I've heard that once you go to a chiropractor, you have to go forever. Is that true?
The first thing you have to realize is that chiropractic's role in the health care system is truly that: health enhancement. It is not simply of treatment of a disease - that's allopathic medicine's hail to fame. So consider chiropractic like you would consider dentistry. Most people don't argue with the fact that going to the dentist is pretty much a life-long endeavor. (As long as you want to keep your teeth looking good and working well). Chiropractic's role at maintaining the proper functioning and health of your nervous system, which controls every organ, system, gland, and muscle of your body should be considered even more important than dentistry. It rates right up there with exercising and good nutrition. So just as you would consider eating well a lifetime endeavor, or getting regular exercise a lifetime endeavor, you should also consider receiving regular chiropractic check-ups a lifetime endeavor. We want to help you make the best decisions possible to maximize the care you receive in our office. For more information about our Services, call my office, and I would be happy to speak to you.
Do I need a referral from my medical doctor to come to a chiropractor?
Doctors of Chiropractic are primary health care providers, meaning that no referral from a medical doctor is needed to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors receive thousands of hours of training in diagnosis, pathology, radiology, and all basic health sciences that medical doctors receive. You are in good hands when you enter our office.
I heard that chiropractic is really expensive. Is that true? What are your fees?
Chiropractic in the long run is actually very inexpensive. This is especially true when you compare it to medical and dental procedures. Consider back surgery that can cost $20,000. There are patients who spent $1000 on chiropractic care and avoided the surgery, lost work time, rehabilitation time, and avoided time lost from activities and hobbies. How much is that worth to you? So when you compare chiropractic vs. other forms of health care, it is very inexpensive. And besides, it has the potential to bring back your vitatiliy, health and positive outlook on life! In fact, the United States armed forces just completed a study that showed chiropractic could save the military 25 MILLION dollars in expenses by making it available to all members of the military.
Our fees are very reasonable. I have no problem telling people our fees up-front. I'm proud that we can offer such an incredible service at a very affordable fee. Our goal is to offer our patients excellent chiropractic care at a very reasonable fee.
Do chiropractors and physical therapists do the same thing?
First of all, chiropractors are doctors, where physical therapists are not. There's a major difference between the two professions. Chiropractors offer a unique philosophy which differs entirely from a medically-influenced physical therapist philosophy. (Read the essay about chiropractic above to learn more about what we do.) Physical therapists focus primarily on the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors focus on restoring nervous system function. Since chiropractors work directly with the nervous system, we influence every tissue, organ and gland in your body, thus affecting total body health. Chiropractors perform specific, precise chiropractic adjustments that restore normal joint integrity and neurological activity. Some physical therapists perform what's called "manipulations" that are not specific, and have little effect at restoring nerve integrity. This is not to say that physical therapists are unneeded. They serve an important purpose in the health care arena. But there are major differences between the two professions.
I have great insurance coverage. Do you accept insurances?
The goal of our office to is focus solely on your health care, therefore we ask that you pay for your care at the time of the visit, or through a prepayment for a block of visits. We understand that you may be paying a great deal of money for your insurance coverage, or possibly it is offered through your employer. To allow you to make the most of your coverage, we offer to provide you with a billing statement to submit for reimbursement. In many cases, you will be reimbursed within three to four weeks. The turnaround time is very fast if the policy holder submits the claim personally. We understand this may be different than other medical, chiropractic, or ancillary health offices you have visited. But for us to truly excel at our job of instilling your healing response and allowing you to reach your optimum health goals, we need to focus solely on that. Hiring staff to constantly mail and check up on outstanding claims causes our office to loose focus. We hope you understand the importance we put on your health care.
I heard that chiropractors can break bones, cause strokes, and actually injure people. I'm scared about going to a chiropractor because of this.
Many fear tactics have been used over the years to prevent people from going to chiropractors. About 13 years ago, chiropractors won a major lawsuit against the medical profession for attempting to prevent people from going to chiropractors and to, in essence, bring the chiropractic profession to its knees. Our profession prevailed, as it always does, and the medical profession was actually brought to its knees! But our victory just kindled the fire and unto this day, there are medically-backed organizations that are attempting to thwart chiropractic's tremendous role in the health care arena. So many of the things you hear about stem from groups like this that want to make people afraid to go to chiropractors.
In actuality, chiropractic is incredibly safe. When was the last time you saw in the newspaper about someone getting injured from a chiropractic adjustment? It is very rare. On the other hand, when was the last time you or a family member or someone you know was injured from something the medical profession did (i.e a drug reaction, failed surgical procedure, or medically negligent act) ? Did you know that drug reactions and medical negligence are the fourth leading cause of death in this country? The U.S. Congress at this moment is investigating these startling statistics. So when you ask about safety issues, you have to compare professions.
Regarding strokes, recent data indicates that patients undergoing chiropractic care have a 50% LESS chance of stroke than the general public. This is because spinal adjustments actually enhance blood flow to the brain!
So if these concerns are a major factor that have prevented you
from coming to our office, then we invite you to come visit our practice and
talk with our patients. They will be the first to tell you that what we do
is enjoyable, instills health, and brings a better level of living to their
lives. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact me
personally, E-mail us
I'm afraid of bringing my child to a chiropractor because you may hurt his spine.
Dr. Barenborg performs low-force style spinal corrections on children. That means there's no "popping" sounds or heavy forces on your child's spine. The adjustments are very powerful at restoring neurological control, and yet are very gentle to the baby's or child's spine.
Page created & maintained by Jay Randolph
Page created 10-23-96. Last update 06/12/02
Thanks to Randolph & Associates for web space.
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