The most frequently asked chiropractic questions our patients ask are:

01. What is upper cervical chiropractic?
02. How do you get a misaligned (subluxated) spine?
03. How do I know if I have body imbalance and subluxation?
04. How is the spinal correction calculated?
05. Can body imbalance clear up on its own?
06. Are your methods safe?
07. Are all patients adjusted the same way?
08. How many adjustments will I need?
09. Are x-rays really necessary?
10. How long until I feel better?
11. Can I have adjustments after back surgery?
12. How long will I need chiropractic care?
13. What type of education do the Barone Spinal Care Doctors get?
14. Will insurance cover chiropractic?
15. What if my policy doesn’t cover your services?
16. What if your methods don’t help me?
17. Does Medicare cover your chiropractic services?
18. Do you take care of children?
19. Can you have a subluxation without experiencing pain?

01.  What is upper cervical chiropractic? Back to Top
upper cervical chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism.  The body’s functions are controlled by the brain through the spinal cord and all the nerves of the body.  If the nervous system is impaired, it can cause malfunction of the tissues and organs throughout the body and is known as a subluxation.  upper cervical chiropractic is the science and art of locating interference to the nervous system (subluxations) and removing them so the body can function optimally, giving the body a much greater chance for health restoration.

02.  How do you get a misaligned (Subluxated) spine? Back to Top
An accident or injury at some time in a person’s life causes their spine to misalign. It is not necessarily an injury that you would remember.
   Examples of injuries are:

 1)  A difficult or traumatic birth
 2)  A fall as a child *
 3)  Falling off a bicycle
 4)  Bumping your head getting in or out of your vehicle
 5)  Car accidents
 6)  Twisting or popping your neck
 7)  Roller coaster riding
 8)  Bumper cars
 9)  High school sports
* (Researchers have found the avg. child falls 30-40 times per day)
The list goes on and on. Our clinical studies have shown us that 95% of the adult population has a misaligned spine. 

03.  How do I know if I have body imbalance and subluxation? Back to Top
You can have subluxations and not even know it.  Like the early stages of tooth decay or cancer, subluxations can be present before warning signs appear.  Body imbalance is determined by leg length disparity, postural measurements and computerized SEMG analysis.

04.  How is the spinal correction calculated? Back to Top
Once body imbalance has been determined, precise x-ray analysis, using physics and mechanics is used to calculate a formula for each spinal correction.  Each formula is calculated for that individual patient and no two spinal corrections are alike. 

05.  Can body imbalance clear up on its own? Back to Top
We have never known of a case that has had their misaligned spine correct itself. Today’s hectic lifestyles are a constant source of body imbalance.  Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to self-correct many of these problems.  But many times it doesn’t, and that’s when we need to see an upper cervical doctor and have our body balance restored.  Once body balance is restored, the body has a much greater ability to maintain this balance and clear problems up on its own.

06.  Are your methods safe? Back to Top
Yes.  A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are “remarkably safe.”  By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record.  A thorough exam can identify the rare person for whom chiropractic care might be unsuited.  The precise and gentle nature of our correction procedures require NO SNAPPING, POPPING OR TWISTING OF THE NECK OR BACK.  The adjustment is extremely safe, gentle and effective.

07.  Are all patients adjusted the same way? Back to Top
It has been estimated that over 10,000 combinations exist of Atlas misalignments. Each combination requires a different, precision spinal correction, which is determined from the thorough analysis of the patient’s x-rays. 

08.  How many adjustments will I need? Back to Top
The number of adjustments needed from person to person varies. This variance is caused by several factors, these include:

       1) Patient compliance (following the doctors recommendations)
       2) How much damage there is to the spinal structures
       3) Exercise habits
       4) Spiritual health
       5) Emotional and physical stress
       6) The shape of your spinal bones
      
Some patients never lose the initial correction, while others may need weekly adjustments. Once the spine stabilizes (usually within the first six months), the average person holds their correction for 3 to 6 months at a time. Our corrections generally hold much longer than non-upper cervical types of chiropractic adjustments.

