Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Chiropractic Healthcare?
Chiropractic healthcare is a hands-on based method of diagnosis, treatment and prevention for disorders of the musculoskeletal system, as well as for the effects of those disorders on the nervous system and general health. It is a natural, drug-free, non-surgical approach to health care. The profession’s central interest has always been the relationship between impaired mechanics of the spinal vertebrae and the nervous system.

How Is A Chiropractic Adjustment Performed?
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the doctor’s highly defined skills, which have been developed during the intensive years of chiropractic education, and cultivated through continued training. The chiropractor typically uses his/her hands to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to reduce pain, and restore or enhance joint function. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort, as the chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Will I Need to Keep Seeing the Chiropractor Indefinitely?
Because chiropractic treatment is performed by a trained professional, through hands-on adjustment, it is not possible for a patient to care for themselves (as with a prescription, or routine of conduct a doctor may advise). Therefore, it is common that you will need to visit your chiropractor several times. A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventative care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your chiropractic doctor should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.

Can Children Be Adjusted By A Chiropractor?
Yes, children can, and often do, benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries from activities such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.

What Kinds of Pain Can A Chiropractor Treat?
Chiropractic health care focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs and headaches.

Do Insurance Plans Cover Chiropractic Care?
The majority of all insured American workers have coverage for chiropractic services in their health care plans. For example, the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management offers chiropractic coverage for federal employees in the Mail Handlers and BCBS benefit plans. In addition, there is a chiropractic benefit in Federal Workers’ Compensation. Chiropractic care is available to members of the armed forces at more than 40 military bases and nearly 30 veterans’ medical facilities.

How Do I Know I Can Trust My Chiropractor?
Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners with an emphasis on musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Education requirements for doctors of chiropractic healthcare are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding. Four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training. In total, the chiropractic curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S Department of Education.

What Chiropractor Should I See?
Members of the Montana Chiropractic Association are certified, receive regular, ongoing training, and have a network of equally dedicated professionals they can learn with and from. For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you choose a MCA member for your chiropractic healthcare needs.  You can find one near you visiting PATIENT RESOURCES > FIND A CHIROPRACTOR, or clicking here.