Chiropractic Care
hiropractic care at GCSP is different. We call it ADVANCED INTEGRATIVE CHIROPRACTIC CARE. In addition to traditional chiropractic spinal manipulation, our chiropractic physicians integrate exercise rehabilitation, manual therapy, nutrition counseling and ergonomic counseling into their treatment plans in order to help you get pain free, get moving and get well again.
Learn more about what sets our chiropractors apart.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC CARE
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Chiropractic care is a safe, effective and evidence based form of complementary and alternative medicine that has been around for over 100 years. Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine treat neuro-musculoskeletal conditions (conditions involving nerves, muscles, bones and/or joints) without the use of medications or surgery.
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN BE TREATED BY CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Chiropractic care is an effective treatment for a wide variety of neuro-musculoskeletal and health conditions for patients of all ages, including:
Headache
Shoulder pain
Sprains / Strains
Whiplash injuries
Work Injuries
Sports Injuries
Neck Pain
Sciatica
Carpal Tunnel
Pregnancy Related Back Pain
Herniated/Bulging/Slipped discs
Plantar Fasciitis
Back Pain
Tennis /Golfer’s Elbow
Hip Pain
Dizziness/Vertigo
Knee Pain
Arthritis
Chiropractic care is also used for the proactive prevention of conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain, headaches, and spinal degeneration – promoting overall wellness.
HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC CARE WORK?
To understand how chiropractic care works, you must have an understanding of the body’s nervous system. Your body’s nervous system works as a two-way information highway. It relays messages from your brain to your muscles, organs, joints – every body part imaginable – and tells those parts what to do and how to do it.
The nervous system is also involved with taking information from nerves, muscles, organs and the outside world back up to your brain. Nerves travel through, under and around various muscles, joints and connective tissues throughout the body.
If the aforementioned muscles, joints and/or connective tissues that the nerves travel through become injured, overworked, inflamed, or biomechanically impaired, they can disrupt nerve function by compressing the nerves or by changing the chemical balance of the environment that the nerve exists in. When this occurs, it disturbs the connection between body and brain. This disturbance can manifest itself in many ways, including but not limited to: pain, spasm, weakness, numbness and/or tingling. Chiropractors work to alleviate these symptoms wherever they may be in the body, by addressing the root cause of the nerve disturbance.
At GCSP, this is accomplished with a thorough evaluation and diagnosis that is followed by a multimodal treatment plan typically consisting of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, functional exercise therapy, and other physiotherapy modalities such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound therapy. In many cases, such as back or neck pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. When other medical conditions exist, such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.
IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE SAFE?
Yes, Chiropractic care is safe for infants, children and adults of all ages. The risks associated with chiropractic care are minimal. Some people may experience soreness, stiffness, or achiness in the area that was worked on after the first few treatments. The soreness, stiffness and achiness typically resolves within 24-48 hours. This is not an unusual side effect. Chiropractic care has fewer risks associated with it than taking certain over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol.
WHAT IS THAT POPPING SOUND DURING CHIROPRACTIC SPINAL MANIPULATION?
Manipulation of a joint may result in the release of pockets of air between joints, which causes a “popping” sound. The noise is caused by the change of pressure gradients within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released. Typically, there is minimal if any discomfort involved.
WHEN SHOULD TREATMENT FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE BE INITIATED?
If you have pain, it is never too soon or too late to get started with chiropractic care. In fact, the sooner you start the better. Many pain conditions tend to get worse with time or become chronic issues if not properly addressed early.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING VISITS?
Initial Visit: Our chiropractors take pride in spending time with patients and giving them the most thorough evaluation possible. For that reason, the first visit may take up to 45 minutes.
- Paper Work: You will be asked to fill out standard medical intake forms pertaining to your pain and medical history prior to seeing the doctor.
- Evaluation: Our chiropractic physician will sit down with you and have a conversation with you about your pain. Specific musculoskeletal tests, neuro-musculoskeletal exam and range-of-motion testing will also be performed in order to assess you and formulate an accurate diagnosis.
- Discussion: Our chiropractic physician will discuss your diagnosis with you and give you a chance to ask questions. They will let you know if you are a candidate for chiropractic care or if it would be more beneficial for you to see a medical specialist. If you are a candidate for chiropractic care, they will put together an individualized treatment plan for you and discuss any questions or concerns you may have. There are no cookie cutter treatment plans.
- Care: Care is initiated on the second visit.
Second Visit and Beyond: Care is initiated on the second visit. Typically, each visit consists of a combination of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and functional exercise therapy. Multi-modal care and individualized treatment plans is what sets our Chiropractors apart.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL IT TAKE?
Treatment frequency varies depending on the type of condition, duration of symptoms and severity of symptoms present. The number of treatments needed to help someone fully recover can range anywhere from two to 24 visits over a period of anywhere between one week to three months.
To help reduce the number of treatments needed, our Chiropractic physicians equip patients with home care therapies including home exercise plans, nutritional advice, self-massage techniques, and ergonomic counseling.
HOW MUCH WILL CHIROPRACTIC CARE COST?
Most major medical health insurance companies provide coverage for chiropractic care. The cost of chiropractic care through insurance will depend upon your benefits.
Call your insurance company to find out about your chiropractic benefits and if our provider is in network. As a courtesy, GCSP’s billing team can help verify your chiropractic benefits for you.
For those without health insurance, we offer cash rates to accommodate our patient’s needs. Call us today to learn more.
WHAT SETS OUR CHIROPRACTORS APART?
Our chiropractors create effective, individualized, multimodal treatment plans and take time to listen to patients to understand their unique needs. By doing a thorough evaluation to diagnose a patient’s condition and formulate an effective treatment plan that is practical, they help patients feel better fast.
Unlike conventional chiropractors that limit their practice to spinal adjustments and/or massage, our chiropractors combine multiple modalities of care to approach patients as a whole. These modalities include, but are not limited to: spinal manipulation, manual therapy (which includes clinical massage), functional therapeutic exercises, unique stretching therapies, physiotherapy, nutrition counseling, and ergonomic counseling. They also equip patients with home exercise plans, self-massage techniques, and other self-care tools that they can use for life once they are through with their treatment plan.
WHO SPECIALIZES IN CHIROPRACTIC CARE AT GCSP?
Dr. Vishva Desai
Dr. Desai is a licensed Chiropractor who specializes in both chiropractic care and acupuncture. She enjoys her profession immensely. Her positive energy is infectious and she works hard to empower her patients to take control of their own health.
Learn more about Dr. Vishva Desai and schedule your appointment with her today.
Dr. Nicole Brod
Dr. Nicole Brod is licensed chiropractor who specializes in chiropractic care and who has a passion for nutrition and educating patients on ways they can take their health into their own hands.
Learn more about Dr. Nicole Brod and schedule your appointment with her today.