What type of education is required to become a licensed Chiropractor?

After undergraduate studies, today's chiropractic physician completes an additional four-year curriculum of over 4,500 college classroom hours of health sciences.

Today's Doctor of Chiropractic is well educated. The science of chiropractic requires a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques and related subjects. This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to locate the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help correct the resulting nervous system dysfunction.

To graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, each candidate passes the demanding National Board Examination. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or state professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted a license to practice in their particular state.

A chiropractic education never ends. Doctors complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal every year to stay current on the latest scientific research.

Can I Speed The Healing Process?

Proper rest, exercise, life style changes and good nutrition are especially important during the healing process.

The body needs time to heal. By doing all the right things, you not only speed up the healing process, you can truly improve the quality of healing and hopefully reduce the chance of flare-ups.

What part can I play at home in the assistance of my pain management?

Chiropractic treatment obviously serves an important role in patient care but can be limited based on the activities or lack of activities outside the office. It is extremely important that care also includes in home activities such as strengthening, coordination, endurance and posture exercises. By combining rehab exercise and chiropractic treatment you will maximize your body’s chance to heal and function properly.

Am I Too Old For Chiropractic Care?

Regardless of your age, chiropractic care can help improve flexibility and help decrease joint pain. Most all people over the age of 50 have some sort of degenerative arthritis. Improving mobility and function of the joints in these patients can increase quality of their life. There are also many chiropractic techniques for older individuals who have osteoporosis (bone loss).

If I already crack my own back and neck, will a chiropractic adjustment do anything more for me?

Many people that come into my office perform their own brand of chiropractic to themselves by “popping” their own neck or back. They do this to relive spinal pressure and pain that is being caused by an underlying spinal condition. As time goes on they find themselves doing it multiple times throughout the day because this pressure continues to build up. Eventually they find the relief is just not the same as it used to be. Having a true chiropractic adjustment is much different than randomly twisting your spine to cause popping. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself. An adjustment typically feels very different than popping your own back and gives much greater relief.

Do I have a herniated disc?

Trauma or injury to the spine can cause discs to tear, bulge, herniate, or even worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, as the soft center of the disc leaks, putting pressure on the adjacent nerve roots and spinal cord. Typical symptoms with a disc condition can be one or more of the following: numbness/tingling, pain and weakness into arms or legs, groin pain, lower back pain, neck pain and in serious cases bowel or bladder dysfunction.

While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills, by choosing chiropractic care for their disc-related health problem. Disc conditions are primarily diagnosised using a MRI or CAT scans, which are routinely ordered by office for patients who display the above symptoms.

What Is An Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixed, "locked up", or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, nervous system function and health.

Does chiropractic treatment require a referral from an MD?

A referral is usually not needed to see a doctor of chiropractic (DC); however, your health plan may have specific referral requirements. You may want to contact your employer’s human resources department—or the insurance plan directly—to find out if there are any referral requirements.  Most plans allow you to just call and schedule an appointment with a DC.

Is chiropractic treatment safe?

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects.  The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small.  Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise.  Current research shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.

Neck pain and some types of headaches are treated through precise cervical manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment, works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion and reducing muscle spasm, which helps relieve pressure and tension.  Neck manipulation, when performed by a skilled and well-educated professional such as a doctor of chiropractic, is a remarkably safe procedure.

If you’re visiting Dr Pelton with upper-neck pain or headache, be very specific about your symptoms.  This will help him to offer the safest and most effective treatment, even if it involves referral to another health care provider.

Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?

Yes, we see children benefit from chiropractic care.  Children generally are more physically active and experience a wide variety of falls and injuries from their daily activities, as well as from sports paticipation.  Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort.  Dr. Pelton utilizes Chiropractic care uniquely adapted to each individual patient.  His is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.

Do insurance plans cover chiropractic?

Yes and we accept most plans and will file for you.  Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, workers’ compensation, Medicare, some Medicaid plans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans for federal employees, among others.  In addition, Chiropractic care is available to active-duty members of the armed forces at more than 60 military bases and is available to veterans at 36 major veterans medical facilities. 

Is chiropractic treatment ongoing?

The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor a number of times.  To be treated effectively, a patient needs to be treated by Dr. Pelton here in the office.  In contrast, a course of treatment from a medical doctor often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics once a day for a couple of weeks).  A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary.  In most cases, Dr. Pelton can to tell you the extent of treatment recommended for you and how long you can expect it to last.