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Here are a few answers to the most frequently asked questions received by McKinnon Chiropractic. We hope that these will be helpful to you, but if you have a question that is not answered here, please do not hesitate to call or email us – we will happily answer any question you may have about chiropractic care.
A highly skilled and precise movement employed for the purpose of loosening a joint to restore proper movement.
Chiropractic is one of the safest drug-free and non invasive therapies available. Manipulation has an excellent safety record. However, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse reactions. This is one of the reasons McKinnon Chiropractic is so serious about informed consent.
Before initiation of any treatment protocol, we make sure you understand how your condition is diagnosed, what your options are for treating it as well as the risks associated. Houston health care consumers must receive adequate and accurate information to help in their evaluation of their health care choices.
We take this responsibility very seriously.
No. Chiropractors are primary health care practitioners and can provide chiropractic services independently. This means that you can set up an appointment with a chiropractor without first consulting your GP, although your Doctor may suggest that you see a chiropractor if he or she feels that chiropractic care may help you. Insurance companies, on the other hand, have different procedures for different policies. You may need a referral for insurance remuneration purposes.
Not everyone needs X-rays if their condition and examination is very straight forward. If unnecessary, exposure to radiation is an unacceptable health risk. On the other hand, if there is any clinical question, Dr. McKinnon would not hesitate to order the appropriate X-rays to insure your treatment is the best possible she can offer.
Chiropractors are highly trained and the State of Texas regulates and licences all X-ray facilities to insure the safety of health care consumers.
Sometimes when a joint is adjusted there is a release of a gas bubble between the joints which makes a popping sound. The same thing occurs when you "crack" your knuckles. The noise is caused by a change of pressure within the joint because the joint has been opened.
The popping sound is not required for a change to occur in the joint and usually is not uncomfortable. Dr. McKinnon can give you more information about the sounds during an adjustment. Just ask.
Chiropractic care is a safe, non-intrusive procedure that will not hurt you as long as it is provided by a certified and qualified chiropractor. Complications of chiropractic care are extremely rare and not nearly as likely as they are with surgery or other forms of treatment.
Many people think that once chiropractic care starts, it has to continue. People who benefit from chiropractic care present with conditions that can be treated by chiropractors. It is not the care you receive from your chiropractor that makes you need to continue with appointments, but rather the condition you had before starting chiropractic treatment. Some conditions can be treated quickly so that the patient does not need to continue with chiropractic treatment, but most conditions require periodic care.
It's up to you, the patient, to decide what you need. It's up to us to provide you with the information necessary to help you make that decision. While we do recommend that our patients keep periodic appointments in order to ensure their condition remains stable, chiropractic care is not the reason patients keep coming back, feeling good is.
Yes, you can. It is an unfortunate fact that many people who have undergone back surgery see symptoms of their original condition (often in the form of pain or reduced flexibility) come back after a number of years. Chiropractic care is a safe and efficient way of alleviating the pain associated both with your back condition and the stress of back surgery.
McKinnon Chiropractic has been helping patients in the greater Houston area for many years. We understand how frustrating your pain can be and strive to offer each and every one of our patients personalized and attentive care.
At McKinnon Chiropractic, we strive to not only treat but also educate our patients about pain and pain management. You may not know that your constant headaches are a symptom of a neck strain, or that your constant knee pain is caused by a misaligned back. Many of our patients come in complaining of pain in one part of their body to find out that it can be treated by working on a totally different area. A skilled chiropractor can even decrease or completely alleviate pain caused by arthritis or resulting from whiplash and other injuries. He or she will also be able to counsel on the best pain management treatment for your unique situation, often without having to prescribe expensive pain killers.
Dr. McKinnon looks forward to answering all of your questions. Knowledge is your power. In health care – you can't have too much.