Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about arthritis, osteoarthritis, vertebral subluxation, whiplash, headaches, and sports performace?

Do I have to have X-rays taken? What if I do not want X-rays taken?

X-rays are the most important testing tool we use to determine the cause of your complaints. Following a consultation and history review, the Doctors will determine if you can be accepted as a patient without the necessary X-rays.

Can I bring X-rays from another office or doctor?

Yes, provided they were taken within the last year at a chiropractor’s office. Additional views may be necessary if more information is needed. X-rays taken at a medical office are often different views than may be needed for chiropractic. However, you are welcome to bring them with you; the Doctors will determine if they can be effectively used to isolate your problems for proper treatment.

I may only want to come for one visit. What if I don’t want to keep coming back?

That’s fine; the Doctors will give recommendations for care based on their findings. You can choose how much you wish to benefit from chiropractic care.

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Can chiropractic therapy cure common ailments such as asthma, colds, and stomach problems?

Chiropractic is not a treatment or cure for any of these problems. However, chiropractic does help your spine and nervous system function better, which can lead to extended health benefits. Many patients report improvement with various conditions, such as respiratory and gastrointestinal, after receiving chiropractic care.

How long does a visit usually take?

Your initial visit will last approximately one hour and help determine the cause of your problems and to decide the appropriate treatment. If we feel we can help your condition, your next two or three visits will be about 15-20 minutes. We understand that your time is valuable; for your convenience, we make every effort to limit the length of your treatments. Your waiting time will be minimal and we will perform only services that are truly necessary to assist in your healing process.

How much do you charge for a visit?

This may vary depending on your insurance coverage. Please visit our insurance page for coverage. If you do not have insurance, Welsh Chiropractic Clinic offers the WCC Wellness Plan. Please visit our insurance page to learn more about the WCC Wellness Plan.

What techniques and adjustments do our Doctors use?

The Doctors use a variety of techniques based on your individual needs. They concentrate on full spine diversified, Cox flexion distraction, Activator, Gonstead, and Acupuncture. (Contact us for more information pertaining to these adjustments.) And please inform the Doctors during your consultation if you are accustomed to a certain type of adjustment.

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When will I see my X-rays?

Usually, on your second visit your X-rays will be reviewed and all questions pertaining to your course of treatment will be answered.

Do I have to make appointments or can I just come in?

After your treatment plan is chosen, we do require scheduled appointments to keep track of your progress and make sure you receive the number of visits recommended by the Doctors. Scheduled appointments also ensure that your treatment visits can be performed in a timely manner.

Can I take my X-rays to my MD or another DC for a second opinion?

Yes, you may take your X-rays for the purpose of a second opinion or consultation with another doctor, but the x-rays should be returned to the facility from where they were originally taken.

Should I bring my spouse or children in to have their spines checked?

Absolutely! People of all ages can benefit from chiropractic care. Spinal problems often develop from an injury or fall at an early age and may go unnoticed until they are more severe and painful.

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How many times am I going to have come in?

Everybody responds differently to chiropractic care, but the doctor will make specific recommendations for correcting your problem. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how much chiropractic care you wish to benefit from.

How long will it take before I am better?

Statistically, it takes between one and 20 visits to feel relief from the pain that brought you to our clinic. However, health is not merely the absence of pain. To achieve true wellness and realize your body’s optimum health potential, your care should not end when your pain does. With continued care, long-term changes can occur – which will make you feel great!

What kind of education does a Doctor of Chiropractic have?

Doctors of Chiropractic are required to have four years of pre-chiropractic education that is similar in content to pre-med courses. After that, four and a half years of chiropractic college is required before graduation. These guidelines are very similar to the educational requirements of a medical doctor or an osteopathic.

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Can I bring in my X-rays from my MD?

Yes. However, depending upon when and how the films were taken, we may have to refer for extra views in order to see all of the structures pertinent for proper chiropractic analysis.

Will you accept my insurance plan?

We accept many insurance plans that cover chiropractic. Please check our insurance page to check for coverage or give us a call at (813) 962-2489.

Why do I have to use ice?

Surface cooling restricts blood vessels, numbs painful areas and helps relax muscle spasms. Cold temperatures reduce aberrant nerve transmission from nerve interference, thus allowing for a better adjustment. Along with the adjustment, cooling also helps retrain your nervous system to work properly.

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Why can’t I use heat instead of ice?

Heat applied to the skin enlarges blood vessels below the surface, which actually promotes inflammation. Heat is used for temporary relief of the symptoms associated with chronic muscle pain. Therefore, it is not recommended by the doctor in the early phases of treatment. Heat is also less effective in training, or retraining, your nervous system.

