If you think that all chiropractors cost the same, do the same thing, and get the same results in the same time frame, you may be upset by some of the information found in this article.  Most of this article is based on my opinion and personal preferences and is not to be taken as fact.  I encourage all who read this to try several different chiropractors and to pick the one that best fulfills your needs.  Chiropractic colleges and state board associations require that no chiropractor advertise that they or their technique be superior to another chiropractor with the same doctorate of chiropractic degree.  Without saying that anyone is better than anyone else, I want to show the differences between different approaches to the treatment of patients in the clinical chiropractic setting.

The biggest differences that I see on a day-to-day basis between chiropractic practices stem from the doctors' personality.  On one hand, there is the philanthropist chiropractor who would work for free if possible.  On the other hand, there is the gold-digger chiropractor whose primary interest is in the pursuit of an early retirement and a lake-house.  Most chiropractors fall somewhere in between these stereotypical archetypes, but it is helpful to be thoughtful of this when interviewing a prospective doctor.  One way to tell where your doctor sits on this scale is to understand the fee scheduling in his/her office and the agressiveness of the staff in making payment arrangements.  The more aggressive the sales pitch is, the more profit-driven the practice probably is. 

Many doctors utilize an up-front payment system that allows certain discounted rates for payment in full for the entire treatment plan at the time of your first or second visit.  Patients must understand that this treatment plan is not written in stone and will vary depending on progress.  Patients also must understand that some doctors use this tool to fill their schedule for an extended period of time and allow little or no flexibility.  There are other payment plans that offer different arrangements like a "monthly membership" type of plan that allows a number of visits per month for a fixed monthly fee.  Patients must understand that the doctor may allow some discount for being a member of this type of plan, but ultimately he/she knows that you will probably not utilize the full benefit of this package.  This allows the doctor potential for making money for little to no work.  My office allows several options for payment with no pressure towards any particular method. 

I have seen several offices that have all of the "bells and whistles" that a chiropractor can use.  It is difficult to tell whether this type of doctor is profit-driven, if he/she simply loves toys, or if he/she truly believes in the power of the tools themselves to make patients better.  Most chiropractors fall victim at some time or another to the idea that there is a magic gadget out there somewhere that virtually guarantees the success of their practice.  Many of these gadgets turn out to be expensive tools.  The cost of these tools must eventually be passed on to the patient.  Chiropractors are trained in the art of spinal manipulation.  This manipulation is primarily done by hand, but can be accomplished to some degree with the aid of a mechanical device.  There are chiropractors who have great and successful practices who use nothing more than their hands in the treatment of their patients, and there are others that choose to rely heavily on additional therapies and tools.  Devices, or gadgets, or tools can be of some use, but they are not the primary focus of a chiropractor's education.

I have been to several chiropractors in my life and I have been given many different recommendations about how many visits i should come in, how many times per week, etc...  The most common approach has always been to start at 3 times per week and do that for several weeks.  I have even seen research that shows that 3 times per week for 3 weeks is shown to get better results than less frequent appointment scheduling.  This research was used to promote the treatment plan recommended by a practice management company.  Different cases will definately require different treatment schedules and lengths of care.  Chronic cases typically will take longer to relieve symptoms than acute cases.  The more health and structural complications, generally, the longer the initial treatment plan will be also.  Profit-driven practices have a very systematic approach that maximizes the number of visits that a patient will come in.  Chiropractors who are more focused on the results that they are getting with their patients will often evaluate and adjust treatment plans more often.  Some of these chiropractors will not give any anticipation of favorable results, but will give a short trial of care (usually 2 to 6 weeks depending on the condition treated).            

Is a busy chiropractor the best chiropractor? I think there are several factors and questions to ask before making this assumption.

Question 1: What is the reputation of the doctor in the area where he/she practices?

Question 2: What types of treatments are offered and what is the chiropractors level of experience with each?

Question 3: Is the clinic busy all the time or is the doctor using a tactic called "cluster-booking" to make him/her appear busier than he/she really is. This technique usually schedules 4 people every 15 minutes for short bursts of time throughout the day. Sometimes this tactic is used on a smaller scale to give the doctor time to catch up on notes between sets of appointments.

Question 4: Is the doctor honest and straight-forward with you about your condition and treatment plan? Also does he/she provide several options for care such as; one plan for pain relief and another for long-term corrective care?

Question 5: Is the staff friendly and inviting (An unhappy or unfriendly staff usually means an unhappy/unfriendly doctor)? This does not mean that the doctor is bad, just that you may not enjoy a good relationship one-on-one with him/her.

Question 6: Is the office clean? This is an indicator of the doctor's attention to detail.

Question 7: Does the doctor evaluate/re-evaluate and adjust treatment plans according to the patient's progress or is there a "one-size-fits-all approach where he/she tries to "sell" you on an extended treatment plan without having an initial trial of care.

Question 8: How pushy is the doctor when recommending extended treatment plans? These plans make the clinic the most money.

These are several questions to consider when looking for a good chiropractor who will be your guide on your way back to wellness and health.

At Leath Chiropractic, there is no "hard sell" approach to care. we have several options and allow our patients to choose what type of care best suits their needs. Dr Leath re-evaluates treatment plans frequently and makes adjustments according to levels of progress. Our office is beautiful and clean and we have an excellent reputation for being honest, caring, and community-oriented. Our staff is friendly and our focus is to bring happiness into each and every person's day. Keep in mind that not every chiropractor is the same and there are major differences between clinics even in the same neighborhood. It is my hope that I have created a clinic that is right for our community in Arlington, TN

Sincerely,

Dr J