FAQs

It is good to come in 30 minutes ahead of your appointment when visiting for the first time. We will need to have you complete a few forms so we can better treat your condition. If you have any questions about your first time visit or you would like to schedule an appointment please call our office at 330-674-0444.

An “adjustment” is a term meaning specific manipulation of one or more spinal or other malfunctioning joints. These abnormalities in the spinal column may cause irritability within the nervous system. Doctors of chiropractic spend years learning to examine the spine and understand the complex motions of the vertebrae. Additionally, they learn to administer a specific spinal adjustment. Considerable skill and dexterity are required to become proficient in the art of chiropractic adjusting.

The primary treatment by your doctor will be specific vertebral adjustments. Once spinal areas have been adjusted to restore normal movement, your spinal joints, muscles or nerves will begin to adapt once again to their normal position and function.

The adjustment is usually given by hand. It consists of placing the patient on a custom designed table, chair or other equipment and then applying pressure, using specialized chiropractic techniques to the areas of the spine or extremities that are out of proper alignment. The goal is to restore these areas to their normal range of motion.

Doctors of chiropractic employ a wide variety of treatment methods, and the specific procedure to be used will be determined by your physical exam, case history, and other findings.

This depends on the injury or condition you present with. The more complicated the case or severe the injury, the longer care will take. It can also depend on your age. Generally, the older patient has more arthritic changes and less elasticity in the muscles and ligaments. He or she will usually respond slowly although favorably to chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care helps joints, soft tissues and nerves to heal. The longer an injury has been inflamed or unsuccessfully masked with medication, the more likely there will be complications that would extend treatment times.

Research and clinical data have indicated three phases of healing and their time frames:

• The Acute Phase lasts a minimum of 48 hours and maximum of 72 hours
• The Repair-Regeneration Phase lasts a minimum of 48 hours and maximum of 6 weeks
• The Remodeling-Rehab Phase lasts a minimum of 3 weeks and maximum of 12 months+

An average treatment and recovery time in our office with conditions that do not have complications may be 3 to 6 weeks. When complications arise treatment time may be extended to 2 to 4 months.

The first question in your patient history will identify the chief complaint that encouraged you to visit our office. As a patient you might also be asked about your family history, dietary habits, and other treatment that you may have had (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical or other). These questions help determine the nature of your illness and the state of your health. In addition to the consultation, case history and physical exam, laboratory testing and x-ray examination may be performed. You may not see any connection between a fall five years ago, an accident as a child, or some other seemingly unrelated event and your present illness, but all these factors will be significant to your doctor of chiropractic when your total health is evaluated.

In some cases, spinal x-rays may be necessary. While much can be determined from a case history and physical examination, the x-ray enables your doctor to view the specific outline of your spinal column.

Additionally, your doctor of chiropractic will most likely seek to identify spinal derangements through a gentle contact procedure known as range of motion palpation. This technique, coupled with a thorough understanding of spinal bio-mechanics, enables your doctor to identify areas of spinal stress and abnormal movement.

Your spinal examination and other physical exam findings greatly aid your chiropractor in the identification of problem areas in your musculoskeletal system which may be contributing to your health ailment. These analyses from a structural point of view determine if it is appropriate to begin chiropractic care. You should not expect your medical doctor or even an orthopedic doctor to identify the need for chiropractic. The chiropractic evaluation is unique to chiropractic and is not taught in medical schools.

We accept most insurance and have cash plans for those with no or poor insurance. We also accept Medicare and Medicaid and are workers compensation certified as well as equipped to handle personal injury cases such as motor vehicle accidents. Please call us for more information at 330-674-0444.

Bed rest has been a standard protocol of the past for most all spinal and musculoskeletal conditions. Most recent research indicates this protocol should be STOPPED. It is now recognized that joint rest and bed rest for tissue injury will delay the healing process and cause osteoarthritis and loss of joint mobility.

Joint Exercise

The area must be actively or passively exercised. This may be initiated in the early phase of inflammation. Research indicates that the effects of early movement speed healing, decrease scar tissue formation, decrease pain fiber formation and help restore normal ranges of motion.

Cardiovascular Exercises

Activity such as walking and biking, etc. will serve to increase oxygen in the tissues which aid healing and decreases pain sensitivity. Your injury or previous experience with exercise will determine your starting point. Some individual may need to begin exercise sessions of 2-3 minutes several times per day, increasing their personal stamina. For others, 10- 20 minutes per day is adequate. As always check with your healthcare professional before beginning any form of exercise.

Resistive Exercise
Weight bearing exercise during injury healing should follow these procedures:

• Do not exercise within a painful range
• Do exercise just below the range of pain
• More is not better during the initial healing phase
• No pain, no gain does not apply here
• Short motions with light weights or resistive bands are appropriate

Non-Resistant Exercises

Non-Resistant Exercises should be performed during the first 3 weeks.

These specific, injury- related, range of motion exercise protocols can be issued following a chiropractic examination.

Nutritional imbalances in the body can cause inflammation which leads to muscle and joint pain and other degenerative conditions. Supplements should be taken in conjunction with a proper diet. Decrease your intake of processed foods, grains and breads due to the effect of increased inflammation that they have on your body. Increase fruits and vegetables. Consume meats that primarily have a diet of greens. Certain supplements should be taken on a daily basis, others are condition specific and should be directed or supervised by your chiropractor or specialist for better outcomes.

How do I know if I have excessive inflammation in my body?

• Abnormal fatigue
• Overweight
• Fibromyalgia
• Aches & pains
• Exercise is too stressful
• Easily get cold & flu symptoms
• Normal touch is painful

Our doctors of chiropractic can direct you to the supplements that are tested and researched and absorb properly by your body. Specific supplements may be recommended as determined by your condition.

