FAQs

Your first visit to our office needs to be a comfortable experience. When you arrive, our front desk assistant will welcome you and input your information into our secure and encrypted system. You will be issued your own “key card” to use for each office visit. The doctor will then spend time with you one-on-one to ask specific questions about your health concerns and to examine you.

In general, you can also expect the following:

• A thorough review of your specific problem is conducted, including relevant past history and overall health.
• You will be asked to perform physical tests and movements to help identify the problem.
• In certain situations, an X-ray may be used to confirm the history and examination findings, and to investigate for the presence of any underlying bone conditions or pathological developments.
• A diagnosis is made, with treatment options for its resolution outlined. If it is a chiropractic problem, a plan of treatment is communicated. If it is not a chiropractic problem, an appropriate referral is arranged.
• A prognosis is made, taking into account your general health habits, occupation, stress and activity levels.
• Your response to treatment is monitored by your chiropractor, who looks for an improvement to your specific condition, as well as for changes in your overall health.

Two of the basic components of chiropractic care are wellness and prevention. Utilization of exercises, along with nutrition and lifestyle modifications, may also be suggested to improve your overall well-being and promote active, patient-centered care.

A chiropractor primarily use spinal manipulation and rehabilitation when treating patients. We are trained to focus on your body’s structural integrity because we understand how it is related to body function and to our overall health. Grounded in the science that proper function of our muscles, nerves, and bones is essential for good health, the therapies that we employ are a holistic approach that medical doctors traditionally do not use. The clinical effectiveness of the chiropractic approach has been documented by numerous scientific studies.

Yes. Numerous studies have proven that chiropractic treatment is clinically effective and cost effective for both acute and chronic low back and neck conditions, as well as other conditions such as headaches, disc herniations, disc ruptures, arm and leg pain, and rib pain.

Chiropractors may use manual and physical therapies including manipulation of the spine and joints of the arms and legs. Supportive therapies may also include massage, myofascial release, and therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound, electric stimulation and diathermy. Rehabilitative measures are often used such as specific corrective exercises to stabilize your problem.

It depends on your problem. Treatments are highly individualized and customized to the patient’s condition. Some require one to two visits and others could last over a year. After your initial examination, we will be able to clearly articulate the time frame of your needed care.

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific, controlled force in a precise direction that is applied to a spinal joint not moving properly or “locked up.” The purpose of this natural and safe procedure is to correct structural alignment and eliminate interference in the nervous system. For the patient, this means improved spinal function, reduction in pain, and an overall improvement in health and wellness.

Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort because minimal force and gentle pressure are used. In fact, most patients feel relief immediately following treatment. Any reported soreness after an initial adjustment has been described as similar to that associated with starting a new exercise program. Drinking plenty of water, using an ice pack, and engaging in light stretching after your first visit can help ease any discomfort and promote healing.

Chiropractic care is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of most back and neck problems. Spinal adjustments are extremely safe when performed by a licensed chiropractor.

The noises you hear resembling popping sounds are your joints releasing tiny pockets of air. A chiropractic adjustment does not affect the bones of either side of a joint; it affects the connective tissue that holds the joint together.

Not always. You can visit a chiropractor without your doctor knowing, but it’s a good idea to let your doctor know you’re planning on visiting a chiropractor. However, it is possible for your doctor to refer you to a chiropractor.

From professional athletes to homemakers, engineers to electricians, and young people to seniors… chiropractic care has been the answer to optimum health. Many people see a chiropractor for back, neck, or other joint problems. Still, others find that regular visits to their chiropractor keep them in peak condition.

Yes. Doctors of Chiropractic (also known as chiropractors) are not medical doctors, but go through a similar education process to become licensed in the field of chiropractic care. In fact, educational requirements for chiropractors are among the most stringent of any healthcare profession.

Doctors of Chiropractic are well-educated. Chiropractic education and medical education are similar in many respects and different in others because chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery, and medical doctors do not correct vertebral subluxations. After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Degree, each candidate passes the demanding four part National Board Examinations. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice. However, a chiropractor’s education never ends. Most doctors complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest research and adjustment techniques.

If you have been in a collision, injured at work, or in a slip and fall accident, you need to be examined before you settle with the insurance company. Oftentimes, injured victims will not experience symptoms until days or weeks after the accident or traumatic injury. Settling your case with the insurance company too quickly can be a big mistake. If you have been injured, even a minor injury, you should be examined and treatment options should be provided.