09.  Are x-rays really necessary? Back to Top
Absolutely! Precise spinal x-rays are imperative for our adjusting procedures. We are often dealing with mis-alignments as small as ¾ of a degree, which is 1/10,000 of an inch (The thickness of a fingernail). With such small mis-alignments the precision x-rays that we take, allow us to calculate the correct method to restore the mis-alignment to a better position, thus allowing your body to begin the healing process.

The radiation exposure is extremely low with our upper cervical x-ray series, due to special lead filters that block out a majority of the radiation. The NAS (National Academy of Sciences) considers a single exposure of the whole body of 50,000 mrems (50 rems) to be a high level dose.

10.  How long until I feel better? Back to Top
Our average patient will experience some relief by the 4th week of care. 50% of our practice members notice some relief in their symptoms the same day as their initial correction. 90% of our practice members can feel a difference in their posture the same day as the initial correction. Many factors are involved with you feeling better, including:

1. Type and severity of the condition(s)
2. How long you have had the condition
3. What other treatments you have had
4. Medications you are taking
5. Compliance with the doctors recommendations
6. Age

11.  Can I have adjustments after back surgery? Back to Top
Yes.  Rest assured that your chiropractic doctor is specifically trained to deliver a completely safe and gentle spinal correction which requires no bending, twisting or cracking of the spine. Our staff of doctors will also communicate with other health professionals if there are any possible contraindications that we are concerned about.

 12.  How long will I need upper cervical chiropractic care? Back to Top
The same amount of time that you will need to eat healthy, exercise, practice good spiritual disciplines and other healthy lifestyle choices. Our job is to offer you the very best care and we stand ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.  How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.

13.  What type of education do the Barone Spinal Care doctors get? Back to Top
Today’s doctor of chiropractic is well educated. 

To practice chiropractic, graduates must pass demanding National Board Examinations.  A chiropractic education never ends.  Most doctors complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.  

14.  Will insurance cover my upper cervical chiropractic services? Back to Top
We recommend that you don’t base your decision to get care or not, on an insurance companies coverage. Your quality of life is your responsibility not your insurance companies. All of our practice members pay with cash, check or credit card at the time of service. We give them a receipt with the insurance codes on it to submit to their insurance company. All they have to do is address the envelope and lick the stamp. If your insurance plan covers chiropractic, then depending on the insurance company, there could be a good chance that they will either cover some or most of your services during the first few months of care. We always explain to our practice members “Don’t expect anything back from your insurance company and if you do get something, then think of it as a bonus”. This way our practice members are never disappointed.

 15.  What if my policy doesn’t cover your services? Back to Top
Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know.  It is your most valuable possession.  Yet, each of us is free to place a different value on our health.  It’s convenient when an insurance company or third party pay’s the bill.  But be careful!  Don’t allow the profit motive of huge corporations to make the decision about your quality of life for you. It is you that needs to live with your body the rest of your life, not the insurance company  Find out how we make our services affordable for just about anyone. 

16.  What if your methods don’t help me? Back to Top
If we do not see indications that our methods are working we will inform you as to not waste yours or our time.

17.  Does Medicare cover your chiropractic services? Back to Top
Medicare does cover a large portion of the chiropractic adjustments provided in the office. Our staff will submit the services to Medicare, and Medicare will reimburse you directly.

18.  Do you take care of children? Back to Top
We take care of many children with a variety of conditions. In children, we have seen results with the following: ADHD, colic, ear infections, learning disabilities, autism, difficulty sleeping, neck and back pain, and postural distortion just to name a few. Anyone of any age can be a candidate for our services if their spine is out of alignment.

19.  Can you have a subluxation without experiencing pain? Back to Top
Yes. Subluxation is known as a silent killer. It may be present for decades before pain or symptoms show up. Two of our countries biggest killers may also be present for years before they are symptomatic. Many people are walking around with heart disease and cancer without any pain or symptoms.