FAQ's

Sometimes patients ask us if chiropractic x-rays are safe to use, so our team wanted to provide a summary of up-to-date FDA statements regarding x-ray safety, as well as provide you with some credible resources that can give you more information. If you want the whole story then you can read the article from start to finish, but if you just want a quick answer, the FDA says that the radiation you are exposed to from a chest x-ray is about the same as how much background radiation you get exposed to during ten normal days on Earth. 

On their website, the FDA states that you should not “refuse an x-ray,” because “the risk of not having a needed x-ray is greater than the small risk of radiation.” 

Firstly, there is not a difference between an x-ray used for chiropractic care and any other sort of x-ray. Although x-ray equipment may have slight variation depending on the manufacturer, the thing that really matters is what body part is being imaged. Different body tissues will absorb the x-ray radiation differently. 

In order to monitor the amount of radiation exposure, the FDA employs an effective dosage scale. Every type of x-ray has a certain effective dosage that is associated with it and is measured in millisieverts (mSv). Because mSv is not a unit of measurement that most people know (such as a cup or a mile), it helps to put the numbers into context if there is a reference value. According to the FDA, the average person gets exposed to about 3.0 mSv of radiation every year from sources such as cosmic rays and radioactive materials. Because of this, the FDA states that a 0.1 mSv dosage of radiation from a chest x-ray is the same amount of radiation exposure as what you would receive from around ten days of ordinary life. 

Compared to an x-ray of the chest, x-rays involving the body’s extremities (legs and arms) have an effective dosage that’s much lower. Effective dosage is mostly determined by the body part that is being x-rayed, not the duration or intensity of the x-ray machine’s pulse. Here is a brief summary of effective dosages for various body parts, as well as equivalent background radiation comparisons. 

For extremities: 0.001 mSv, which is similar to three hours of background radiation. 

For the chest: 0.1 mSv, which is similar to ten days of background radiation. 

For the spine: 1.5 mSv, which is similar to six months of background radiation. 

According to the FDA’s website, as well as the informative radiologyinfo.org website (provided by the Radiological Society of North America and the American College of Radiology), the risk of getting a disease from radiation exposure builds up over time. It is important that patients help to track their own exposure levels. Because you might be seeing several health care providers that specialize in different areas, you should try to keep a log recording your radiation exposures. 

This article is discussing recommendations and effective exposure levels for adults, but if you are pregnant or you are looking for safety information regarding x-rays for children, then you should visit imagegently.org.

Getting chiropractic adjustments regularly is important for treating chronic musculoskeletal pain in the long-term, especially pain located in the joints, neck, and back. 

Chiropractic treatment can be used on its own, or alongside other types of medicare care. The method does not rely on drugs. Just like any type of conventional medical care, the cost of chiropractic care might be a problem for you if your insurance does not cover it, especially if you have a lower income. It may be pertinent that you find out if Medicare covers the cost of chiropractic care. 

Long story short, some types of chiropractic treatment are covered under the Medicare Part B plan. This covers only spinal manipulation using a handheld device and manual manipulation, with the goal of correcting spinal misalignment. However, the plan does not cover initial chiropractic physical examinations, x-rays, acupuncture, physical therapy, diagnostic services, orthopedic devices, nutritional supplements, or any other treatment besides care for spinal adjustments.

Medicare covers chiropractic treatment if one of the following categories applies to you: 1) You are suffering from a severe neuromusculoskeletal condition that requires treatment, such as swelling, pain, numbness in the limbs, inflammation, etc.; 2) You have spinal misalignment/subluxation; or 3) A medical doctor has referred you to a chiropractor and recommended that you try chiropractic care to improve your health. 

The cost that you have to pay includes the initial payment to cover the Medicare Part B deductible, in addition to 20 percent of the cost of the chiropractic services (that were approved by Medicare). You will be responsible for taking care of the fees to cover any chiropractic services that Medicare has not approved. Chiropractic visits have a one-a-day limit, unless it is decided that it is medically necessary that you have them more often than that, and your coverage will last as long as improvement is occurring. If your chiropractic treatment reaches stagnation where it is no longer helping your health improve, then your Medicare coverage will end. 

