What happens on my first visit?
During the first visit, the initial goal is to determine if your problem can be helped in our office. If it cannot, we will help you find someone who can or provide direction as to what will help.
If we can help, we will proceed with an examination and, if necessary, spinal x-rays. Depending on your condition, we will either schedule a time to review your findings, provide some therapy, or perform your first chiropractic adjustment.
Will I get adjusted on my first visit?
We will always do what makes the most sense for you and your condition. We can and will adjust you on your first visit if that's the best thing to do.
However, some patients have very serious conditions that require us to take time to properly evaluate your x-rays to make sure there's nothing going on inside you that would stop you from getting adjusted.
For others, it may make sense for us to spend time studying your x-rays to come up with the right course of treatment and start your chiropractic care plan on the next visit.
Will my insurance cover chiropractic care?
Every insurance company offers plans that cover chiropractic care, and we are in-network for all major insurance plans. What your plan covers, however, cannot be confirmed until we call your insurance company. In some cases, we are able to gather some details online.
We will do our best to confirm your benefits prior to your first visit, but you can always call your insurance company to determine your coverage at any time.
How much will my care cost if I don't have insurance?
The initial examination and evaluation is $60, which includes any necessary x-rays. Adjustments and other therapies (spinal decompression, PEMF, HEIT) are $60 each per visit. We do offer pre-pay discounts if you buy a package of adjustments and payments plans are also available.
Does getting adjusted hurt?
Getting adjusted should be a comfortable experience. Some patients don't necessarily like "the feeling" but most patients love getting adjusted.
If you're in a lot of pain, sometimes just touching the affected area is uncomfortable, but the adjustment itself should not hurt. If you do not like a particular style of adjusting, just let us know. Our doctors are trained in several techniques and can modify your treatment plan to a style of chiropractic that works best for you.
What if I don't want to be "cracked?"
You don't have to be "cracked" to get adjusted. We do offer several styles of chiropractic adjustments that do not involve the audible adjustment.
Just let us know during your initial visit (or at any time) and we can modify your treatment plan to stop any "cracking" from occurring.
What if I don't want to get my neck adjusted?
If you don't want your neck adjusted, you don't have to have your neck adjusted. That goes for all areas of your spine. We can also do different types of adjustments that don't involve twisting or cracking your neck if that's your concern.
How do you know if chiropractic will help my problem?
After nearly 20 years of experience, we are skilled at determining if your problem will likely be helped with chiropractic care. In our training, there are specific problems that are obviously not chiropractic problems but there are plenty that are.
We also will not give you a treatment plan without expecting noticeable results within a specified period of time. Your expected results and time frame will be explained to you during your report of findings visit.
Do I have to get x-rays?
You don't have to get x-rays unless it becomes medically necessary to do so. Not everyone requires x-rays before an adjustment, but we can't adjust people when a potential underlying condition could make it worse. However, we learn a lot of information from our x-rays and believe the safest way to perform chiropractic adjustments is based on the x-ray information and measurements we take.
We only x-ray patients when it makes sense to do so. Our reasons for x-raying you will be explained prior to performing any radiographic examination.
I'm pregnant, can I still see a chiropractor?
Absolutely! We are very comfortable with treating our pregnant patients and have adjusting tables where the "belly" piece is adjustable for your comfort.
We won't take any x-rays, and we will modify your chiropractic adjustments to make sure you are comfortable through all stages of your pregnancy.
How old do you have to be to get adjusted?
You can get adjusted within hours of birth. There's no minimum or maximum age requirement. Dr. Cordova's children were all checked within hours of birth and we have treated patients up to 97 years of age. Treatment and the amount of force necessary to do an adjustment is modified to be appropriate to the patient's age.
I've had spinal surgery, can I still get adjusted?
Getting back surgery does not prevent you from receiving chiropractic adjustments. However, it will modify what we can do for you. Depending on the type of surgery you had, we may not be able to work on that specific joint.
For low back surgery, we can still accomplish a lot by adjusting the pelvis and the other areas. For neck surgery, we can adjust the other areas of the spine that were not modified by surgery.
What should I wear to my first visit?
You can come straight from work and we have available shorts and t-shirts to change into. Ideally, you would wear something comfortable, like work out clothes that do not have zippers or other metal fasteners.
If you have a low back issue, there is a chance we will need to take an x-ray. Wearing this type of clothing will prevent us from having you change prior to that examination.
How long does the first visit usually take?
We do our best to have you in and out within an hour. You can save time by completing your paperwork prior to your visit. Plan on an hour so you won't be stressed.
Can I still work out after I get adjusted?
There's nothing that we do during a chiropractic visit that will stop you from working out immediately after your visit. If you're in a lot of pain, you probably shouldn't work out until the pain subsides.
Please let your doctor know that you want to get back to exercising and they can discuss with you when you can get back to your regular routine.
How will I feel after my first adjustment?
Most patients feel immediately better after their first adjustment. Many say they either feel a big burst of energy, while others say they feel very relaxed.
Another portion of the patients will feel no major change after their initial adjustment. It can take 3-5 visits to feel whether or not "its working" in this case.
About 10% of the patients feel sore after their first adjustment, like they just worked out. Applying ice for about 10=15 minutes will usually knock out any residual soreness. If you get sore the first time, you may get sore the next time, but usually not as bad.
Do I still need x-rays if I've been adjusted before?
Did your previous chiropractor take x-rays? How long ago was your last set of x-rays? What type of chiropractic care did you receive before?
These are some of the questions we will ask to determine the need for x-rays, in addition to learning more about your actual condition. Just because you've been adjusted before, it doesn't mean you don't still need x-rays.
We will always do what makes sense for you to be safe and to get the best results possible.
How long do regular visits take?
Once you've completed your initial evaluation, your next visit is usually a "Report of Findings" visit, where we review the results and provide you with a treatment plan.
Following those visits, your regular adjustments should take 15-20 visits. Our busiest times are during lunch, from 11:00am to 1:00pm where times may go a little longer. However, we still strive to have little to no wait time and get you in and out as quickly as possible.