Is Chiropractic safe?

The answer is absolutely? Chiropractic is arguably the safest form of healthcare. Literally safer than taking an aspirin. A good measurement of the safety and effectiveness of Chiropractic is looking at malpractice insurance rates. Chiropractic malpractice rates are one of the lowest of all health professions. This reflects the fact that any adverse problems are extremely rare if at all.

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Further Information

What is Arthritis?
What is Osteoarthritis?
What is Vertebral Subluxation?
What is Whiplash?
What do I need to know about Headaches?
Can Chiropractic care help Sports performance?

Arthritis

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Arthritis is considered by many as an illness of aging and affects millions of older Americans every year. However, older people are not the only ones affected; younger adults can also experience the symptoms of arthritis.
Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint which causes heat, redness, swelling and pain. This often happens when a joint is strained, injured or irritated in some way. Symptoms range from no symptoms, occasional mild stiffness or pain, to severe pain. In severe cases permanent joint damage can occur.
Although pain is one symptom of arthritis, only certain nerves carry pain messages. Unless these nerves are affected no pain will be felt. Pain is a warning that something is not right in the body, but not all people will have this warning and may not be aware they have arthritis. Arthritis can cause degenerative joint damage for years without pain.
Standard medical procedure to treat arthritis is to treat the symptoms. Anti-inflammatory drugs are extensively used to reduce swelling, stiffness and pain. However, drug therapies cause a broad range of undesirable side effects. In some case physical therapy are prescribed to relieve joint stiffness. Surgery is recommended as a last resort.
Delaying diagnosis and treatment only prolongs pain and can cause acute damage to the affected areas. This in turn will affect the whole body and cause further health complications. For the sake of your health, schedule a chiropractic examination to rule out spinal problems that may be contributing to your arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

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As the most widespread type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease and hypertrophic arthritis. This degenerative disease affects people later in life and is thought to be caused by too much wear and tear on the joints. Million Americans over the age of 50 suffer from osteoarthritis mainly affecting the hands, knees, hips and spine.
Frequently, osteoarthritis is the result of an old injury where lipping, spurring or bone growths often seen on x-rays are caused by additional calcium deposited in the joints. In defense the body tries to splint or stabilize the area by adding calcium to the bone. This can lead to joint problems and nerve irritation.

Vertebral Subluxation

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Vertebral Subluxation Complex is when spinal bones lose
their normal position and motion through trauma, stress, or chemical imbalances, caused by falls, auto accidents, incorrect lifting, slumped posture, athletic injuries, sitting too long, chemical or emotional stress, lack of exercise, or even hereditary factors. This spinal disturbance can profoundly affect the surrounding soft nerve tissue resulting in interrupted nerve flow that starts a degenerative chain-reaction that may seriously affect the health and function of the entire body. Among other diseases, Vertebral Subluxation can cause arthritis. Doctors of Chiropractic are the only professionals trained and educated in the diagnosis and correction of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Among other diseases, Vertebral Subluxation can cause arthritis.

Chiropractor’s primary treatment of Vertebral Subluxation Complex is the use of spinal manipulation and adjustment. By applying precise direct pressure to a joint that is out of alignment, or not moving properly, original position and function are gradually restored. Alternate therapies to spinal adjustment for elderly patients can be accommodated by the use of flexion and distraction. The Chiropractic approach greatly reduces pain, stiffness, and damage while it restores joint mobility and function.

Many health conditions seemingly unrelated to “back problems” can often be traced back to nervous system impairment and Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Make a commitment to your own recovery. Discontinuing treatment prematurely not only delays full recovery, it can cause a relapse of the original health complaint.

Whiplash

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Whiplash is a common injury from automobile accidents. Impact from the front or rear during a car collision tosses the head viciously in a direction beyond its usual confines, the neck muscles then react by “whipping” the neck in the other direction. Muscles, tendons and ligaments can be overstretched or damaged. The spinal cord and nerve endings in the neck can be stretched and pinched, leading to irritation. Discs between spinal bones can rupture, swell and herniate.
Early signs of whiplash may include a sore or stiff neck accompanied by a headache within a few hours of the accident. Pain, numbness or tingling in the back, arms, shoulders and hands may also occur. Flexibility is greatly reduced. Ringing in the ears, dizziness, hearing loss, or blurred vision may also be symptoms. Some symptoms appear much later, even weeks after the accident.
Any trauma to your spine can upset its normal alignment and mobility. Muscles, ligaments, and discs are affected interfering with nerve messages from the brain to other areas of the body, affecting the healing process. This is known as “vertebral subluxation”. Vertebral Subluxation can go unnoticed for years causing damage and negatively affecting your health.
In severe whiplash, the brain is violently banged against the inside of the skull. Concussion may occur and symptoms include headache, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, depression and mood-swings that may last for hours or even days.
Most problems are more easily treated within the first month when symptoms appear. Get a spinal checkup with your chiropractor whenever you have suffered a whiplash injury. Your health history, physical exam and x-rays help your chiropractor determine the extent of the damage as well as the course of recommended treatment to follow. Spinal damage should always be ruled out to protect your long-term health.
Frequent chiropractic visits may be needed to help relieve your symptoms. So be patient. Give your treatment program time to work and yourself time to heal. Make a commitment to your own recovery. Even after your symptoms ease, regular treatment may be needed for complete healing. Discontinuing treatment prematurely only delays and prevents full recovery.

