How do I know I need a chiropractor?

If you ask 10 of your closest friends what a chiropractor does (and therefore why you would choose to see one) you will most likely get a lot of blank stares.

So if you’re confused, we get it.

When we hear what some chiropractors are doing out there it’s no wonder most people are confused about what we do and therefore don’t consider Chiropractic as a potential solution to their problem.

One of the most common questions we get is “How do I know if I need a chiropractor, a physiotherapist or a massage therapist?"  This website is all about what we do as Chiropractors so here’s some guidelines to help clarify when you should see a physiotherapist or massage therapist instead:

Physiotherapy

If you’ve just rolled your ankle or have a specific ‘extremity’ problem (arm or leg) then seeing a good physiotherapist that focuses on hands-on care and exercise rehab is your best bet.  A quick note - if your physio relies on hooking you up to a bunch of machines, consider finding a new physio.   If you want some recommendations send us an email - we regularly refer to great physiotherapists across the city.

Registered Massage Therapist

Properly applied massage therapy focuses on rebuilding and maintaining healthy muscles.  So if you have a specific muscle problem and are looking to restore normal muscle tissue, then a good registered massage therapist is your best bet.  A good RMT will always do a thorough assessment and provide you with specific recommendations for follow-up.  Email us and we’ll be happy to give you a list of our favourite therapists.

Our role as Life By Design Chiropractors is to address any structural distortions in your spine that are compromising the health of your nerve system and ultimately limiting the health and function of your entire body.

Often we find that a combination of 2 or even all three is the best route to quick results and we work closely with both physiotherapists and registered massage therapists in the area. 

This still leaves an unanswered question: 

How do I know if I have a muscle problem or spine and nerve problem?

It’s often very difficult for you to be able to answer this question on your own.  Even for us it can be difficult to determine what came first, which is why we use sophisticated technology to determine if it's a spine/nerve problem or simply a muscle problem.

See our discussion of the Comprehensive Neurostructural Examination™ to learn more. 

Usually by the end of a consultation - which is always complimentary - the doctor will have a good idea of whether you have an isolated muscle problem or a primary spine and nerve system problem. 

Click HERE to book your complimentary consultation now. 

What types of problems can chiropractic help me with?

Here’s a list of some of the health problems that have improved under regular chiropractic care in our office using the Life By Design Method™:  

Let us be absolutely clear, chiropractic is NOT a cure or treatment for any disease, condition or symptom; however when your spine and nerve system is working optimally, your ability to heal, to recover and to be healthy drastically improves!

The symptoms and conditions listed above (+ many more) are most often what we call secondary conditions, caused by a handful of primary conditions one of which is structural distortions in your spine that effect how your brain and body function and communicate.

Our job is to figure out if the secondary conditions that you’re currently suffering from are caused by primary problems located in your spine and nervous system.

If they are, we can help; if they're not we’ll let you know and refer you to the appropriate health care professional.

What can I expect when I get there?

One thing we are known for is the systematic and thorough approach we take with everything we do in our practice.

The first step is always to determine if you are in the right place. We don’t want to waste your time, nor ours.

That’s why we always start with a conversation (aka consultation) so that your doctor can learn more about you and your health objectives. At the same time, its an opportunity for you to get a feel for our office, meet your doctor and ask any questions you may have.

By the end of this conversation both you and your doctor will have a good idea if Synergy Wellness Group is the right place for you.

If they feel like they can help, the doctor will recommend a Comprehensive Neuro-Structural Examination to dig deeper into what is going on. These tests are completely non-invasive and very comfortable.

The purpose of this examination is to analyze for structural distortions in your spine that result in nerve interference. This nerve interference can effect you in ways that you may notice or feel, but more importantly it can effect you in ways you may have no idea about.

In our experience, these structural distortions are the primary problem that contribute to many secondary problems such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, digestive issues, hormonal irregularities, poor sleeping, and low energy to name a few.

There are 5 steps to the Comprehensive Neuro-Structural Examination:

1. Thermography Study – This computerized test measures how your autonomic nerves (the nerves that control your organs and systems) are functioning.
2. Electromyography Study – This computerized test measures how your motor nerves (the nerves that control your muscles) are functioning.
3. Adaptability Analysis - This computerized test measures how well your body is adapting to all of the physical, chemical and emotional stresses in your life.
4. Advanced Palpation Examination – This hands-on analysis allows the doctor to evaluate the movement and position of your individual spinal vertebrae.
5. Structural Radiographs – This test specifically measures for structural distortions in the spine and for how long they have been present.

