How to Choose a Great Chiropractor

Chiropractic is a profession with a large variety of different practicing styles which can make it challenging to find a chiropractor who best suits your needs. Because chiropractic care requires a lot of hands on work, it is important that you find a chiropractor who’s treatment style works for you and who you are able to build a rapport with.

Generally, a chiropractor who is recommended by multiple people is often likely to be reliable. However, it is important to remember that one person’s definition of a good chiropractor may differ from another person’s. Below we have made a checklist of things you may want to consider when choosing your chiropractor.

1. Does your chiropractor genuinely care about you?
   First things first – when you first meet your chiropractor how do they make you feel? Your intuition and their body language will tell you everything you need to know from the initial consult. If you have chosen a passionate and caring chiropractor who asks how you are, follows up on important matters and views your health and well-being as their top priority, it will be much easier to establish a strong therapeutic alliance which in turn, is shown to improve overall health outcomes! [1]
2. How long are their appointment times?
   In our opinion, the longer appointment time the better! Chiropractic appointment times can range anywhere between 5 – 30 minutes. While you may be happy with a shorter appointment time, longer appointment times allow for a greater use of multiple treatment modalities, individualised treatment and allows the chiropractor to understand more about you as a whole which can improve outcomes in the long run.
3. What treatment modalities do they offer?
   Chiropractors are well equipped to provide a number of treatment modalities inclusive of spinal and extremity adjustments, massage, dry needling, instrument assisted soft tissue therapy, mechanical blocking, IFC, flexion distraction, low level laser therapy and advice among many other things. Chiropractors who utilise a wide variety of treatment modalities have the ability to individualise treatments and provide care for patients based on their needs and response to treatment.
4. Do they explain their treatment plan with you, and do you understand it?
   One very important thing to note is whether your chiropractor has successfully explained to you what course of action they intend to take and why. This not only helps you to better understand what is going on, but also gives you an idea about what leads to EBP, interprofessional collaboration and holistic care.
5. Do they collaborate interprofessionally with GPs, orthopaedic surgeons and other allied health professionals?
   We do health care plans which are provided by GP, you might be eligible for 5 treatments and we will provide reports to GP. We also collaborate with orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals.
6. Do they provide holistic care?
   Problem focussed not symptomatic relief. Chiropractor checks alignment posture and feet. They also ask about diet and exercise. They take into consideration: your occupation and lifestyle. They look at the whole body and not just the problem area.
7. Good use of x-rays, MRIs and other special investigations.
   This allows the chiropractor to make an overall good diagnosis without missing anything.

References

1. Kinney M, Seider J, Beaty AF, Coughlin K, Dyal M, Clewley D. The impact of therapeutic alliance in physical therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review of the literature. Physiother Theory Pract. 2020 Aug;36(8):886-898. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2018.1516015. Epub 2018 Sep 28. PMID: 30265840.