Following a workplace injury, you may need to see a chiropractor. If that is the case, Comprehensive Healthcare Group is here to help you find a work injury chiropractor ready to provide you with the treatment you need.
Take a closer look at what these specialists do and when to see a chiropractor to decide if you should see a chiropractor or another type of doctor following your workplace injuries, whether for overuse injuries, repetitive stress injuries, or something more severe resulting in chronic pain. Remember that you may need to see several doctors with varying specialties and have them coordinate your care.
What Is a Chiropractor?
Chiropractic treats the neuromusculoskeletal system of their patients, including the ligaments, tendons, bones, nerves, and muscles. Chiropractic treatment is non-invasive and is primarily focused on proper alignment of the spinal column. Chiropractors frequently help treat neck and back pain but can also help with other conditions and injuries. The goal of chiropractors is to help your body self-heal by improving the abilities of your neuromusculoskeletal system.
Chiropractors are best-known for offering spinal adjustments, but they also offer other treatments. A chiropractor usually provides complementary and alternative medicine.
What Treatments Do Chiropractors Provide?
The exact treatment that a workers’ comp chiropractor provides depends on their patient and the patient’s conditions. As mentioned, the best-known chiropractic care treatment is called spinal manipulation or adjustment. This is when the chiropractor uses instruments or their hands to apply force to a specific joint of the spine. The goal here is to improve spinal alignment.
But spinal adjustment is far from the only treatment that a work injury chiropractor will offer. These specialists treat patients in the following ways, depending on the injury and their medical history:
- Spinal manipulation
- Stimulation
- Relaxation
- Exercise
- Hot and cold treatment
- Counseling for diet and weight loss
- Massage therapy
- Shoe inserts
- Braces
- Joint bracing or taping (Kinesio taping)
- Soft-tissue therapy
- Ultrasound
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators)
- Changing your ergonomics or posture
- Stress management
When to See a Chiropractor
Many people wonder whether they need a chiropractor or if another type of medical specialist would be a better fit.
What Do Chiropractors Treat?
Part of the answer to when to see a chiropractor is knowing the conditions they commonly treat. The most common symptoms from workplace injuries treated by chiropractors include neck pain, lower back pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain, and headaches.
Not all chiropractors specialize in workplace injuries. Most chiropractic doctors will also treat other injuries that aren’t caused by work-related accidents, such as sports injuries. They can also treat arthritis, and poor posture, specifically the joint movement of people with arthritis.
Other Reasons People Visit the Chiropractor
Some people choose to visit a workers’ comp chiropractor if they want to avoid invasive procedures or taking pain medication to treat their injuries. In this case, they simply want to see if chiropractic treatment will help before trying something else, like physical therapy. Chiropractors can also work with you on the necessary medical forms in a workers’ compensation claim.
Some people also see chiropractors to alleviate pain, prevent disease, or strengthen immunity. Others do so to improve their overall well-being or increase their energy.
Signs You Should See a Chiropractor
With all of those reasons in mind, the following are some strong indications that you should consider seeing a work injury chiropractor in New York.
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Shoulder pain
- Elbow pain
- Joint pain
- Joint dysfunction
- Stiff muscles and muscle aches
- Sciatica
- Whiplash
See a Doctor After a Workplace Injury
Even if you decide against seeing a chiropractor, use the Workers’ Comp Doctors’ network to find another doctor to see after a workplace injury. This is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment, as well as for documenting that your injury was from the incident at work. Remember that some symptoms take weeks to appear. By that point, documentation can be a challenge and treatment is likely to take longer.
What to Expect from a Chiropractor
As with any other doctor, your chiropractor will evaluate your condition and ask you questions at the first appointment. They will ask about your medical history and the injury that caused you to schedule an appointment. Chiropractors may also ask about your diet or physical activity.
They will then conduct a physical exam. This will check your posture, range of motion and mobility, and muscle strength. Some chiropractors will also take x-rays or ask to see recent x-rays other doctors have ordered. Chiropractors can also read MRIs or CT scans.
Most of the chiropractic treatments occur on a special padded table. This table is highly adjustable, as that lets your chiropractor position your body properly, so they can apply pressure to the appropriate joints.
There should not be any pain during a chiropractic adjustment. It may feel a bit odd, and you may hear a popping or cracking sound. This sound is the release of gas that gets trapped in your joints’ small cavities as you move and stretch. That sound only sounds odd; there is no pain associated with it. It is possible to have minor soreness or aches after chiropractic adjustments, but this should disappear within 24 hours.
Find a Workers’ Comp Chiropractor Near You
When it comes to finding a chiropractor to treat your workplace injury, you don’t want to choose just anyone.
Only See Licensed, Board-Certified Chiropractors
The most important thing is to ensure that you only see a board-certified and licensed chiropractor. That is because although rare, it is possible for chiropractic adjustments to lead to pinched nerves, herniated disks, or stroke. These risks are incredibly rare if you see a board-certified chiropractor who accurately screens and evaluates you before beginning treatment. But there is a higher risk of complications if you see an inexperienced, non-certified chiropractor.
Comprehensive Healthcare Group makes this easy, as we only connect you with board-certified, licensed chiropractors.
Why See a Chiropractor Experienced with Workers’ Comp
In addition to board certification, the other primary requirement for a chiropractor is to be authorized by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board to treat injured workers. This is important as not all chiropractors are authorized by NYS WCB nor accept workers’ compensation. Visiting one that does accept it maximizes the chances that your care is fully covered.
Additionally, workers’ comp chiropractors will have experience dealing with workers’ compensation insurance, including the documentation requirements. This means that they will get the paperwork and documentation done correctly the first time, helping your claim gets processed efficiently. Besides workers’ compensation, we accept no-fault, PIP, and most health insurance plans.
With convenient locations in Valley Stream and Oceanside, NY, we are here to offer you effective treatment options, provide pain relief and help you get back to living your life!
Contact us today! Same-day appointments may be available.