We have worked with claims adjusters, insurance companies, and attorneys for over 15 years. Our documentation of your injuries and our medical reports can help you get the compensation you deserve. When you have been injured, your only concern should be getting better. Therefore, we can manage all of the paperwork for your claim, whether you have an attorney or not.

If you have an attorney, you can request that our clinic handle your medical treatment from start to finish, and we will work with your attorney. If you do not have legal representation, we can work with the insurance company and claims adjusters directly.

Simply stated, we get great results. Our office provides a wide variety of treatment plans to help you recover from your injuries. In addition, we do all of the paperwork and submit all the necessary reports to the insurance companies or your attorney. Injuries from any accident must be properly and fully documented in order for your claim to be processed. That is what we do: our competent and qualified doctors will give you the best chance at healing, while our expertly trained administrative staff will handle all of your insurance forms and claims. We want you to be focused on healing, getting stronger, and getting better.

Usually, there are no out-of-pocket expenses to you. We handle all of the paperwork and we work with the auto insurance companies to get your bills paid.

Yes, if needed, x-rays or an MRI study can be done. We work with multiple imaging centers all over the Northshore.

Hiring an attorney to represent you for your personal injury accident is purely a personal decision. However, we can help you with your medical and chiropractic treatment whether you have an attorney or not.

If you retain legal representation, we will work with your lawyer and provide all necessary documents and reports to their office in a timely manner. If you do not have an attorney, we will work with the insurance company to help get you fairly compensated for your treatment.

It really depends on your mechanism of injury. After a thorough examination, our doctors will explain your prognosis, prescribe the appropriate rehab and treatment plan, and teach you how to take care of your body to minimize the chance of developing chronic or recurrent pain.

In most cases you can be seen on the day you call. It is important to begin therapy as soon after your injury as possible in order to speed your recovery.

Research shows effective chiropractic treatments have proved successful for many thousands of auto accident patients. In most cases, a chiropractor can significantly reduce pain, restore normal movement, overcome muscle weakness, speed recovery, reduce inflammation, reduce muscle spasms and scar tissue, and increase overall well-being by stabilizing the injuries from the accident.

Medical reports and records are very important to your insurance claim because they are evidence of your injuries. Proper documentation not only includes a description of your injuries, it also must include exam findings, treatment plan, description of your pain, time lost from work, functional loss, recovery time, prognosis, and any other future medical treatment that may be needed.

Chiropractic is the only profession dedicated to the detection and correction of Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC). VSC occurs when there is an interference to the nervous system caused by the movable bones of the spine. VSC is the underlying cause of many health problems. Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that the nervous system controls virtually every cell, tissue, organ and system of the body. Therefore, therapies are based on the fact that disease is often caused by interference with nerve function. And using spinal adjustment to bring nerves back “on line” means restoration of normal nerve function, in a natural, non-stress method, and without drugs.

Seeking chiropractic treatment after an auto accident offers a multitude of benefits. Gentle, natural and homeopathic, chiropractic care offers proven relief from pain, quicker healing time and lasting results. As a reliable alternative to conventional medicine, or in conjunction with other treatments, chiropractic care offers safe, drug-free treatments that target the causes of pain and not just alleviation of the symptoms. Chiropractic care after a car accident attends to the soft tissue injuries that patients often report. A chiropractor will carefully monitor the healing of sore muscles and tender ligaments and ensure that they are healing over a spine that is in proper alignment. The result is complete healing and not just the masking of pain with medication.

Chiropractic adjustments have helped many auto accident victims avoid invasive and risky surgeries, overuse of pain pills and years of residual discomfort from injuries that healed poorly. With safe, quick and painless chiropractic adjustments, patients can rest assured that soft tissue injuries like whiplash will heal properly, enabling them to live pain-free and move past the physical and emotional trauma of the accident as quickly as possible.

Symptoms after an auto accident can cause pain right away or may take days, up to weeks to develop. Soft tissue ligaments, tendons, and muscles are overstretched, strained, and sprained during an auto accident. These soft tissue injuries often will often take longer to heal than if you had broken bones. That is why it is so important to be examined after an accident. Without proper treatment, these types of injuries can develop into scar tissue and a lifetime of pain.

Even “fender-benders” can cause hidden injuries that can develop into pain, headaches, and arthritis. Even worse, most people who have been involved in an auto accident may not even know that they have been hurt. The chiropractic approach to these types of injuries is to use specific chiropractic adjustments to help return spinal function.