People of all ages can benefit from chiropractic care. The birthing process can cause barely-noticeable injuries to the infant’s neck, spine, and/or collarbone. Many parents bring their baby to a chiropractor to receive a checkup soon after they are born. Many experienced chiropractors have gone through specialized training in pediatric chiropractic care, and also have training on how to analyze these subtle imbalances and issues in ways that many pediatricians and medical doctors do not. 

Many children can benefit from chiropractic care as they grow. Spinal issues can arise after a child spends lots of time stuck in uncomfortable or cramped positions (such riding in a car seat), or because they fall down. Many common disorders in children can be caused by spinal problems, including recurring headaches, colic, earaches, or bed-wetting. Many of these conditions can improve with chiropractic treatment. In a study done in 2007, it was determined that almost three percent of American children received treatment with osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation, which makes it one of the most common types of complementary medicine used on children. 

Chiropractic treatment has been proven for many years to be among the safest natural health care methods, and when taking care of children, safety is vital. When spinal adjustments are done on young children and infants, less pressure is needed since their bodies respond so easily to being adjusted back into allignment. Children rarely experience any discomfort or pain from adjustments, and many of them even enjoy their visits to the clinic and look forward to them. 

There are no real downsides to considering chiropractic treatment for your child or infant, and there are lots of reasons that seeking care could be a smart choice. The goal of chiropractic care is to treat the entire person, and keep their body healthy through taking care of the person’s nervous system and spine. It is important for both adults and children alike. 

It is important that you know, however, that you still regularly take your children to a pediatrician. Chiropractic care is no replacement for that. Pediatricians provide children with care and medications if they are injured or sick. Chiropractic care is complementary care, and focuses on the nervous system and spine’s integrity and wellness, as well as building a healthy, strong immune system. You would not take your child to a pediatrician to do a checkup on their teeth, you would take them to a dentist because they have highly specialized training in that area. This is just like how chiropractors are specialized in assessing spinal structures and restoring them to their proper alignment through the use of non-invasive techniques. 

To see the most current, best research on chiropractic care for children, visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s website at icpa4kids.org. 

Not only is chiropractic treatment safe for you to undergo while you are pregnant, but during pregnancy is one of the times that chiropractic care can be the most helpful. The changes that happen to a woman’s body while she is pregnant are profound, and occur during a relatively small period of time. The baby can cause additional stress to be placed upon the woman’s body, in addition to the woman gaining an average of 25 to 35 pounds. This can result in the expecting mother experiencing considerable discomfort. Studies have demonstrated that at least 50 percent of expecting mothers get back pain while they are pregnant. Pregnant women also experience hormonal and physiological changes that can cause symptoms such as joint or spinal misalignment, as well as issues like increased back curvature, pelvic changes, postural abnormalities, and protruding abdomen. 

There are many benefits that chiropractic treatment can bring to pregnant women, such as: relieving joint, back, and/or neck pain, lessening the need for pain medication, both during delivery and pregnancy, helping the fetus get into optimum position, helping the woman maintain a healthy body while they are pregnant, helping to prevent possibly getting a c-section, lessening the time of delivery and labor, allowing the woman to be more active while pregnant, and helping to control the patient’s nausea. 

All chiropractors in the field get training regarding how to do chiropractic work for pregnant women. Some chiropractors elect to use adjustable tables that can accommodate a pregnant woman’s changing body, and utilize methods that are designed to take unnecessary pressure off of the woman’s abdomen. Some chiropractors also have additional training in the the areas of postnatal and prenatal care, and get certification from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) as a CACCP, DACCP, or a Webster Certified to specifically work with pelvic balance in pregnant women. Chiropractors can make treatment plans for pregnant women that include stretching and exercising routines. 

