Trying anything new is often overwhelming and intimidating. I tend to get asked the same questions of my potential patients in Altoona so I thought it would be helpful to answer them directly.

How many treatments will it take to fix me?

I get this question all the time when patients first come in to the office. The answer- it depends on a number of variables.

-The type of injury is a major factor in determining the course of treatment. If there was an injury it might take longer to heal than if there is just a nagging pain that is relatively recent.

-The age of the patient is another contributing factor. Younger patients respond quicker than older to treatment. That said, healthy individuals as a whole no matter their age fare well to chiropractic care.

-How well you follow the treatment plan that we lay out. It can be as short as 1 visit to as many as 30 visits. If you follow treatment plan as well as modify lifestyle changes, there will be fewer visits. I will do my best to try to get you out of pain as fast as possible with adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and exercises/stretches to do at home.

How many times a week do I need to come?

This kind of relates to the previous question. It depends on the injury, age, past health history, and how well you follow the treatment plan we lay out together. Sometimes 1-2x/month will work but often 3x/week is needed for the first couple of weeks following an injury. I am not an over prescriber so my promise to you is that your plan will be the least amount of visits necessary to see an improvement.

How long is a typical treatment?

The first treatment typically lasts 45 minutes because we need to do a history and exam. Subsequent appointments usually last 5-15 minutes depending on what type of injury/injuries you have.

Which conditions do Chiropractors have success in treating?

Typically when people hear chiropractic, they think neck and back pain as well as the treatment of headaches. Chiropractors treat more than that. Chiropractic care is very effective for the treatment of the musculoskeletal conditions, such as shoulder, wrist (carpal tunnel), hip, knee, and ankle pains. I also have some patients that come for non- musculoskeletal conditions ranging from earaches to stomach issues. In recent years chiropractic care has been proven to help with a ride range of chronic illnesses and pain from researchers outside of the industry. I am thrilled that the general public is now seeing what we have known all along-chiropractic care works!

What if I don’t have insurance or if my insurance doesn’t cover chiropractic care?

I do accept most Blue Cross Blue Shield plans as well as United Healthcare and Medicare. If you don’t have one of these or you if have a high deductible, I do offer great wellness plans that will make chiropractic care affordable for you and your family.

If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to give the office a call-I would be happy to try to ease your mind in any way possible.

-Dr. Dawson