If you’ve never visited a chiropractor before, seeking one out for the first time can be a confusing, if not overwhelming, experience. Fortunately, when you know what to look for in a chiropractic care provider, you have a much greater likelihood of finding a professional who is truly suited to address your needs — and may even exceed your expectations.
In this article, we’ll discuss the primary qualities to consider before making a final decision on whom to work with for your chiropractic and spinal wellness. For more information about chiropractic services, our approach to holistic wellness, and our areas of expertise in sports medicine, please contact our team of clinical specialists at Gray Chiropractic & Sports Associates in Winston-Salem today!
Qualities To Consider When Selecting A Chiropractor:
- Reviews From Clients
- Insurance Coverage
- Current Credentials & Licensures
- Condition-Specific Expertise
- Patient-Oriented Care
Reviews From Clients
Perhaps one of the most common and reputable ways that individuals can gauge the professionalism and competence of a chiropractor is by assessing the reviews given by former and current clients. More specifically, you may want to consider how often a given chiropractic clinic receives referrals as new patients, versus organic leads or one-time visits.
The way a chiropractic clinic is viewed by clients similar to yourself will give you a great initial insight to what you can expect from their services and whether their professional personality aligns with what you desire in a healthcare setting. Online reviews of chiropractors can also occasionally provide information about service fees, appointment scheduling, and other facets of the patient experience.
Insurance Coverage
If you currently have medical insurance, whether it’s through a professionally provided network or a personally sourced service, the odds are quite good that you have at least some coverage for chiropractic services. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all providers in this field will be granted benefits and options. Be sure to contact both your insurance company and the clinics you’re interested in visiting to confirm that your current care plan will cover an adequate amount of the cost.
Professional Credentials & State Licensures
Anyone who works in the healthcare field is expected to have at least some technical training, but the degree to which a chiropractor is licensed, experienced, and certified can vary significantly on a clinic-by-clinic basis. When conducting research on potential chiropractic care providers, use online resources and databases to investigate their education and technical training, as well as credentials from your state licensing board.
Some chiropractors may have a history of disciplinary action or malpractice, so it’s very important to know that the professional you’re working with is qualified and trustworthy enough to address all of your physical and functional wellness needs.
Condition-Specific Areas of Expertise
Chiropractic medicine is often misunderstood as an extremely limited scope of practice that focuses exclusively on spinal or back-related issues. However, even the most general chiropractic provider is likely to have a diverse range of technical skills, plus extensive knowledge of how to best address the functional wellness of the entire body — not just one portion or area of it.
Indeed, like nearly all other medical professions, the field of chiropractic care consists of specific areas of expertise in which a given provider may have more or less experience than another.
Understanding your conditions, both recent and chronic, is imperative in knowing how to select the chiropractor that can best treat these diagnoses. The specific musculoskeletal condition doesn’t matter so much as the potential care provider’s qualifications, and this is true whether you’re struggling with a newly herniated disc or a lingering sports injury. What’s important when choosing a chiropractor is finding a competent individual who possesses the ability to help you safely and effectively mitigate or eliminate the adverse symptoms of your condition.
For instance, at our clinic, Gray Chiropractic & Sports Associates, we consider our staff especially well trained in the areas of chronic pain, sports medicine, and holistic wellness. Furthermore, our clinic technology incorporates a range of innovative and effective methods and equipment, such as hyperbaric oxygen treatments and shockwave therapy, that other providers may not offer.
Patient-Oriented Care
Arguably the most important element of the chiropractor selection process boils down to whether their philosophy of care aligns with your values and needs as both a person and a patient. The degree to which a chiropractic clinic orients its services towards its clients and strives to offer accommodations can speak volumes about the quality of care it will provide both early on and in the long-term.
At Gray Chiropractic & Sports Associates, we pride ourselves on a patient care philosophy developed from a functional and holistic wellness approach. We aspire to help each and every client receive the individualized healthcare they need in order to feel good on the inside and reflect that vitality in an external way, whether they do this through their work, a favorite sport, or another endeavor that sustains their passion for life.
If you live in the Winston-Salem metropolitan area and you’re seeking a chiropractor or sports medicine provider near you, please contact our team of caring and qualified clinical specialists today!