Choosing The Right Chiropractor
Getting Started
Finding the right chiropractor isn’t always as easy as going with first one Google delivers. When it comes to your health, you want to make sure you’re going to someone who’s qualified, trustworthy, helpful and friendly — not to mention experienced in treating the specific problems you’re having and/or the specific treatment you need.
If you’re in need of chiropractic care, East End Chiropractic can help. Our website offers information about our office who we are and the treatments we specialize in you can also call us with any questions you might have). If you’re just starting your search for a new chiropractor, though, here are a few steps worth taking to make sure you find the right match for you.
Take your time and do the research. It is critical that you feel confident about your choice.
Research In Person and Online
Asking friends and family for their personal experiences is always helpful, particularly if you know people who’ve been treated for issues similar to the ones you’re experiencing. But if you come up short on personal recommendations, the web remains a valuable tool. East End Chiropractic is listed among Yelp’s Best Chiropractors in Nashville with a 5 star rating, and has 4 and 1/2 stars on Google reviews. The great web feedback we receive makes us proud, because it’s an outgrowth of helping our patients which is our goal and our passion. And we’ve found that when you truly strive to meet your patients’ needs, a good online reputation follows.
Ask Questions
Different chiropractors specialize in a variety of treatments and methods. At one office, you might see high-tech tools and treatments; at another, a greater focus on myofascial release or acupuncture. If you’ve had a great response to a certain technique or treatment in the past, talk to potential chiropractors about their approach and find out if you might be able to continue that treatment. If you have a particular symptom that you want treated — like headaches, which we treat regularly and successfully at our office — see if that’s among your potential doctor’s specialties. Never hesitate to ask questions when it comes to finding the right treatment. That’s what we’re here for!
Call Your Insurance Company, Or Check Its Website
Sometimes, your health insurance policy will help cover chiropractic care. Your insurance’s customer service line or website can be a great place to start, so you can collect a list of in-network chiropractors to research further. (Also, if you don’t have insurance or if we’re not in-network with your insurance carrier, chiropractic care can still be an affordable option at our office. We offer discounts to self-pay patients who pay at the time of service.)
If there’s anything you want to know about chiropractic care or what to expect on a first chiropractic visit, let us know! You can reach us at (615) 650-6533 or info@eastendchiro.com.
What Exactly Is Chiropractic Care?
Restoring Mobility of the Spine
Chiropractic care mainly addresses the spine and relieves problems caused by dysfunctions of the spine. Your spine essentially serves two purposes: 1) it supports the weight of your body, allowing a great variety of movement, and 2) it encloses/protects the spinal cord, which connects your brain to the rest of your body. The spine contains 24 vertebral segments which connect to each other via a system of joints and are held together by muscles and ligaments.
Keeping your spine healthy means maintaining its full range of motion, without discomfort.
Problems arise when a joint in the spine becomes “stuck” and stops moving in its full range of motion. The lack of mobility leads to inflammation and swelling in the region surrounding the joint, along with muscle spasms and pain. It can also lead to symptoms which may not seem related to your spine (tension headaches, tingling or numbness in extremities, pain in knees/elbows, etc). Many things can cause a joint to get “stuck” such as a slip, fall, or even day-to-day routine activities. A spinal joint that is not working properly will require other joints to compensate, leading to altered motion patterns of the spine. Prolonged abnormal alignment of the spine can lead to permanent changes in the spinal structure which is why it is important to address spinal issues quickly.
A chiropractor focuses on restoring the full range of motion to a stuck joint utilizing precise and shallow adjustment of the spine. In most cases, the doctor will only use their hands to administer these adjustments. Often, when people complain of back and joint pain, they will say “something is out of place,” or “a bone in my back is dislocated.” Most often, this is not the case. Rather than being “out of place,” the joint is typically locked somewhere within its normal range of motion. The adjustments a chiropractor makes are done with the goal of restoring the normal motion of that joint.
Once the normal range of motion is reestablished, a person is able to move in a more comfortable manner. Other joints no longer have to compensate for the poorly moving joint. Pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation (the body’s most important defenses against dysfunctional joint movement) are no longer needed, and will dissipate.
See How We Can Help for more information on what types of treatment we offer at our office.
Have any questions about chiropractic care? Give us a call at 615-650-6533 or email us at info@eastendchiro.com.
Chronic Back Pain & Chiropractic Treatments
Pain is one way our bodies try to get our attention. When that pain is chronic, people often feel overwhelmed, depressed and hopeless. According to the Global Burden of Disease 2010, low back pain is the number one cause of disability worldwide. Many people who suffer with back pain also suffer from depression due to the impact the pain has in other areas of their lives. If you suffer from low back pain, it is likely you already know how debilitating it can be.
X-Ray of spine are often needed to determine most successful approach.
Can a Chiropractor be a resource for your pain-management plan? Generally speaking, when treating a back pain issue, physicians like to start with conservative and cost-effective approaches first. For many patients, this includes a visit to a Chiropractor. Patients report a decrease in spinal pain with manipulation — particularly with non-specific low back pain. Let’s look at some of the research.
“Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.”
– Nyiendo et al (2000), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
As of May, 2013 the Journal of American Medical Association recommends that patients with low back pain seek chiropractic care as a non-invasive/non-surgical way to manage low back pain.
Bottom line on chronic pain: it can exacerbate other health issues; including mental health issues. If you are one of the millions who live with prolonged back pain, a chiropractor may be a good option for you. Many patients have reduced pain and it is an economical option, as well as one that starts with the least amount of intervention. Your Chiropractor may also be able to give you lifestyle recommendations to reduce the strain on your back. Having a chronic condition means that in order to sustain a quality of life, each sufferer must find a way to navigate and diminish the moments that pain steals away.
A Mid-July Afternoon at the East Nashville Farmers Market
We live in such a fun and eclectic part of Nashville and one of our favorite things is to meet people and businesses in the neighborhood. Here are some pictures from our excursion this week to the East Nashville Farmer’s Market. It sure was a scorcher out there, but we braved the elements to tell people about chiropractic care!
The Farmer’s Market, located at the corner of 10th and Russell Street in East Nashville, is open every Wednesday afternoon from 3:30-6:30 pm, May through October. One week out of each of those months, our office sets up an informational booth where we offer a free spine and joint check-up. This is a great opportunity for people to meet the doctor and staff of East End Chiropractic, and to find out if care in our office could be beneficial. If you’ve ever wondered about chiropractic care and would like to chat with us about it, please feel free call us or just come see us at the East Nashville Farmers Market. We will list the date we are out there on our website and Facebook page. We hope to see you out and about in the neighborhood soon!
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- Dr. John Olsen –
East End Chiropractic
Happy Independence Day!
The staff of East End Chiropractic would like to wish you the greatest of Independence Days.
This would be a great time to take a day off, forget about current political events and situations, take a few steps back, and look at this young nation (237 years isn’t that old in the scheme of things) for what it is. The word that comes to my mind is resilient. Against the odds, it broke away from its Mother Land. It is no stranger to conflict, both from without and within. Through it all, it remains The Land of the Free.
So … Celebrate! Fly that flag high! Enjoy some fireworks and barbecue (and hot chicken, for the East Nashville folks).
