Frequently Asked Questions

Does chiropractic treatment require a referral from an MD?

Typically, a referral is not needed, but some health plans do specifically require a referral from your primary care physician. It is always a good idea to check with your insurance carrier regarding coverage and referral requirements. We do our best to check your benefits prior to your first visit.

 

What conditions do chiropractors treat?

Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are equipped to treat patients of all ages with a wide variety of health conditions. They are particularly well versed in patients presenting with neck pain, back pain, or headaches, but have the skill set to help with so much more. Chiropractic care is therapeutically beneficial for several injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, including extremity conditions such as ankle sprains, planar fasciitis, carpal tunnel, and tennis elbow. If you have any questions regarding specific conditions, please feel free to call our office.

 

Is chiropractic care safe?

Chiropractic care has been proven as a safe treatment option for several conditions of the neuromusculoskeletal system. Many patients experience relief immediately after a chiropractic adjustment, but it is not uncommon to experience mild soreness or discomfort similar to what you may feel following a workout. The soreness usually subsides in a day or two.

 

Can a neck adjustment cause a stroke?

A common concern with chiropractic adjusting, specifically in the neck, is the risk of stroke or vertebral artery dissection. However, risk of stroke due to a cervical spine manipulation is extremely rare. In fact, the rate of stroke in patients who have had a cervical manipulation is equivalent to that of the general population. Indicating that those patients would have likely experience the stroke regardless of the fact that they had their neck adjusted. Chiropractors are highly trained professional who are well versed in identifying high-risk patients. Typically, a blood pressure reading is taken at your first visit during a thorough review of your health history. If you fall into a high-risk category, your chiropractor will recommend alternative, safer methods of treating neck pain.

 

What should I wear to appointments?

Chiropractors can usually work around any attire, but if you have the ability to wear clothing that allows for full range of motion it is helpful. Lose fitting or stretchy material is ideal. However, if you are popping in real quick during a break from work then we will work with anything.

 

Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?

Chiropractic care is appropriate for all ages. Adjusting styles and techniques are catered to each individual patient, and children are no exception. For example, the pressure we use when adjusting infants is equivalent to the pressure used to check if a fruit is ripe. Babies and young children respond incredibly well to very gentle spinal mobilization. As your child ages and the skeleton is more developed, their adjustments will start to look more similar to the type that you receive.

 

How do I select a chiropractor?

Chiropractors come in a variety of styles and techniques. Just as you have to do with a primary care physician, you have to do a little bit of shopping around to find the right chiropractor for you. Dr. Pulley was trained at an evidence-based school and the techniques she uses have been backed by research. Some chiropractors choose to practice more philosophy base methods which differ from the approach taken at Kaiser Chiropractic.

 

Is chiropractic care covered by insurance?

Yes, many healthcare plans have chiropractic coverage. However, that is not true of all of them and a select few require a referral. If you call the office as a new patient, we will gather some insurance information from you and do our best to check your benefits prior to your first visit. Because navigating insurances is not always as straight forward as we would hope, ultimately the patient is responsible for any charges incurred that are not covered by your health care policy.  

 

How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?

A chiropractor uses their hands, and sometimes an instrument, to manipulate a joint in order to restore or enhance joint function and mobility. Chiropractors have refined their skills in finding areas of the spine, or any other joint, that has limited range of motion. They use a quick and targeted thrust to safely and efficiently restore the motion that was lacking, which increases the functional capacity of that joint and surrounding tissue.

 

Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?

Not all adjustments cause a popping noise, but many do. It just depends on what direction we need to adjust a particular joint. When joint surfaces separate, it causes a vacuum in the fluid within the joint space and creates gas bubbles. When the adjustment is released, and the joint surfaces return to their original position, those bubbles are popped resulting in the cracking noise. The fancy name for this phenomenon is a joint cavitation.  

 

How many visits does it take to heal my problem?

Each and every case is treated differently depending on the severity and the chronicity of the condition we are dealing with. It is typical to see improvement in the first 3-4 visits, but with a more chronic case it may take months of regular treatment to get back to baseline. A treatment plan will be discussed with you at your first visit so that you will have a general idea of the timeline catered specifically to you.

 

Why did you choose the name Kaiser Chiropractic for your business?

Kaiser is the name of one of our family’s dogs. He is a pit/lab mix who is a big teddy bear. We have a second dog named Leina, but her name just didn’t flow with then word “chiropractic” as well. You may see either one of them hanging around the office from time to time. They are both very friendly and will take pats from anyone. I have included pictures of both of them below, because who doesn’t like dog photos?

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