After a thorough case history and examination, the doctor will recommend any necessary care to help restore proper motion and position of spinal bones. If caught early enough, inflammation can be reduced and scar tissue can often be minimized.

Our doctors and chiropractors at Integra Healthcare treat many of the ailments of an auto injury including:

• Whiplash
• Sprains and Strains
• Shoulder and Neck Pain
• Headaches
• Numbness
• Dizziness & Vertigo
• Lower Back Pain
• Pain in Legs or Arms
• Car Seat Belt Injury

For many reasons, those involved in any type of personal injury accident should consider seeing a doctor as soon as possible for an assessment, even if they feel uninjured. Immediately following an auto accident, many seemingly minor but significant injuries that need treatment may not be apparent. High adrenaline levels that occur after an accident can mask many symptoms and pain. It is the body’s natural defense mechanism that helps us get through emergencies, even if we are injured. After the body has calmed and is rested, aches and pains often reveal themselves and inflammation around sore spots can indicate injuries that were not apparent just hours before. To be on the safe side, consulting with a doctor can ensure the diagnosis of injuries that might not be apparent, such as internal bruising, bleeding or a concussion.

Legally speaking, seeking a doctor’s evaluation can be important to a legal claim regarding any personal injury accident. Refusing medical help after an accident may make it more difficult to file a claim with insurance or seek damages from another party. It is recommended that no claim related to an accident be settled until each party has been seen by a doctor.

Regardless of who is at fault, everyone involved in an accident has certain rights. Most importantly, addressing medical issues immediately is the primary concern after any accident. Accident victims are encouraged to call local authorities to report the incident and summon needed medical assistance.

Every accident victim is entitled to proper medical attention after an accident, and seeking a medical assessment for even minor injuries after an accident could prove legally beneficial in the long run.

Accident victims are also entitled to ask for insurance and contact information from other drivers involved in an accident, and they should willingly supply their own information.

Following an accident, mounting medical bills, insurance paperwork, vehicle repair costs, and missing income from being unable to work can add unwanted stress to an accident victim’s recovery time.

An accident involves many different aspects: personal, financial, medical, legal, and the list goes on. An attorney can help navigate you through the property damage, loss of wages, and liability aspects of your claim. Integra Healthcare can help you with treating and documenting your injuries caused by the accident.

Whiplash is a non-medical term used to describe neck pain following an injury to the soft tissues of your neck (specifically ligaments, tendons, and muscles). It is caused by an abnormal motion or force applied to your neck that causes movement beyond the neck’s normal range of motion. Whiplash happens in motor vehicle accidents such as car crashes, auto accidents, and truck accidents, as well as during sporting activities, accidental falls, and assault.

The most frequent cause of whiplash is an auto accident. The speed of the cars involved in the accident or the amount of physical damage to the car may not relate to the intensity of a neck injury; speeds as low as 15 miles per hour can produce enough energy to cause whiplash in occupants. Other common causes of whiplash include contact sport injuries, blows to the head from a falling object, or being assaulted. Also, repetitive stress injuries or chronic strain involving the neck (such as using your neck to hold the phone) are common, non-acute causes.

Many pregnant women find that chiropractic adjustments improve the pregnancy experience and make delivery easier. Adjustments are adapted to accommodate for the stage of pregnancy and the unique needs of each patient.

Yes. Chiropractic’s drugless and preventive approach to good health makes it perfectly appropriate for infants, children, and teenagers. Chiropractic is licensed in all 50 states of the U.S. for the care of children of all ages.

Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of children’s healthcare. A chiropractor does not adjust a baby or a child the same way as he or she adjusts an adult. A baby’s spine is very supple during the first few months of life, so the doctor of chiropractic applies only a slight pressure to make an adjustment. For older children whose spine is still made of mainly cartilage, slight pressure followed by a gentle push is all that is required to put the vertebra back in place.

Chiropractors have been providing safe and effective care for children for more than 103 years. Without efficacy, parents would have long ceased to seek out a doctor of chiropractic for their children. A 1992 survey showed that the most common conditions for which children visit a chiropractor are: earaches, neck pain, check-up, headache, upper respiratory, low back pain, allergies, asthma, enuresis, and thoracic pain. Other reasons are ADD and ADHD, colic, torticollis, insomnia, growing pains, and persistent crying in infants.