It is important that you maintain a strong mind and body during pregnancy. A pregnancy can benefit from a balanced pelvis, spine, and hips, and having internal organs without nerve or postural stress. This is even more crucial later into the pregnancy, because when the baby’s head is pressing down on the mother’s pelvic floor and back, it may irritate the sciatic nerve. If lower back pain is already something that you suffer from, then pregnancy can exacerbate the issue. With effective, safe chiropractic care, you can ensure that all of your body’s systems are functioning properly during your pregnancy. 

There are no known downsides to receiving chiropractic treatment while pregnant. In studies, chiropractic care has actually been found to reduce labor time from between 25 and 60 percent. It can also lessen the amount of pain medication that the woman will need, and make the delivery process less uncomfortable overall. 

The foundation of chiropractic treatment is chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors use spinal adjustments to correct minor misalignment, subluxations, or dislocations involving spinal vertebrae. The word “subluxation” has its roots in latin terms. “Sub” means minor, while “luxare” means to dislocate. Subluxations can irritate or put pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the spine, which can cause musculoskeletal dysfunction and pain. 

Adjustments are also called spinal manipulation, and the method involves the use of controlled force applied with a certain amount in a specific direction to a joint that is not moving how it should. Usually, the chiropractor will use a specialized instrument to carry out the adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments can help your vertebrae go back to their proper position, as well as restore their range-of-motion. The goal of chiropractic treatment is to restore the body to normal health and functioning. Adjustments can also help tissue injuries causing pain and inflammation heal.

Before beginning a spinal adjustment, your chiropractor will do a thorough evaluation of your case, including collecting a physical examination, health history check, imaging such as x-rays, lab tests, and more. During the adjustment procedure, the chiropractor may have you lie down on a table specially designed for chiropractic care. They may also have you sit or stand, depending on what will work best for your treatment. 

Chiropractic adjustments can be used to treat issues such as neck pain, back pain, and more pain in areas of the body such as legs, shoulders, and arms. This procedure is usually painless. 

In many situations, the only thing needed to treat an issue like lower back pain is chiropractic care. However, adjustments are often accompanied by other types of medical treatments. 

During your first visit, our office staff will provide you with some medical history and registration forms. The chiropractor will usually ask you further questions regarding your current condition or issue, as well as your health history. Some questions may be: 

If you are dealing with pain, where is it in your body, and at what point did you first notice it? 

Does the discomfort or pain seem to be caused by a recent activity or injury, or has it persisted for a while? 

Are there circumstances or activities that alleviate the pain? 

The chiropractor may also ask you about if you have had any injuries prior, or if you know about any pre-existing medical conditions you may have, as well as if other healthcare providers are administering other treatments. After asking you questions, the chiropractor will then do a thorough examination, focusing on your spine. The examination usually includes pulse, blood pressure, as well as testing the patient’s range-of-motion of the painful or injured body part, muscle strength or tone, and neurological integrity. Your chiropractor may also perform or recommend further diagnostic studies such as lab tests or an x-ray. 

The diagnostic tests, medical history, and physical examination all help the chiropractor to determine what your specific diagnosis is. The chiropractor will take the time to explain your diagnosis to you and figure out if your body will respond well to chiropractic treatment. The chiropractor will thoroughly explain to you your proposed chiropractic treatment path, as well as tell you how long the treatment will probably take. During this meeting, the chiropractor will discuss both long-term and short-term goals with you, as well as any additional therapies that they recommend in the future, such as stretching, massage, applying cold or heat to the affected areas, lifestyle counseling about weight loss and healthy eating, general and rehabilitative exercises that can help improve your strength, muscle balance, and coordination, and modalities such as traction and electrical stimulation that can speed up soft tissue healing. 

Many chiropractors will start treatment during your initial visit, although others might do the first adjustment at the second appointment. As your treatment goes on, your chiropractor will look at your progress and evaluate how much the methods used in your treatment plan are helping. Your chiropractor may then adjust your treatment plan to fit your needs better.