How do I choose the best chiropractor in Woodbury for me and my family?
Choosing a chiropractor in Woodbury can be challenging. There are many techniques and types of treatments, so which should you choose?
Is the chiropractor evidence-based? Do they keep up with the current research and have they changed their treatment to be consistent with the research? Sadly, there are health care professionals that do not, and if they graduated in 1986, they are still stuck in in the 80’s. That does not bode well for care. Since graduating in 2004, core stabilization has changed three times over! If a chiropractic physician is still performing the same treatments as they did in the 80’s, you won’t be receiving the most up to date care.
Do they employ are variety of treatments or are they a “one-trick pony”? Research shows that a multimodal approach to care is best. If you see someone that only performs one type of treatment, it may work for you, but research shows that you recover faster with a multimodal approach. There are even some doctors that will state that the technique that they perform is superior. While it may work for some people, there is absolutely no evidence that one technique is superior to others.
Does your treatment have goals, a beginning and an end? Quite honestly, ongoing treatment only helps the doctor’s pocketbook and actually has been shown to delay recovery! Establishing set goals, whether that is walking up the stairs or running a marathon needs to be in place. Treatment success or failure is measured upon meeting these established goals. There should be an initial trial of care and re-examination to determine its effectiveness. There are some that may attempt you to sign a contract directing you to a lengthy treatment plan. If you see this, run!
What about “maintenance” care? Maintenance care is not mandatory and do not let anyone tell you otherwise! There is some emerging research that states those that undergo maintenance care have less painful days. From clinical experience, those that have chronic pain benefit from maintenance care, but the ultimate decision to continue should be left up to the patient.
Is the doctor board certified? Board certification requires many years of additional training and testing beyond graduating chiropractic school. Many hundreds of hours of instruction, studying, written and oral examinations, as well as submission to scientific publications are required. If your doctor is board certified, he or she has taken extra steps to further their education and most likely will affect your treatment outcomes in a positive way. At MN Spine and Sport, Dr. Schreiber is board certified in rehabilitation as well as clinical nutrition
Does the chiropractor provide a proper examination? This is extremely important. Doctors of Chiropractic have been through extensive training and education to become health care providers. This training included proper examination, proper diagnosis and proper treatment protocols. If a doctor lacks in any one of these three essential areas, he should not be treating you, period! What does this mean for you? If a chiropractor doesn’t talk to you about your health history and your current condition, doesn’t give you an initial physical examination (checking posture, reflexes, etc.), doesn’t give you a diagnosis regarding your condition, and won’t explain your treatment plan, find another chiropractor.
Will the chiropractor refer to other healthcare providers? Some chiropractors treat conditions that are out of the realm of chiropractic. Although chiropractic treatment with underlying disease is fine (assuming no contraindications for treatment), chiropractors should not be treating you specifically for that disease or claiming they cure conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease or other illnesses. A good chiropractor will refer you and/or co-manage these conditions with a specialist.