FAQs

Chiropractic is a natural, drug-free approach to health care management that focuses on the structure and function of the spinal column and nervous system and their effect on general health.

Doctors of Chiropractic – often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians – are licensed primary health care professionals who practice a hands-on approach to health care, including patient examination, diagnosis, and treatment for various conditions.

Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises and provide nutritional, dietary, and lifestyle counseling.

Chiropractic care is regarded as the safest and most scientifically advanced form of complementary health care. It is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession in the world.

The average motor vehicle accident can age the human spine by 10 years. If you’re in an accident, it is of the utmost importance to get to a health care professional and get checked out. Despite popular belief, there is no correlation between vehicle damage and the amount of human injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Often, even when there is little or no damage to the vehicle, there may still be serious injuries sustained, such as whiplash and other soft tissue injuries. With this in mind, it is critical to get a chiropractic spinal check-up and physical exam as soon as possible.

Early care offers the best opportunity for optimal healing and recovery. At Inner Balance, we offer same-day appointments. We will file paperwork for your insurance company and work with your attorney to ensure you get the care you deserve.

The key to chiropractic care is the spinal adjustment. It’s the primary tool used to treat subluxations (misaligned vertebrae) to restore proper alignment, biomechanical function, and proper nervous system function.

During a typical adjustment, the chiropractor will place the patient in specific positions to treat particular areas of your body. Often, you will be positioned lying face down, lying face up, or lying on your side on a specially designed, padded chiropractic table.

The chiropractor will use his hands to apply a controlled and specific motion to correct the subluxation. There is often a popping sound associated with chiropractic adjustments. The sound is entirely normal and expected.

Often with an adjustment, you may hear an audible ‘pop.’ The noise is caused by a change of pressure within the joint. As the adjustment is performed, gas bubbles are released. A joint capsule surrounds most joints, and that capsule contains lubricating fluid, so your joints can glide smoothly.

If you don’t hear a ‘pop,’ it doesn’t mean your treatment was unsuccessful. An adjustment can be very therapeutic and provide benefits regardless if you hear a ‘pop’ or not.

Generally not. Suppose you are especially tight in an area being adjusted. In that case, the release may be a tad more uncomfortable than others but tends to be followed by an incredible feeling of relief. We remind patients that this can be very similar to starting a new exercise – the soft tissues may be sore for a day or so due to the new activity.

Typically, no. Occasionally, patients may experience some local soreness or aching in the muscles or spinal joints after receiving an adjustment. It is entirely normal. Sometimes these tissues have not moved for years, and it takes time for them to get used to the increased motion. When this does occur, it generally tends to appear immediately or within the first few hours following treatment. It rarely lasts longer than 24 – 48 hours (if it does, please contact us for assistance).

If you like, you can place an ice pack on the affected area AS DIRECTED BY YOUR PHYSICIAN, which can help reduce the soreness and help speed the recovery process.

Recovery varies from patient to patient, and the degree and type of injury one has sustained. It also depends on your current state of health. People with chronic health difficulties heal slower. A significant factor in healing time is how well you take care of yourself during the healing process:

• How well do you eat?
• Do you get sufficient sleep each night?
• Do you exercise regularly?
• How efficiently do you manage your stress?
• Do you drink enough water daily?
• Do you maintain a positive mental attitude?

Many other factors can play a role in how fast patients recover from their injuries, such as previous injuries to the same area and the age of the patient. While this is only a partial list of factors that may affect healing, one can see that the time it takes to heal can vary greatly from one individual to another.

With all this being said, the healing process progresses through three phases:

Healing Phase 1

The first phase is the inflammatory phase and is marked by stretching and tearing of the soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) that supports the spine. This phase consists of pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and decreased range of motion (ROM) and usually lasts around 72 hours.

Healing Phase 2

The second phase is the repair and regeneration phase, where the body begins to mend the injured area. Your body does this naturally by filling in damaged areas with scar tissue in an attempt to stabilize them.

Healing Phase 3

The third and final phase is known as the remodeling phase. This important phase may take up to 12 months or longer to complete. The remodeling phase is characterized by the body’s attempt to reorganize the disorganized scar tissue laid down during the repair and regeneration phase. In other words, the body is attempting to make scar tissue come as close in quality to the original tissue as possible.

Maximum scar tissue formation is not possible before 12 months, and the original strength is not regained for quite some time after. These healed injury areas are weaker than the original tissue and therefore more predisposed to stiffness, spasm, chronic pain, and re-injury.

During all three phases of healing, chiropractic care is essential for optimal healing of the injured tissues, to reduce pain and spasm, and to reduce the likelihood of future chronic pain and dysfunction.

We accept most major insurance companies and can provide a bill when necessary.

The initial exam at Inner Balance Institute is a comprehensive exam to evaluate the patient. It consists of a patient interview, postural and gait analysis, physical exam, digital nerve scans, and digital x-rays.