Please call our office with your questions: 330-674-0444.

During the first 72 hours of an acute injury, ice should be your modality of choice. Occasionally certain injuries will require the use of ice over an extended period of time. Application of heat after 72 hours is appropriate, but may still need to be alternated with ice application. Acute injuries will involve pain, swelling, heat and redness at or around the injured area. Using the P.R.I.C.E. formula during this phase will serve to help benefit the healing process and reduce pain.

• Protection of the injured joint
• Rest from aggravating activities
• Ice as outlined
• Compression –use of a brace or wrap
• Elevation

Real Ice vs. frozen gel packs

Ice will cool the tissue quicker and penetrate deeper as opposed to gel packs, but both are acceptable forms of cryotherapy.

No early heat treatments

Although many patients state heat feels better than ice, the effects of early heat application will slow the healing by as much as 30 days. This occurs because heat increases: underlying hemorrhage, pain, swelling,

Warning

Do not exceed 20 minutes with ice or heat. Both can burn and blister the skin if left on too long. Using ice for more than 20 minutes can have the opposite effect and increase inflamation rather than reduce it.

Accepted ice application – times and frequency

• 10- 20 minute maximums
• 10 minutes for: neck, elbow, wrist, hand, shin, ankle, foot
• 15 minutes for: midback, shoulder, knee
• 20 minutes for: lowback, pelvis, thigh

Frequency:

• Minimum: 2-4 times per day
• Maximum: hourly

Procedure:

• Place ice on or around the injured area.
• Ice massage in the form of bagged ice or frozen in paper cups use circular motions. Massage until area becomes numb and stop
• Use compression wrap between ice applications

What should you use for pain if there’s no injury?

Start with ice. If no relief of pain, than switch to heat. If ice does not relieve pain or makes the pain worse use the heat. If heat aggravates pain, use ice. If you suspect a vascular problem, you should consult your physician before ice or heat is applied.

During the first 72 hours of an acute injury, ice should be your modality of choice. Occasionally certain injuries will require the use of ice over an extended period of time. Application of heat after 72 hours is appropriate, but may still need to be alternated with ice application. Acute injuries will involve pain, swelling, heat and redness at or around the injured area. Using the P.R.I.C.E. formula during this phase will serve to help benefit the healing process and reduce pain.

• Protection of the injured joint
• Rest from aggravating activities
• Ice as outlined
• Compression –use of a brace or wrap
• Elevation

Real Ice vs. frozen gel packs

Ice will cool the tissue quicker than gel packs, but both are acceptable forms of cryotherapy.

No early heat treatments

Although many patients state heat feels better than ice, the effects of early heat application will slow the healing by as much as 30 days. This occurs because heat increases underlying hemorrhage, pain, and swelling.

Warning

Do not exceed 20 minutes with ice or heat. Both can burn and blister the skin if left on too long. Using ice for more than 20 minutes can have the opposite effect and increase inflation rather than reduce it.

Accepted ice application – times and frequency

• 10- 20 minute maximum
• 10 minutes for neck, elbow, wrist, hand, shin, ankle, foot
• 15 minutes for mid-back, shoulder, knee
• 20 minutes for low-back, pelvis, thigh

Frequency

• Minimum: 2-4 times per day
• Maximum: hourly

Procedure

• Place ice on or around the injured area.
• Ice massage in the form of bagged ice or ice frozen in paper cups, using circular motions. Massage until area becomes numb & stop
• Use compression wrap between ice applications

Many amateur and professional athletes are sidelined with injuries that could be avoided. Others sit it out on the bench because their injury has not responded to ordinary treatment. Still others are playing at less than peak efficiency simply because their structural system is not in balance. Progressive coaches, athletes, and doctors are realizing that pain killing drugs are not the answer. They merely cover up the symptoms, deceiving the athlete into actions which could make the injury more serious.

Chiropractic’s approach to health, probably more than any other health profession, closely relates to the needs of the sports participant. Most sports involve body contact, fast starts and stops, and positioning that places an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. Doctors of Chiropractic consider a person as an integrated being, giving special attention to the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Chiropractic is a natural health care method that stresses the importance of keeping all the systems of the body functioning efficiently so the player enjoys peak performance, a minimum injury risk, and fast recuperative powers. Many world class and Olympic athletes, as well as professional stars and teams, have retained sports chiropractors to provide care. Lance Arm Strong, Tiger Woods, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Montana, Nolan Ryan, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jubbar, and Carl Lewis all utilize chiropractic care. The Players Association of the NFL has officially incorporated sports chiropractors as a regular part of care. Chiropractors have been selected as attending doctors at the Olympic Games and at national and world championships in track and field, cycling, volleyball, power-lifting, aerobics, and triathlons.

The beauty of chiropractic is that it is not only drug-free and surgery free care, but also preventative and performance enhancing care. Maintaining proper alignment will allow athletes to be prepared for their sport. Many of the greatest athletes in the world are adjusted before competition as a “tune-up” in an effort to place their bodies in a state of peak efficiency. Following competition, they are adjusted to enhance the recuperative process after the stress of their particular event. When asked about chiropractic’s effectiveness, Roger Craig, formerly of the San Francisco 49’ers, stated, “We won four Super Bowls in the 1980’s with it, so it must be doing something right!”

To receive the doctor of chiropractic degree, candidates must complete extensive undergraduate prerequisites and four years of graduate-level instruction and internship at an accredited chiropractic institution. Comprehensive knowledge of all systems of the body and diagnostic procedures enable the DC to thoroughly evaluate a patient, diagnose, and treat or determine the need for referral to another health care provider.