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According to the American Chiropractic Association, an estimated 35 million Americans seek chiropractic treatment yearly. This includes both adults and children (as chiropractic care is safe for individuals of all ages). And if you live in Boulder, we know your choices for chiropractor are abundant.
Whether you’ve been thinking about chiropractic care or just heard of it for the first time, the amount of information out there can be overwhelming. You could look up “chiropractor in Boulder” online and pick the first result, but that may not be the most effective way to find the right chiropractor for you. Here, we’ll dive into what a chiropractor is, what they do, what you can expect from your first visit, and how to find the best one for you, so you don’t have to search through multiple pages to find your answer.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Chiropractors are trained specialists who perform chiropractic adjustments. In these adjustments, we use our hands or small instruments to apply a controlled, sudden force to a joint. This helps move the joint, improve its range of motion, and set it back into the proper position.
Chiropractic care aims to improve your body’s physical functioning and correct its alignment. Typically, this type of adjustment is used on the spine, but can also be used to treat the back, neck, hips, legs, and shoulders.
Simply put, chiropractors treat problems involving your musculoskeletal system. But what exactly does this mean? That muscle aches, pains, or creaks in your skeletal system (cricks in your neck or back) can be treated with chiropractic care.
The treatments chiropractors offer will depend on the specialization of the chiropractor you are visiting, but can include options like:
On the whole, chiropractic care is very safe. We undergo years of specialized training that qualifies us to perform adjustments safely and effectively. Keep in mind that if you pursue chiropractic care, you want to look for a licensed and trained professional. Be sure to check the credentials of the doctors in the office.
While there are only a few risks associated with chiropractic care, it is still important that you are aware of them. The most common side effects post-adjustment are soreness, tiredness, or sometimes headaches. These feelings are temporary (lasting up to 24 hours) and typically affect the areas that received the adjustment. However, some people experience side effects that lasts for days and makes chiropractic care not the best option.
There are a few other risks that can come with chiropractic adjustments. These other risks are very rare but can happen — especially if your chiropractor is not properly licensed or trained.
These risks are:
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to how much chiropractic care costs. The cost of a chiropractor visit in a city like Boulder, Colorado can, and does, vary greatly. Each provider will offer its own price; some providers may be partially or fully covered by insurance. To figure out how much a chiropractor visit would cost for you, you will need to check with each individual office. They can help you figure out what your insurance covers and what your out-of-pocket costs would be.
HELPFUL TIP: Our new patient page provides you with a full list of insurances that can cover your care here.
BEWARE: Some Chiropractors will make you pay up front for treatment services that are yet to be rendered. We don’t recommend this pricing model. Mainly because you may not need so many visits to treat your issue. Meaning, you could end up paying for treatments you don’t need. We suggest looking for a Chiropractor who cares most about treating your pain over making the most money possible.
We mentioned above that chiropractors must complete years of training before becoming certified practitioners of chiropractic care. But what exactly does this training entail for a chiropractor?
Before aspiring chiropractors can begin specialized chiropractic training, they must complete an undergraduate degree with a focus on the sciences. Once they complete this degree, they can attend a chiropractic program with classes and hands-on experience.
Chiropractors will graduate with a doctor of chiropractic degree (D.C.) and are not medical doctors (they do not hold an M.D.). In the United States, all chiropractors must receive a D.C. from a Council of Chiropractic Education-accredited college. In addition to this certification, each chiropractor will need a state license to practice in the state where they provide chiropractic care.
Some chiropractors specialize in particular areas of chiropractic care. As a result, these individuals have to perform an additional residency that typically lasts between two and three years.
Since chiropractors often specialize in certain techniques or treating certain conditions, a little bit of research can go a long way in helping you find the right chiropractor.
Our specialists here at Boulder Back Pain clinic have extensive experience and credentials, and can help with a number of different conditions. Dr. Cahn boasts over 35 years of experience, with an impressive educational background. He has developed our Whole Person Chiropractic Methodology that doesn’t just treat your pain, but focuses on fixing the cause of your pain. So you don’t have to come in as often for the same nagging injury. In the end, our goal is to help you feel better faster and prevent more injuries from occurring or reoccurring.
Often times, credentials are published on the Chiropractor’s website. Feel free to call and ask any questions about credentials, certifications, and specialties of the local chiropractor you are prospecting to treat you.
Dr. Marc Cahn listening to his patient about pain in her neck.
Typically the best way to find a great chiropractor in your area is to ask your healthcare provider. More often than not, they will have experience with the nearby chiropractic care providers and be able to provide a referral or recommendation to you.
