Raleigh NC, 

Whether you just moved to Raleigh from out of state or have recently moved to another part of town and are looking for a Chiropractor near Cary, Apex or Durham North Carolina. Finding a good Chiropractor near you can be a confusing and challenging task.

Chiropractic care can include many different techniques, costs, and approaches leaving the consumer confused and weary.

Here are the top four things four ways to choose a new Chiropractor in Raleigh NC.

1. Does The Chiropractor Take My Insurance?

This should be at the top of the consideration list when looking for a new Chiropractor in Raleigh.  While most Chiropractors do take health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Many do not. The ones that do not typically require purchasing large amounts of treatment upfront where payments are broken up into monthly payments.  Others require a membership where there is a monthly fee. The cost per treatment maybe lower but there is also a monthly fee for access to the clinic whether you use the service that month or not.

If you’re involved in a car accident or work injury finding a chiropractic clinic experienced in billing third party payers is important.  In most circumstances the workers compensation insurance or car insurance will cover reasonable and medically necessary treatment after a car accident or work-related injury. But again, only a percentage of chiropractic offices in Raleigh are experienced in these types of billing matters.

At Carolina ChiroCare and Rehab we are Chiropractors in Raleigh who except  Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna, Medicare, United Healthcare health insurance. Our expert billers are very experienced in billing third party insurances after a car accident or work injury.  Here is a list of insurance we accept at our Raleigh Chiropractor’s office at Carolina ChiroCare and Rehab.

2. The Chiropractors Specialty Or Technique

In chiropractic you will find many different specialties and techniques.  If you’re an athlete if you’re you may want to find a chiropractor who has special training and experience working with athletes. Some chiropractors specialized in treating only certain parts of the spine like the Atlas.  Other Chiropractors have a great deal of experience treating post traumatic injuries in med legal areas. These chiropractors may have a great experience testifying in court may have a great experience testifying in court and navigating through challenging medical legal  and insurance matters that can come up after an injury. 

Some Chiropractors specialize in using machines to do the adjusting part. This may be better for the patient who is hesitant or afraid to hear their joints cracking. Other patients prefer manual adjustments done by hand and should ensure that the new chiropractor in Raleigh NC is experienced and trained and manual chiropractic adjustments.

3.  The Chiropractors Location and Hours

This should be an important when choosing a new Chiropractor in Raleigh. Ultimately, most chiropractic treatment requires a few weeks to a few months to see you the results. The location is not convenient the patient is much less likely to be able to comply with the treatment plan.  If the chiropractors office closes at 5 o’clock and you get off work at 5 o’clock you simply will not be ale to make your required treatment.

4. Does The Chiropractor Offer Other Services Like Physiotherapy Or X-Ray?

Many Chiropractors only offer adjustments to the spine. Many health conditions like nerve pain, sciatica, chronic headaches, disc related issues respond better when chiropractic adjustments are combined with physical therapy like exercises, stretches, electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound therapy, traction therapy or massage therapy. 

Finding a new Chiropractor In Raleigh experienced with advanced diagnostics like X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, basic lab work or CT scans should  be taken into consideration.  Many chiropractic offices in Raleigh have X-ray on site and some do not.  If your conditions require an X-ray you will have to make another appointment offsite which may be inconvenient for your scheduleIf.

If you have any additional questions about my techniques, hours, location or experience please feel free to get in touch here.

To book to appointment at our Raleigh, NC location and see first hand what Chiropractors do, click here.

In health,

Dr. Jeffrey Gerdes, D.C. “Your Raleigh Chiropractor”

View My CV Here

 

Raleigh, NC

What Do Chiropractors Do?

I often hear people ask, “What do chiropractors actually do?” So, I would love to answer this question for all of you in the greater Raleigh, NC area who are curious about visiting a chiropractor.

It’s estimated that between 20 and 25 million Americans visit a chiropractor each year. Of these patients who visit a chiropractor, around 35% go for relief of back pain.

Back pain can come from many sources including degeneration of the spine, poor posture, injuries from a car accident or sports injury, sprains are strains of the back, herniated discs in the back, lifestyle issues such as being overweight or sitting at work all day.

The majority of the other visits to Chiropractors include symptoms such as neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, sciatica, nerve pain, as well as other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.

To answer the question of “What do chiropractors do?”, let’s start with another question:

What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractors specialize in physical medicine using spinal manipulation, physical therapies, nutritional and lifestyle advice. Many chiropractors work in integrated clinics with medical doctors.  physical therapists. Others work with massage therapists, acupuncturist and nutritionists.

Chiropractors receive four years of training after a bachelor’s degree is obtained. Chiropractors use the initials “DC” after their name which stands for a doctor of chiropractic.

Is what chiropractors do often covered by insurance?

Yes; chiropractic care is covered by nearly all insurance carriers including Medicare and Medicaid.

Chiropractors utilze diagnostic testing and lab work to diagnose their patients with many conditions.The diagnostic studies the Chiropractors typically utilize include plain film x-ray’s, MRIs, CT scans, routine lab work. Chiropractors also utilize nerve conduction studies or NCVs, diagnostic ultrasound and video fluoroscopy.

What do chiropractors do and not do?

In most states Chiropractors do not write prescription medications and in some states like New Mexico they do. Most Chiropractors utilize hands on physical medicine to relieve pain and heal injuries.

Chiropractors who do not practice in clinical practice are often part of the university system or other organizations like the US Olympic team or professional sports teams. Currently the chief medical officer for the US Olympic team is a Chiropractor. Many Chiropractors also take government jobs with the state and local Department of health.

