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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Chiropractic Medicine?
- What type of education and training do chiropractors have?
- What is an adjustment?
- Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?
- What should I expect on my first visit?
- Is Chiropractic treatment ongoing?
- Is Chiropractic treatment safe?
- Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?
- Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
- Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?
- What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?
- What about chiropractic care and breech deliveries?
- Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Services?
- What Problems Can Chiropractors Treat?
- What Other Services Do You Offer?
Chiropractic is a system of healing human ailments under the recognition that every part of the body works interconnected in such a way that you can not affect one part without affecting another. Traditionally, chiropractic physicians are considered healers of neuromusculoskeletal ailments, emphasizing the use of physical medicine. Although this is often the case, they are also trained to treat a variety of human ailments, nutritionally, as opposed to using prescription drugs or surgery. The chiropractic education at National University (NUHS) provides physicians with extensive training in diagnosis, as well as in x-ray evaluation, nutrition, and physical medicine. Chiropractic philosophy also promotes the idea of preventative care, such that the body is able to protect and heal itself, in times of stress or impending disease. What type of education and training do chiropractors have?
Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. An applicant at National University of Health Sciences - the chiropractic college that both doctors attended - requires a bachelor's degree including four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education. This includes courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding - five academic years of professional study are the standard. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training. In total, the chiropractic curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
What is an adjustment?
Also known as a chiropractic manipulation, an adjustment is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the 5 intensive years of chiropractic education. This involves a gentle and precise quick thrust on a specific area of the spine or extremity using our hands to create movement in an immobile joint. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. The adjustment returns normal function to your joint which, in turn, allows the body to begin the healing process. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment. There are several different reasons for creating pain relief and restoring mobility. When joints are not moving adequately, they force other joints to work extra hard to compensate for movement. They also create interference of the nerves that exit through the spaces between vertebrae of the spine. An adjustment restores movement to the vertebrae, and decreases this interference. When an adjustment is performed, your body also releases endorphins to the areas being treated, which are your body's natural pain modulator.
Do Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?
At the time of the adjustment you may hear a "popping" sound similar to someone "popping" their knuckles. The sound is produced as the joint is moved. A vacuum is produced and the noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint that results in gas bubbles being released. There is no pain involved.
What should I expect on my first visit?
The importance of your first visit is to determine what is causing your problem. You will begin by discussing your condition with Dr. Paun one to one. You will be encouraged to ask as many questions as possible about your condition and the treatment that you will receive. After this, a thorough exam will be performed to aid in the determination of the cause of your symptoms. All findings will be discussed in detail and the rationale for treatment will be explained. On the first visit most patients will start with passive treatment, physiological modalities and stretching. They will then progress to active rehabilitation, to decrease the possibility of future painful episodes.
Is Chiropractic treatment ongoing?
The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor a number of times. To be treated by a chiropractor, a patient needs to be in his or her office. In contrast, a course of treatment from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics once a day for a couple of weeks). A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your doctor of chiropractic should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last. Each person is an individual and they will respond to treatment in different ways. What may take you only two days of treatment can take another person two weeks. Your treatment schedule should be determined by the week, not by the month or year. At Paun Family Chiropractic and Wellness your treatment is tailored to YOU. Our goal is to get you well. We want to help educate you in the art of listening to your body. We take pride in doing this in as few treatments as is necessary.
Is Chiropractic treatment safe?
Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours. Neck pain and some types of headaches are treated through precise cervical manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment, works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion and reducing muscle spasm, which helps relieve pressure and tension. Neck manipulation is a remarkably safe procedure. While some reports have associated upper high-velocity neck manipulation with a certain kind of stroke, or vertebral artery dissection, there is not yet a clear understanding of the connection. The occurrence appears to be very rare—1 in 5.85 million manipulations— based on the clinical reports and scientific studies to date. If you are visiting your doctor of chiropractic with upper-neck pain or headache, be very specific about your symptoms. This will help your doctor of chiropractic offer the safest and most effective treatment, even if it involves referral to another health care provider. It is important for patients to understand the risks associated with some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain -- prescription and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) -- as these treatments may carry risks significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation. According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.
Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?
Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy and all chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant. Issues concerning fertility, biomechanical changes associated with pregnancy, and overall wellness of the mother and baby are all taken into account when a chiropractic physician develops a treatment plan. Chiropractors that have been trained to work with pregnant women may use tables that adjust for a pregnant woman's body, and they will use techniques that avoid unneeded pressure on the abdomen. A chiropractor who is versed in the needs of women who are pregnant will also provide you with exercises and stretches that are safe to use during pregnancy and compliment any adjustments made to your spine.
Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and hormonal changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby. The following changes could result in biomechanical joint dysfunction:
- Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
- Pelvic changes
- Postural adaptations
What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care during pregnancy may provide benefits for women who are pregnant. Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
- Reducing the time of labor and delivery
- Relieving back, neck or joint pain
- Decreased chances of cesarean section
What about chiropractic care and breech deliveries?
The late Larry Webster, D.C., Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, developed a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which enables chiropractors to establish balance in the pregnant woman's pelvis and reduce undue stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments. This balanced state in the pelvis makes it easier for a breech baby to turn naturally. The technique is known as the Webster Technique. It is considered normal by some for a baby to present breech until the third trimester. Most birth practitioners are not concerned with breech presentations until a patient is 37 weeks along. Approximately 4% of all pregnancies result in a breech presentation. The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning vertex when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique. Further, the results from the study suggest that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique as soon as the 8th month of pregnancy when a woman has a breech presentation. Currently, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association recommends that women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy to establish pelvic balance and optimize the room a baby has for development throughout pregnancy. With a balanced pelvis, babies have a greater chance of moving into the correct position for birth, and the crisis and worry associated with breech and posterior presentations may be avoided altogether. Optimal baby positioning at the time of birth also eliminates the potential for dystocia (difficult labor) and therefore results in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.
Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Services? Most insurance companies cover Chiropractic care. We are preferred providers on many insurance plans including Aetna, Anthem BCBS, IL BCBS, PHCS, Medicare, Cigna, HSM and several more. Many of these insurance companies publish preferred provider booklets that do not list Paun Family Chiropractic and Wellness because they have not been updated. Call the office to find out what coverage you may have. We can call to verify your specific coverage. What Problems Can Chiropractors Treat?
Chiropractors treat a wide variety of conditions. Treating low back pain is the condition most often associated with Chiropractors. The lists of conditions below are just a few of the ones that can be successfully treated by chiropractic.
| Neck pain | Whiplash pain | Headaches |
| Low back pain | Leg pain | Sciatic pain |
| Mid-back pain | Shoulder pain | Rotator Cuff pain |
| Frozen shoulder | Tennis Elbowpain | Golfer's Elbow |
| Wrist pain | Muscle pulls pain | Hand pain |
| Hand numbness | Knee pain | Ankle pain |
| Plantar Fasciitis | Scoliosis | Hip pain |
| Arthritis pain | Infantile Colicpain | Fibromyalgia |
| "Slipped" disc | Carpal Tunnel Syndrome |
- Electro Acupuncture
- Laser Acupuncture
Our massage therapist's are Wendy and Ruby. They offer 30 minute, 1 hour, or 90 minute massages. Call the clinic for rates and first time massage specials.
Hypnotherapy:
Dr. Joseph Paun is a certified hypnotherapist. See hypnosis for more information.
Often the doctors combine their knowledge of hypnosis and acupuncture to treat the whole patient. This service is known as hypno-puncture and is quickly increasing in popularity.
Flexion/Distraction:
Both Dr. Joe and Dr. Sarah have been trained in Cox Flexion/Distraction techniques. The back end of this special table moves up and down, side to side, and around in circles to provide a gentle, yet powerful, adjustment of the spine.
