You’ve probably heard quite a bit of praise about chiropractic medicine lately. Whether the words come from a professional sports player or a trusted friend, people cite chiropractors for their improved health and vitality. At Advanced Chiropractic, we know we offer excellent care, but we may not always be the best choice for everyone. The following advice will help you find a great chiropractic doctor in Temple TX.

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Get Referrals in Temple TX

Many people assume that they need a referral from another healthcare provider to seek chiropractic care since it seems to be a specialized service. Chiropractic care is primary care, so you never need a referral to make an appointment.

If you have another healthcare provider whose opinion you respect, you can always get a recommendation from them. Some healthcare providers that routinely send patients to our practice include Physicians, Physical Therapists, and Occupational Therapists. Other practitioners that have recommended us to patients include personal trainers and massage therapists.

Getting recommendations from friends and coworkers is also an option. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Health is a popular conversation topic, so you can quickly bring it up during a conversation. If there’s someone in your circle who seems to be moving with more ease and agility, they may have been receiving chiropractic care. Feel free to compliment them and get the name of their chiropractic practice.

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Research the Chiropractor’s Credentials

Once you have a list of chiropractic prospects, it’s time to research their credentials. Every chiropractic practitioner must complete at least three years of undergraduate college coursework followed by four years of chiropractic medical education. Many future chiropractic doctors elect to complete their bachelor’s degrees before entering chiropractic school. There are only 17 schools that offer the Doctor of Chiropractic degree in the United States. Make sure that any chiropractic practitioner under consideration has a degree from one of these institutions.

In addition to completing nearly a decade of higher education, a chiropractic doctor needs a state license to practice. In Texas, prospective chiropractic doctors must pass a national assessment to be licensed. This comprehensive examination allows them to demonstrate the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to help patients. Topics covered on this exam include:

• Anatomy
• General Diagnosis
• Chiropractic Techniques
• Diagnostic Imaging Interpretation
• Physiotherapy
• Consider the Chiropractor’s Experience

Educational background and appropriate licensure are essential, but they are not the end of the story. Chiropractic medicine is a field in which professionals learn quite a bit on the job. In addition to the mentorship that newly minted graduates receive, chiropractic doctors learn from experience.

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Type of Experience

Therefore, it makes sense to find a chiropractic doctor with experience that matches care needs. Specialty care needs can be related to age or situation. Some typical age-related specialties include pediatrics and geriatrics. If you want a chiropractic practice suitable for the entire family, look for a family-oriented office.

Chiropractic specialties related to specific situations include sports and prenatal. Sometimes, individuals with specialty experience also hold specialty credentials. In our practice, Dr. Katherine Allen has experience working with pregnant women and their preborn children. Dr. Allen is also certified in the Webster Technique. The Webster Technique is an internationally known method of prenatal chiropractic care that focuses on optimizing the lower spine and hips for pregnancy, labor, and birth.

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Length of Experience

Specialists and generalists both develop vital qualities through continued experience. In addition to chiropractic science and adjustment skills, these qualities help make a good practitioner into an excellent one. Chiropractic doctors hone their observation skills and notice more patient issues or subtle differences in problems through the years. Diligently working on thousands of diagnoses also further develops professional decision-making skills. Determining the best course of action for a patient can be challenging and can include using various resources such as referrals to other healthcare professionals.

Becoming a chiropractic professional takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Chiropractors must genuinely care for the people they treat to become licensed in the first place. With continued experience working with people living with pain and the fear that often accompanies it, chiropractic practitioners deepen their empathy for their patients. They also sharpen their interpersonal skills. A chiropractic practitioner must be able to quickly determine how a patient feels and change their approach as needed. Since chiropractic adjustment involves direct placement of the hands, chiropractors must also excel at putting others at ease.

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Read the Patient Reviews

We shop for everything online, including chiropractic healthcare. While we believe that spending some time talking to a chiropractic doctor is the best way to determine if a particular professional is right for you, reading patient reviews online can also be helpful. Patient reviews provide insight into how patients perceive chiropractic practitioners.

As is the case with any patient-facing, in-person therapy, chiropractic care depends on how the practitioner and patient can work together. One factor influencing compatibility is communication preferences. Some patients want to discuss their condition in detail, and others want care without any detailed explanation. Most practitioners should be able to adjust, but some do better at one approach or the other.

Patient reviews have brought patients to our practice looking for specialized care. If you’re an amateur athlete and would like to boost your body’s abilities through chiropractic care, search for reviews from other sports-minded people. A simple method for finding specialty chiropractic reviews online is to perform an internet search for a sport name, chiropractic, and reviews. Another route is to search for specialty chiropractic organizations and use their directories to search for a specialist in your area.

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Know What Your Insurance Covers

Health insurance helps some of our patients save money. Although Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Oscar, and United currently provide some coverage for chiropractic services, more companies may begin to include chiropractic care in their plans.

Insurance coverage for chiropractic care differs, but many plans cover short-term recovery from an accident or other event. Most programs won’t cover long-term treatment or maintenance visits. In addition to these limitations, many companies also require a referral from a primary healthcare provider containing a statement that chiropractic care is medically necessary. The primary healthcare provider might also have to actively manage your chiropractic care by following a care plan they develop.

In addition to these restrictions, many insurance companies limit the number of chiropractic visits allowed each month or year. Other companies have accepted select chiropractic doctors into their care network or maintain a list of approved chiropractic providers.

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Medicare Part B Medical Insurance

Medicare Part B Medical Insurance provides insurance coverage for a chiropractic adjustment to correct misalignment or subluxation. The service must be medically necessary and performed by a chiropractor. A patient pays 20% of the amount approved by Medicare plus the Part B deductible. Any X-rays, massage therapy, acupuncture, and other tests or services are not covered by Medicare.

When those with Medicare or insurance are denied coverage, they can ask their primary healthcare provider to call the insurance company and explain the medical necessity of chiropractic care. Patients can also try contacting the insurance provider themselves to share their situation.

Sometimes, patients must pay for their chiropractic care. In this case, we are pleased to help you pay for the care you need with payment plans and other discounts. Ask us for all the details.

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Investigate Advanced Chiropractic

If you’re ready to learn more about your chiropractic care options, we invite you to investigate our practitioners. Our chiropractors are highly qualified, experienced, and compassionate. Please give our Advanced Chiropractic team a call today at (254) 778-2225 or send us a text at 91998 to learn more about what our chiropractic team can offer you.