Expertise
The chiropractor you choose matters. First, it’s important to establish that all chiropractors are highly trained professionals who have undergone rigorous education and testing requirements. These doctorate-level professionals are licensed by the states they work in following six to eight years of education. However, not all chiropractors choose to devote their time to the same specialties. Finding a wellness-oriented chiropractor offering a variety of cutting-edge, science-backed treatments can help you to enjoy the full scope of possibilities for healing, wellness, and enhanced quality of life. The chiropractic field is rapidly expanding to include all types of integrative approaches to nourishing tissue, improving circulation, and increasing range of motion. When seeking out an office that offers more than just manual adjustments, you’ll gain access to the following:
- Sports chiropractic
- Wellness chiropractic
- Prenatal chiropractic
- Auto injury chiropractic
- Dry needling
- Infrared laser therapy
- Decompression therapy
- Y-strap therapy
- Graston technique
- Muscle release technique
- Kinesio taping
- Custom orthotics
Choosing a chiropractic office offering a wide range of services allows you to work with a practice capable of growing your treatment plant to meet your needs through all stages of life. That means that the same chiropractor who helps you manage your way through pain today can also help you to enhance flexibility, boost your immune system, tackle age-related musculoskeletal issues, and much more as the years go on! The open-minded, curious attitude of a chiropractor with a robust catalog of services also gives you access to the latest science-backed wellness innovations for improving quality of life by activating your body’s own healing mechanisms instead of turning to medications and surgery. Take the opportunity to talk with your new chiropractor about your expectations during your first appointment to ensure that you’re able to get the level of care you deserve!
Book Your First Appointment With a Chiropractor in Denver, Colorado
Pro Performance of Denver is here to make your experience with a chiropractor as empowering as possible. We’re here to help you find a path to wellness by addressing imbalances in your body. Founded in 2019, we are proud to be partnered with CrossFit Eminence, and NeuAbility to create an integrated network of alternative medicine providers specializing in massage, acupuncture, and exercise. Book an appointment for sports, spine, muscle, and joint care in Denver today by calling (720) 893-0312 or scheduling online.
Welcome to Dorsa Chiropractic. We started this practice to help people like you feel great!
When you visit us here at Dorsa Chiropractic, we’ll go over your injury, pain points, or general wellness goals. Our doctors will conduct an assessment to verify the root of your physical symptoms to come up with a plan for bringing your body back to health.