A guide to choosing the right clinic for you

The best Chiropractor in Derby: is whoever works best for you as an individual. This (as impartial as I can make it) guide will help you consider your options.

Most people only realise that they need to make improvements to their health when something has gone wrong, and that is completely normal – how can you appreciate the good if you haven’t had the bad? So typically people will be in some amount of pain or discomfort when they start looking for ways to fix it. This starting point is the first hurdle and it can be quite difficult knowing what to do or who to see for your problem.

Derby Chiropractor – a common google search

How do you know where to start? If you have low back pain for example, and you search for a ‘Chiropractor in Derby’ you will be met with a list of  clinics, Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physio’s will all appear. But you could also see your GP, try exercises such as yoga or Pilates, take pain medications… the list goes on. And with that list likely comes a story from family and friends of how they have approached similar problems or who you should see and what you should do!

For any mechanical problems which could be related to your spine and joints I obviously think we are the right place to start. And prevention is always better than cure so the sooner you have a spinal check up the better.

However as I said above there are many different options to choose from, and people typically only realise they need an appointment when the pain has already developed.

Here are some non-biased pointers for finding the right person or team for you, with additional comments we hope are helpful.

Always see your GP first if in doubt.

GP’s are trained to rule in and rule out medical conditions which can mask themselves as musculoskeletal pain – so it is always sensible to see them if you are unsure what is going on. With back pain for example, they can make sure it is a ‘safe’ back pain – i.e. not a medical emergency, and then they can offer pain medications or put you on the waiting list for a physio referral (Chiropractors and Osteopaths are available on the NHS in some regions) amongst other things.

• ‘Chiropractors are highly trained and as primary healthcare practitioners can accept patients without having to see the GP first, and often start your treatment on the first visit if possible. You can rest assured when you come to see us at Duffield Chiropractic Clinic and it turns out not to be a problem with which we can help, we will refer you straight to your GP’

Make sure the person is qualified and safe to give advice and treatment

Someone once told me ‘personally I do not take gardening advice from my dentist, nor do I ask my accountant about my car’ which I feel is a very sound approach to adopt when it is you and your body! Check their credentials and make sure they are registered health professionals.

• At Duffield Chiropractic Clinic we are registered with the General Chiropractic Council and members of the British Chiropractic Association. Regarding giving treatment and advice Chiropractor Andrew Harlow says ‘the best treatment is whatever will work best for you’.

Try to check out their experience or areas of interest to see if it fits your problem.

• ‘We mainly see patients with back pain, neck pain, or sciatica, however also treat a range of other conditions’

Does what you have been told make sense?

Don’t be afraid to ask the professional what is wrong and why it is there. If it doesn’t make sense it is less likely you will stick with the programme and the advice given.

Are you seeing results?

If not, ask if you should be.

• ‘At the clinic as a general rule for people presenting with a neck or back problem I like to see changes within 1-3 sessions. If it isn’t working I like to find out pretty quick so we don’t waste time and can change our treatment plan, or if required arrange onward investigations or referrals quickly. Of course many problems will take much longer to be completely resolved, but you need to see you are going in the right direction as soon as possible.’

Is your progress being assessed?

Are you ‘signing up’ for a long course of treatments before finding out if you will respond?

• ‘We continually assess your progress on a session by session basis and we figure out together how well you are recovering and when not we can either treat you quickly or provide additional exercises or advice.’

Is the person congruent?

Do they practice what they preach in their approach?

Are you being assessed as a whole person?

Often a knee problem isn’t just a knee problem nor is a shoulder just a shoulder problem. All the areas of your body work together and as such a back problem is going to be harder to fix if you are walking around with other areas of dysfunction lower down or higher up the kinematic chain.

• ‘At Duffield Chiropractic Clinic we assess people as a whole checking the spine, extremity joints, muscles and nervous system. We have a systematic approach checking for your levels of strength, symmetry and stiffness in your body to find out what caused the problem.’

Sometimes the worst thing to do is nothing at all, as the problem just gets worse. Yet sometimes you wish you had not done anything if you make the wrong choice!

When you do choose to seek care just make sure you are armed with as much knowledge and get as much help in making the right decisions for you, from the right team.

Call us on 01332 840750 to make an appointment or book online now.

Andrew Harlow – Derby Chiropractor