Our Blog
We don’t work with just anyone at Thomas Chiropractic. Our doctors are people that share our values and ethics, people that we work with and trust. It’s not about hiring a Chiropractor, but building a family.
How Do I Know If My Chiropractic Treatments Are Helping?
One of the most fulfilling yet difficult aspects of my career is helping people navigate their journey to better health. Healing is a process that can take a lot of time. We tend to think of that process as a straight road from disease or injury to health but that is the exception rather than the rule. Often, things feel worse before they feel better and there are always plateaus and valleys. Helping patients to have faith in the process and continue care inspite of bumps in the road is a worthy challenge.
Everyone comes into the office with disfunction. Not all disfunction is symptomatic but it all has potential to become so. Sometimes people come in with symptoms that are just starting to show but during further examination, I discover that those symptoms are just the tip of a very large disfunctional iceberg. I know that when I start chipping away at the disfuntion below the surface it is going to make those symtoms much more obvious. This can be very alarming. In addition, symptoms can change or move locations. People who are more prone to worry, often need a lot of reassurance to stay the course. There are several signs and symptoms that may cause concern but are actually indicative of progress. Most of these happen in early stages of care.
Insurance and Chiropractic
I frequently get emails asking if I take such and such insurance. I wish my response could be as easy as yes or no but it never is. The insurance/provider arrangement is as complicated as a Kardashian relationship. I will try to explain but if you do not understand it is probably not because I am not saying it clearly enough but because it is so stupid you will be left wondering why in the world it is like this.
There are several Health Insurance companies in the US. They are typically large companies that have regional or statewide sub companies. For example. Blue Cross Blue Shield has corporate headquarters in Missouri (I think), but there is also Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield which is headquartered in Indiana. Then there is Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, North Carolina, Arizona, Federal Employees, Exchange (for Obama Care) and the list goes on. The same can be said of the all of the rest, too. They are massive entities with more subsidiaries with either identical names plus the region or completely different names altogether depending on merger agreements and who has subcontracted with whom.
If You Are In An Auto Accident That is Not Your Fault, It Should Not Cost You Anything.
Statistically speaking, you will probably be in an auto accident at some point in your life. I believe that injuries happen in most accidents, even the small ones, and that you are doing yourself a disservice by not healing correctly after. One of the barriers that keep people from getting the care they need is the potential cost. Let me be very clear, if you are in an auto accident and it is not your fault, your care should be covered 100% either by the responsible person’s insurance company, through your insurance company, or by the responsible person. This article explores the most common ways to have healthcare bills paid.
The simplest way to make sure your bills are covered is to hire an experienced personal injury attorney. I understand that there is a stigma with hiring a personal injury attorney and there are definitely some shady characters out there. However, there are some good guys, too, and they can make life so much easier. A good attorney will make it so you do not have to talk to the insurance company again which means no more harrassing phone calls or bullying you into believing you are not really hurt or that you are milking the system. Personal Injury attorneys work on a contingency so they get a percentage of the settlement they get for you. Usually, that is 33%. A good attorney, provided it is a decent case, will usually get a larger settlement which means more money for you in the form of pain and suffering. It can take a while for everyone to get paid using this method but most doctors will treat you on a lien backed by the attorney because they know the attorney will pay them wihen the case settle. I highly reccomend this option for most of my patients.
You Can Adjust the Bones in Your Skull?
There are 22 bones in the skull connected by a type of joint called a suture. In the old days, doctors thought these bones fused together in adulthood. Now, we know that they can and do move with some regularity. The suture as a joint is only found in the skull. It...
Even If I Want to, I Cannot Help Everyone. Neither Can Chiropractic.
The great Aristotle once wrote that "The more you know, the more you know you do not know." For me, the more experience I gain, the more I realize my limitations. People who know me well, know that I do not lack confidence. I try not to be arrogant but I do my best to...
To X-ray or not to X-ray?
It is the trend these days for chiropractors not to have x-ray machines in their office . Some docs would never dream of adjusting a patient without x-rays and "proof". For them the cost of x-rays and the radiation exposure is completely justified by their style of...
It’s a Wonderful Life From This Chiropractor’s Perspective
I love the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I am especially moved by and relate to the main character, George Bailey. George consistently puts the needs of others before his own wants. He is flawed for sure, but when it comes down to it, he does the right thing for...
Holiday Stress and Chiropractic
I probably should not admit it but, "National Lampoon's, Christmas Vacation" is one of my favorite Christmas shows. There are few actors who pull off a complete melt-down like Chevy Chase. I think we can all relate at some level with Clark W. Griswold as it concerns...
Low Back Pain and Tight Hamstrings
If you are around my age, you might remember having to pass the Presidential Fitness Test in P.E. Part of that test was flexibility demonstrated by sitting on the ground with the legs extended and the knees straight. Then, you would reach forward as far as you could....
Do Your Hands Fall Asleep?
Most of us have experienced it. There you are sitting in what seems like a comfortable position, watching tv. All of sudden you notice that you have no feeling in your hand! It has fallen asleep. You move from the all-of-a-sudden awkward position trying to pause the...
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