Once the examination is completed, we have some homework to do!

We will review all of your results and come up with specific recommendations for you that include:

• Exactly what is going on.
• What options you have.
• How we can help you.
• How long it will take.
• How much it will cost.

Once all your questions are answered and you and your doctor come to an agreement on your unique plan of action, your care can start right away.

How long before I see results?

If, based on your consultation and Comprehensive Neuro-Structural Examination, we determine you are a good candidate for care in our office, we will prepare a detailed, individualized plan for you.  

The factors that we consider when creating your recommendations are:

• Your health goals and objectives
• The severity of your problem and how long it has been present
• The results of your Neuro-Structural Examination

Of course, we are not psychics, and we can not predict your future.

However, in working with thousands of people just like you over the years, we have become very very accurate in determining who we can help and who we cannot. 

While some clients experience almost instantaneous results, most start to notice significant changes within the first 3-6 weeks of their care.

I don’t have any pain… Can I still come in?

This may surprise you but approximately 47% of our new practice members (clients) come in NOT because they have a specific problem but because they heard we can help them to be even healthier and perform better.

Here’s the thing:  Structural distortions in the spine that cause nerve interference can effect you in ways you know about but more importantly, and more commonly, these distortions can affect you in ways that you have absolutely no idea about.

Some of the effects that most people don’t relate to structural distortions include:

• low energy
• poor sleep (quality and/or quantity)
• difficulty concentrating
• brain fog
• mild shortness of breath
• poor digestion
• mild muscle weakness,
• hormonal imbalances
• poor coordination and performance
• and even organ dysfunction

The only way to know if nerve system dysfunction is occurring is to to test for it - and that’s exactly why we perform a Comprehensive Neuro-structural Examination.

How many times will I have to come?

Ultimately, the number of visits you’ll require depends on three main factors:  

1. Your goals and objectives - what are you trying to accomplish?
2. How severe your problem is - how much breakdown has occurred?
3. How long it has been going on for - is this a new or chronic problem?

Based on these three things we will determine the perfect visit frequency for you.

And because everyone is different (and we don’t have a crystal ball), we will check in regularly and perform comparative examinations to make sure that you are on the right track and your recommended frequency is appropriate to help you get the results you want.

Want a more accurate answer specific to your case?

Click HERE and take advantage of our free consultation. 

Based on that conversation and our experience with past clients similar to you, we can offer a better estimate before going any further.

Once I go to a chiropractor, will I have to go forever?

Short answer?  No. You don’t HAVE to do anything!  You can stop care at any time and we won’t even hold it against you!

Remember how we said we do things differently?  That we are experts in Neuro-structural Correction…  well, once we’ve completed our Comprehensive Neuro-Structural Examination, we will sit down with you and explain the results of each of your tests. We will then provide you with a complete individualized plan of action to help you correct the structural distortions related to your health problems.

Once you’ve completed your corrective care we will perform a Comparative Neuro-Structural Exam. Based on our your test results and your goals, you can then make some new choices about your care going forward - which may include protecting your investment or discontinuing your care. The choice is yours.

How much will it cost?

Because we don’t want to waste your time or money, our initial consultation process is FREE. 

If during your consultation, you and your doctor decide that it would be worthwhile to go through our Comprehensive Neuro-Strutural Examination then the cost ranges from $90-$160 depending on whether structural radiographs (spinal x-rays) are needed.

So the most you can expect to pay for your initial examination and follow-up visit is $160.

At your follow-up visit your doctor will review all of the results from your examination; they will give you their recommendations for your care and will show you exactly how much it will cost. 

Because every case is different it is difficult to predict the total cost of your care without the results of a thorough Neuro-Structural Examination.

What about my extended health care benefits?

If you are fortunate enough to have extended health care insurance that covers Chiropractic then this can significantly reduce the cost of your care (think of it like a health coupon!)  Contact your insurance provider to find out the specific details of your coverage as plans vary.

Got your own question?