In summary, if you are asking about what chiropractors do:

What do chiropractors do?

Chiropractic care is sought out  by millions of Americans each year for a host of conditions. Chiropractors work in  a wide range of settings utilizing their specialty. Chiropractic care is a form of physical medicine which primarily focuses on dysfunctions of the spine and musculoskeletal system.

If you have any additional questions about what chiropractors do, please feel free to get in touch here.

To book to appointment at our Raleigh, NC location and see first hand what chiropractors do, click here.

In health,

Dr. Jeffrey Gerdes, D.C. “Your Raleigh Chiropractor”

 

Raleigh, NC 

Nearly 35 million people a year visit their Chiropractor, according the the American Chiropractic Association. Doctors of Chiropractic specialize in musculoskeletal disorders and are the third largest health profession behind only medical doctors and dentists.

Here are four reasons to consider seeing your Chiropractor instead of your primry care doctor if you experience back or neck pain.

Reason #1 to See a Chiropractor Instead of a Primary Care Doctor: Patient Satisfaction

Patience routinely rate their experience and outcomes seeing a chiropractor the highest among healthcare professionals. A recent Gallup poll showed three out of four people who saw a chiropractor in the last year( or 77%) described their chiropractic care as “very effective”.

A 2015 study published in the orthopedic journal Spine looked at the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments to seeking primary care for spine pain. 94% of the chiropractic adjustment recipients experienced a 30% decrease in pain compared to only 54% of the primary care recipients.

Reason #2 to See a Chiropractor Instead of a Primary Care Doctor: Chiropractic Care Is Safe

Chiropractic is generally considered a safe treatment option for back and neck pain. Like any other medical treatments there can be potential side effects and complications. When you consider that a recent study by the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that people taking NSAIDs are three times more likely than those who do not to develop internal bleeding and perforation in the intestinal tract. This number increases to five times as likely in people over 60 years.

The number of prescriptions for painkillers which include opiates has tripled in the past 12 years. The CDC reports that there are approximately 15,000 deaths a year from opiate painkillers. Considering these numbers, chiropractic care should be considered a safe treatment alternative for back and neck pain.

Reason #3 to See a Chiropractor Instead of a Primary Care Doctor: Chiropractic Care Is Cost Effective
A 2016 study, Hurtwitz et al that looked at the health care cost of patients in North Carolina seeking treatment from Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, or their Medical Doctors for back pain, neck pain and headaches. The study found that those who received chiropractic care had lower healthcare expenses.

Nearly all insurances cover chiropractic care. If you’ve been in a car accident usually the insurances will cover your chiropractic treatment.

Reason #4 to See a Chiropractor Instead of a Primary Care Doctor: Minimal Side Effects
Compared to the other treatment options such as surgery and drugs the potential side effects of chiropractic care are minimal. Chiropractic care does include side effects. There may be some soreness following treatments. More serious side effects include fractures and disc herniations.

Relative to the side effects that come with pain medications, NSAIDS and surgery which include internal bleeding, addiction, and death chiropractic care is comparatively safe and has low instances of side effects.

For instance Estim research shows that therapies used in Chiropractic clinics such as electrical muscle stimulation (ESTIM) can have a greater propensity to manage pain with less side effects.

Source: E-stem Research Long Term Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Use Impacts On Medical Utilization and Physical Therapy Costs. Published March 1998 Clinical Journal of Pain, Clinical and Economic Impact of TENS in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain Analysis of a Nationwide Database Published December 2013.

If you have any additional questions about why to see a chiropractor instead of a primary care doctor, please feel free to get in touch here.

To book to appointment at our Raleigh, NC chiropractic location, click here.

In health,

Dr. Jeffrey Gerdes, D.C.

Raleigh, North Carolina

As a Raleigh chiropractor, I’m often asked on a regular basis…

“What is the popping and cracking sound that I hear during my chiropractic treatments?”

I would like to take a little time today to answer some of the questions that I get regarding the cracking and popping sounds that the spine can make during a chiropractic adjustment.

In between the vertebrae, we have the facet joints. These are the joints that bring the vertebrae together and allow the vertebral joints and the vertebrae to move together, as your body is turning in space, looking up and down, bending. What happens, and very frequently, and what should be understood is that these are joints.

They are no different than any other joints in your body, like your knee, like your ankle, or your shoulder. They are designed to move in different planes of motion. It’s a little harder for people to understand this because you don’t see your spine. It’s inside of your body as opposed to your wrists, knees, hands that is a little more easy to understand for most people.

Around the facet joints, there are capsules. When these vertebrae misalign and get stuck out of their normal position, it may build up a pressure inside the joint capsules. This pressure can cause an underlying pain, stiffness, pressure, and discomfort in the spine.

It can cause pressure, stiffness, tightness. What we specialize in as chiropractic physicians in Raleigh NC is to evaluate these vertebrae, specifically locate, where those joints are not moving properly or misaligned, and restore the mobility.

Cracking and Popping Sounds During a Chiropractic Adjustment

When the chiropractic adjustment takes place, it releases the pressure of gases inside the joint capsules and you hear an audible pop. The Popping is a combimnation of the facet joints realigning into their normal position and gass being released from the joints in the spine.

It is very important as well, to address the muscles and ligaments in the spine as well. Here in our Raliegh, NC chiropractic office, we do recommend exercises and stretches for our patients. It is improtant patients maintaine the postural corrections that we make in our treatments. Stretching and strengthening in combination with the chiropractic spinal adjustments to the spine provides optimal outcomes.

In Health,

Dr. Jeffrey Gerdes