Headaches

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Headaches can be triggered by physical or emotional stress, toxic fumes, food allergies, alcohol, bright light, hormonal fluctuations, sleep patterns, blood pressure, weather changes, or new eye-glasses to name just a few causes. Headaches can also be caused by misaligned spinal bones in the neck and upper back.
A recurring headache is a sign that something is wrong. Pain-relievers bring temporary relief but only mask the symptoms and don’t correct the source of the problem. As long as the problem remains, the headaches will come back... again and again.

Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are characterized by dull, steady pain on one or both sides of the head. These headaches usually begin with physical or mental stress that causes contractions of muscles in the back, neck, and head. Prolonged contractions rob the muscles of oxygen, making them release chemicals that transmit pain signals to the brain.

Vascular Headaches
These headaches are accompanied by intense throbbing and stabbing pains when blood vessels to the scalp and brain dilate suddenly. It includes migraines and cluster headaches. Migraine sufferers are often completely debilitated, with nausea, sensitivity to noise and light. These headaches could last a few hours or even days. Cluster headaches occur in clusters, lasting from minutes to a few hours up to eight times a day.

Vertebrogenic Headaches
These headaches caused by problems with the neck are felt in the back, sides and front of the head or neck. The normal curvature of the neck is changed by trauma, degenerative arthritis, or poor posture. The pain is sudden and severe, possibly creating muscle tension and bringing on tension headaches as well.

When headaches are frequent or recur over time, it is not wise to ignore the signals and treat just the symptoms. Medical management of headaches usually involves medications which are never risk-free. Remember, pain is uncomfortable it is how the body tells us that something is wrong. A Doctor of Chiropractic is highly experienced in finding the causes behind headaches and can usually bring immediate pain relief. A Chiropractor can also help to identify headache triggers and make suggestions regarding therapy and lifestyle to prevent further headaches.

Sports and Chiropractic Care

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Professional athletes in many sports arenas rely on regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic benefits are: decreases recovery time from injury, improves performance, and prevents potential problems. If professional athletes benefit, so can everyone benefit from chiropractic care.
Sports chiropractic is a specialized area. By applying chiropractic principles biomechanical and muscular function is enhanced and maintained. High impact sports such as football, hockey, basketball and soccer benefit from chiropractic care, as well as golfers, bowlers, joggers, tennis players, skiers and many others.
During contact sports such as football or hockey the body is subjected to a forceful impact. When a vertebra is damaged or displaced in the neck or back, it may not be apparent until later. Pressure then affects the nerves and surrounding soft tissue and affects overall health.
Impact injuries are not the only concern, disc and soft tissue involvement is common in sports such as golf and tennis. Joggers also subject their joints to wear and tear with constant jarring.
When spinal bones lose their normal alignment (Vertebral Subluxation), it can exert pressure on adjacent nerves, impair neural messages and adversely affect the function of all tissues, organs, and systems in the body. This in turn limits movement, strength, stamina and speed. Until joint alignment is restored, complete recovery is not possible and performance is also limited. Chiropractic care restores spinal function with manipulation sessions that gradually realign the spinal bones.
Many of us, even without a sports injury, are not at our best potential. Any malfunction in the neuromusculoskeletal system causes your body to compensate by adapting the way other parts function with it. Because of this change, your body uses more energy to achieve the same result it did before. With chiropractic manipulation, the athlete could experience greater range of motion, muscle function, coordination, balance, and performance.
Before you begin serious conditioning for a new sport, speak to your chiropractor. Many potential problems could be avoided or eliminated with early detection and correction. Your Doctor of Chiropractic can provide you with appropriate stretching and strength building exercises, as well as therapies and treatments of all kinds of injuries. With proper diagnosis and care, athletes and non-athletes alike can prevent many sprains and strains and improve athletic and recreational sports performance.

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Still have some questions?

Please contact us.

Dr, Susan Welsh