Frequently Asked Questions
Once I see Dr.Brown, do I have to come forever?
Absolutely Not!
Dr. Brown’s goal is to see you the minimal amount of times required to treat whatever it is that brings you in. There are no pressure tactics or long term treatment plans here.
My body cracks all the time, is this a bad thing?
Upper Back
Dr. Brown is a Thunder Bay Chiropractor that commonly treats thoracic spine pain, poor posture, shoulder blade/scapular pain, winging scapula, rib pain, pinched nerves, arthritis, degenerative joint disease, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, facet syndrome, muscle strains, and sprains.
Lower Back
The Majority Of The Time, No.
When we move our body, we have many moving parts under the skin. Many times our muscles and tendons may slip past one another or the bone quickly. This can make noises. Other sounds may be a cavitation (popping in your joints). This is the equivalent to cracking your knuckles, just in other joints. It’s completely harmless. We become concerned when there is a combination of clicking, locking, and pain in the joints, especially the knee, shoulder, and hips.
What is an adjustment?
Highly Skilled And Precise Movement
An adjustment is a highly-skilled and precise movement usually applied by hand to the vertebrae of the spine or other joints of the body. Adjustment to the joint restores proper movement and improves function. Adjustment of a joint may result in release of a gas bubble between the joints that makes a popping sound – it’s exactly the same as when you “crack” your knuckles. It is not painful. It is caused by the change of pressure within the joint resulting in gas bubbles being released.
Do Adjustments Hurt?
I Sure Hope Not!
Chiropractic manipulation(adjustment) is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Many patients experience relief of their back pain, neck pain, headache, muscle spasm, and other conditions after a Manipulative Therapy. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
Are adjustments safe?
Yes!
Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest, drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of headache, and neck and back pain. It has an excellent safety record. However, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. Even common over-the-counter medicines carry a risk. Most patients experience immediate relief following an adjustment, however, some may experience temporary pain, stiffness or slight swelling. Some patients may also experience temporary dizziness, local numbness, or radiating pain. However, adverse effects associated with spinal adjustment are typically minor and short-lived.
Neck adjustment, particularly of the top two vertebrae of the spine, has on rare occasions been associated with stroke and stroke-like symptoms. This risk is considerably lower than those serious adverse events associated with many common health treatments such as long-term use of non-prescription pain relievers or birth control pills. While estimates vary, a range of one to two events per million neck adjustments is the ratio generally accepted by the research community. There are many risk factors for stroke including blood clotting problems, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, birth control pills, heart problems and trauma such as blows to the head from car accidents, sports injuries or falls. Some strokes happen spontaneously with no obvious cause during activities of daily living such as backing up a car. A patient’s health history and activities have to be examined very carefully in order to determine the most probable cause of a stroke.
I don't want any adjustments, especially neck adjustments, should I still see dr. Brown?
Yes! Come on in!
An adjustment is just one of the many treatments Dr. Brown provides. After your assessment and an educational report of findings of your condition, Dr. Brown will offer the treatments available that may benefit you and your pain experience. If you are uncomfortable with adjustments (or any other treatment for that matter) then a treatment plan will be customized to your choice. Movement and Soft Tissue Therapy is an effective pain reliever for most conditions including back pain, neck pain, headaches, muscle strains, and many others.
Will I Need An Xray?
No, Except When Indicated
X-rays are an important diagnostic tool that can provide needed information when warranted after taking a patient case history and conducting a physical examination. However, over-utilization can have the negative side-effects of needlessly increasing patient cost, exposing patients to radiation unnecessarily, and artificially hindering a speedy recovery. If red flags are not present and serious spinal pathology is not suspected then X-rays are not needed.
I Have Osteoarthritis And Was Told I Can't Do Anything About My Pain, Is That True?
No, There Is Always A Way To Help
The viewpoint of osteoarthritis has shifted, it is now seen as a normal process that occurs with aging. Think of it like grey hairs! Studies have shown that the majority of individuals have some form of osteoarthritis occurring throughout their body. The interesting thing about these individuals is that there is no presence of pain with these findings! We title these individuals as asymptomatic. This may be confusing to you if you experience pain and have a Xray confirmed diagnosis of osteoarthritis. The osteoarthritis may be contributing to your pain experience, but take hope, for if people have the same findings as you without pain, then you can too! Whether it’s back pain, neck pain, degenerative disc disease, degenerative hip, degenerative knee, or whatever term used we can offer some relief.
Does Chiropractic Treatment Require A Referral From A Medical Doctor?
No, But Many Medical Doctors Do Refer To Chiropractors
A patient does not need a referral. Chiropractors are legislated as primary contact healthcare professionals in every province in Canada. This means that patients can consult them directly.
I Have No Pain So Why Would I Go See Dr. Brown?
Yes, Depending On Your Goals
Dr. Brown puts a heavy emphasis on moving, moving well, and moving often. Dr. Brown offers movement assessments to maintain, improve, and optimize your movement. Humans are meant to move, unfortunately our culture has reduced the reasons and opportunity to do so. An assessment with Dr. Brown may help prevent a future injury or condition from arising.
I don't like exercising, but I want to feel better. Should I see dr. Brown?
Yes!
After the initial assessment is complete, Dr. Brown will explain the findings to you. Then, once all your questions have been answered, you will both create a treatment plan together. You will not be pressured into doing any treatments you do not wish to do. There are many roads to Rome!
Is Chiropractic Care Covered By Health Insurance?
It Depends
Chiropractic care is covered extensively by third party payers. These include employee benefit plans, the federal public service, worker’s compensation boards, the automobile insurance industry, extended healthcare benefits, the RCMP, Canadian Forces and Veteran’s Affairs Canada. Check your health plan to determine the coverage available to you for chiropractic care.
What To Expect
We take the time with our patients to ensure we discover not only what hurts, but also what may be contributing to the problem. This is done through a 90-minute high-quality assessment, which includes:
- A detailed health history to understand your story completely
- A thorough physical exam to discover what hurts and why
- An understand explanation about what was discovered and how to overcome it
- An individualized treatment plan that will include approaches to your specific needs