If you are looking for another way to find the best chiropractic care provider in your area, you can also ask any friends or loved ones if they have been to a chiropractor that has worked for them.
The final method to scout out a chiropractor near you is to use the Find a Doctor tool on the American Chiropractic Association’s website to locate licensed chiropractors near you.
However, if you are in the Boulder, CO area, reach out to us here at Boulder Back Pain Clinic. If we can’t treat your pain symptoms, we’ll refer you to someone who can.
We offer a wide variety of treatments, including:
Chiropractic adjustments are extremely effective treatment options for many people with a number of different conditions. Typically, people prefer chiropractic care to other options because it is a non-invasive treatment method that relies on the manipulation of the body to relieve pain.
Some of the conditions that chiropractic care is known for treating include:
This list is not comprehensive. Contact your healthcare provider to get a professional opinion if you think your pain or condition may benefit from chiropractic care.
As mentioned above, you may wish to see a chiropractor because other treatments have not been effective. Another reason may be that you want non-invasive or non-medication treatment options before opting for an injection, surgery, or strong medications.
You may opt for chiropractic care because a loved one or healthcare provider has recommended it. Or you may simply be curious whether it can help you ease the nagging neck or back pain you get from sitting at a desk job all day.
Each person’s reason for seeking chiropractic care is different, and each person’s experience with chiropractic care will likely be different as well. But, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above that chiropractic care is known for addressing, you may want to consider exploring it further.
Some conditions may increase your risk for complications or negative side effects of chiropractic care, like spinal instability or cancer, severe osteoporosis, or known bone abnormalities. So a chiropractic adjustment isn’t used on everyone. Most chiropractors have alternate treatment methods to address different conditions, like acupuncture, electrical muscle stimulation, and therapeutic exercise.
Chiropractors utilize a vast array of treatment procedures such as soft tissue work, gentle mobilizations, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and postural retraining. None of these would be particularly dangerous to an individual with an underlying medical problem.
If you have never been to a chiropractor in Boulder before, you may wonder what your first experience in the chiropractor clinic will be like. You can break these expectations into two parts, before and during your adjustment.
There is no special preparation you need to complete on your own before your initial visit. We will walk you through what we need before we begin adjustments during your initial visit. However, before we do any adjusting of your back, neck, or other areas of your body, we will need to know why you are visiting. Whether you seek chiropractic care for a recent injury, chronic pain, or anything else, be sure to let us know what’s going on so we can best help.
Often, this is handled by filling out a standardized questionnaire that allows you to highlight your pain, what may have caused it, and other important information — such as medical history that we may need to know.
We may also request specific examinations or tests — such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs — and perform a physical exam to help them determine what is wrong and how we can help you fit it.
Once you have completed the paperwork and initial examinations, you are ready to have your first adjustment. In a typical adjustment, we will position you in specific ways to target your affected areas. This could include sitting or laying on your back, side, or stomach. One common position is to lay face-down on a specifically designed, padded table.
During your adjustment, we will use our hands to apply controlled pressure to your affected joints to help get them back where they should be. It is normal to hear popping or cracking sounds during an adjustment.
The most important thing to do after your first chiropractor visit is to monitor your symptoms. Typically, you should feel relief immediately after your adjustment. However, keep in mind that sometimes you will feel sore or tired for up to 24 hours.
If that soreness gets worse or does not lessen after 24 hours, you should contact your chiropractor. More than likely, it’s a normal response, but it could signify that additional evaluation is necessary.
Whether you are looking to try chiropractic care for the first time because of the recommendation of a loved one, or you are simply curious, it is important to ensure that you are choosing the right chiropractor for your needs.
If you live in Boulder, CO, and are looking for a chiropractor, check us out at Boulder Back Pain Clinic. We are the top rated chiropractor clinic in Boulder, and accept most major insurance carriers, including Cigna, Aetna, United, Humana, Anthem, and more.
We hope this guide was helpful for your search. Give us a call during our business hours or leave a message – we’d love to help you get rid of your pain!
I've been seeing Dr. Cahn for over 3 years now and love that he is relaxed, genuine, and personal. He has helped resolve issues with my neck, low back, and hip. I go in for the treatment, but it's probably the great conversations we have that keep me coming back!
Dr. Guzik is awesome. He's knowledgeable, affable, and passionate about wellness. He has a natural, easygoing way with patients that will put you right at ease. I have only great things to say about this practice and Dr. Guzik!
Both Dr. Cahn and Dr. Guzik are highly knowledgeable and skilled in providing excellent care to their patients. They were instrumental in getting me through an injury to be able to compete competitively in triathlon this season. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing high level chiropractic care!
