What to expect on your first visit
Welcome! Your first appointment includes a consultation, examination, and most likely treatment. Allow at least one hour with the doctor. The consultation consists of discussing details of your health and nutritional history and specifics of the current problem. The examination consists of posture and gait analysis, neurological, orthopedic, and muscle testing, assessment of spinal movement and range of motion. Depending on the exam findings, treatment may be initiated on the initial visit or the patient may be referred for further diagnostic tests or to another physician.
Our billing office will provide a verification of chiropractic benefits from your insurance carrier if applicable. Dr. Steinys will develop your treatment plan specific to you and your condition from the initial examination. This plan will be reviewed on your subsequent visit.
Pediatric patients ONLY: Please fill out the appropriate forms before your first visit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Will the adjustment hurt?
A: You may feel tension right before the adjustment but the adjustment should not be painful. A short, very quick force is applied to the joints which may cause a noise like a “pop” to be heard. This is a normal response from the adjustment. It is the gases normally inside the joint being released into the body. It is common to feel slightly sore the day following the adjustment. This is a result of lactic acid being released from the muscles into the body. Drinking plenty of water after the adjustment helps prevent this soreness.
Q: After I get adjusted will I need to continuously return for follow-up adjustments?
A: The adjustment is only one aspect of chiropractic treatment. It restores movement into joints that are not moving well. There are also structures like muscles and ligaments that surround the joint and are stretched during the adjustment. These structures become affected when there is a problem in a joint. Treatment frequency is affected by the patient’s overall health and the length of time they have had the problem. Patients are taught how to prevent “flare-ups” of their condition; so much of the prognosis depends on the patient’s active involvement in their health/body awareness. The adjustment itself does not lead to reliance on further visits.
Q: Do chiropractors only treat the back?
A: Chiropractors receive extensive education and training in the treatment of back and spinal conditions but they do not exclusively treat the back. In the state of Illinois, chiropractors are licensed as primary care physicians and as such treat an extensive array of health conditions. Please see the “Conditions Treated” section for further information on what Dr. Steinys treats in her office.
Q: Will my insurance cover the chiropractic visit?
A: Dr. Steinys is a credentialed provider in select health insurance plans. Every plan offers different benefits for their members. Our office can verify your benefits prior to your examination to inform you what chiropractic services are covered through your particular policy.
Q: How much will treatment cost?
A: Cost of therapy is dictated by the patient’s insurance plan. Most insurance policies cover chiropractic and related services. Core Chiropractic will verify with your specific insurance plan as to the specifics of coverage and cost. If you do not have insurance, please phone the office for a quote of fees.
Q: Is chiropractic safe for pregnant patients and children?
A: Chiropractic is a natural approach to life and health which helps the mother’s body sustain a healthy pregnancy and easier delivery. Imbalances in the spine become accentuated during pregnancy due to the baby’s rapid growth. These imbalances often lead to discomfort. Chiropractic care during pregnancy can relieve and prevent such discomforts through specific adjustments of the spine. Chiropractic helps the mother’s body keep up with compensatory changes that occur during pregnancy.
After delivery, chiropractic helps to retrain the mother’s muscles and joints, returning them to pre-pregnancy function.
Kids grow at a rapid rate and sometimes this leads to joint dysfunction as well causing this nerve interference. The chiropractic adjustment helps to balance movement in the child’s spine and ensure nerve signaling is functioning properly. Chiropractic is safe for infants, even newborns.
The spinal cord conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body tissues. When the spine is not moving properly it will interfere with this messaging causing malfunctions in the immune system. This may lead to such common issues as allergies and ear infections.
To learn more about chiropractic care during pregnancy and for infants and children, go to icpa4kids.org