FAQ's for Medical Practitioners

Numerous interviews conducted by the New England Spine Institute with medical practitioners have identified reasons why there is such separation between chiropractors and medical professionals. The most common reasons to be:

• There is a great variation among chiropractors and no way to predict what treatments will be provided to medical practitioners’ patients.
• Most medical practitioners are unfamiliar with the scope of chiropractic practice.
• Most medical practitioners have never spoken with a chiropractor.

Belle Hall Chiropractic is committed to building integrated relationships with area medical practitioners. Our doctors meet often with these professionals to educate them on what we do and how we ARE a service to their patients. Our goal is to build this bridge so that patient care is heightened and health care costs are diminished. We accomplish this with:

• One-on-one discussions
• Educational lectures
• Newsletters
• Patient referrals
  

If you are a medical practitioner, please visit the Contact Us page and send us your questions/comments or set up a time to meet.

FAQ’s of Medical Practitioners

1. Which patients should I consider for referral to Belle Hall Chiropractic?
   • Outcomes for chiropractic treatment are optimal for mechanical/myofascial cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral spinal pain.
     
     
   • Patients with disc herniations commonly respond favorably to chiropractic management.
     
     
   • Patients with repetitive strain conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet respond extremely well to our treatment protocols and have positive outcomes.
     

   
   

2. With so many variations of chiropractors, how does a medical practitioner identify a qualified chiropractor?
   
   
   •The Journal of Family Practice published the following guidelines to consider when selecting a chiropractor:
   
   • Willing to be clinically observed
     • We welcome observation and discussion!
       
       
   • Does not radiograph every patient
     • We radiograph only AFTER a complete exam and with clinical indications to radiograph!
       
       
   • Treats mainly musculoskeletal disorders
     • We specialize in these disorders. However, we do use nutritional protocols to help our patients heal!
       
       
   • Communicates with the referring physician
     • We send narrative reports, exam findings, treatment plans and progress reports to every physician!
       
       
   • Administers reasonable treatment programs
     • Our goal is to have the patient at maximum medical improvement (MMI) as quickly as possible!
       
       
   • Does not charge an upfront, global fee for the entire treatment plan
     • We do not do this. We are in-network with all insurance companies to make care as affordable as possible for our patients. We also offer very affordable payment plans for patients without insurance.
       
       
3. How many Belle Hall Chiropractic treatments are necessary for patients to improve?
   
   
   • The acute, uncomplicated spinal pain patients usually have significant relief in two-four weeks, plus they have added function and stability preventing future problems. The chronic or complicated acute patients typically require four-six weeks of treatment to gain a systemwide response of healing and relief. Again, in these patients scar tissue, dysfunctional movement patterns and muscle imbalances must be addressed AND corrected.
     
     
   • Patients with some chronic and/or permanent conditions will be treated under a different model. Once the patients have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), we typically will provide chiropractic care and rehabilitation therapy on a maintenance basis to maintain their health and functional improvement. We promote patient independence. We follow the guidelines set forth in the textbook "Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor: Protocols and Algorithms" by Dr. Thomas Souza, in collaboration with work by Dr. Scott Haldeman (a neurologist and clinical professor of neurology at the University of California, Irvine).
     
     
     
4. Is chiropractic manipulation a safe treatment for patients?
   

• In short, yes. We use the correct manipulative procedures for the various types of patients. When this occurs, manipulation is EXTREMELY safe. We do assess contraindications our patients may have prior to treatment. As a result of the safety of chiropractic, a typical chiropractor pays less than $1,000 a year for malpractice insurance. This is based on years of studies by insurance companies on the safety of chiropractic.
  
  • Patients may experience soreness in the area of the manipulation. This is a welcomed response.
    
    
  • The most concerning potential complication is Vertebral Artery Dissection (VAD). The latest research published in the medical journal SPINE in February 2008 concluded that this 'complication' is no more prevalent by patients receiving care from chiropractic offices compared to medical offices. The authors of this study concluded that patients who eventually have a VAD are more likely to consult a DC or MD for neck pain prior to the VAD and that the medical and/or chiropractic treatment was not responsible.
    
    
  • History of spinal surgery, osteoporosis, arthropathies, disc herniations without significant neurological deficits, scoliosis, degenerative changes and joint instabilities ARE NOT absolute contraindications; however, they do require that treatments be altered to be as safe as possible.
    
    
  • Absolute contraindications are severe/progressive neurological deficits, infections, malignancies, acute fractures/dislocations and acute arthropathies.