Frequently Asked Chiropractic Questions in Hummelstown PA

Chiropractic is a type of healthcare that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders of the musculoskeletal system, predominantly the spine, and how these disorders affect the nervous system. Chiropractors aim to restore function, reduce pain, and support the body’s natural healing process in a drug-free, non-invasive manner.

Chiropractors can treat many different types of conditions. While our main focus is on treating conditions of the spine and the nervous system that is affected by these spinal conditions, chiropractors can help with conditions all over the musculoskeletal system, including conditions in the:

• Neck
• Mid-back
• Low back
• Shoulders, Arms, Wrists, and Hands
• Hips, Knees, Ankles and Feet

A chiropractic adjustment is a controlled, targeted force to a specific joint that often produces a popping or clicking sound called a Cavitation. A cavitation is simply gas that is being released from the joint. These adjustments are used by chiropractors to correct misalignments in the spine and other joints that may be causing pain or radiating nerve symptoms in different areas of the body.

Yes, chiropractic adjustments are non-invasive, drug-free, personalized techniques that, when performed by a licensed chiropractic professional, are safe and very effective. Chiropractors complete years of specialized training, education, and clinical training to learn to correctly evaluate, diagnose, and treat various musculoskeletal conditions.

Additionally, chiropractors are trained in low force techniques like Activator and Impulse adjusting that are more gentle forms of adjustments but are just as effective.

In general, the amount of sessions needed is determined by the severity of the issue and how the patient responds to treatment. Dr. Stoner and Dr. Bearer perform a chiropractic examination and determine a diagnosis based on their findings from this exam. Your first visit also includes your first treatment. After that, we will schedule a follow-up visit a few days after the initial visit and we will determine how many sessions are needed depending on how the first treatment was tolerated. Our doctors believe in honesty and doing what is best for their patients, so they will do everything they can to get you better as fast as they can!

Chiropractic care offers patients a natural approach to improving their health and relieving pain. This provides our patients with many benefits including:

• Pain Relief
• Improved Mobility
• Improved Posture
• Enhanced Nervous System Function
• Improved Athletic Performance
• Drug-Free, Non-Invasive Approach that Supports Overall Wellness

Chiropractic care is generally a very safe healthcare practice when performed by a licensed chiropractor. Like any form of healthcare, however, it is not completely risk-free. Some RARE risks include:

• Increases in pain or nerve symptoms
• Fracture, generally from reckless manual adjustments performed on patients that require gentler forms of adjusting like Activator or Impulse adjusting.
• Stroke following neck adjustments – this is extremely rare (estimated at 1 in several million treatments), and current research does not show a direct cause-and-effect relationship between chiropractic neck adjustments and stroke. Many patients who experienced a stroke had pre-existing issues that were already in progress.

Dr. Stoner and Dr. Bearer are very cautious of these risks and will not force any adjustment or therapy on patients that they don’t want or that our doctors think will hurt their patients. There are more gentle and safer methods that they will perform before exposing any patients to these risks.

Chiropractic adjustments in general make patients feel much better after they have been performed. Usually, with a manual adjustment it will hurt for a brief second or two immediately after the cavitation and then it subsides. Our doctors will always prepare their patients for what to expect and check if modalities like E-stim or Impulse adjusting are comfortable for the patient before proceeding with their treatment.

It is a good idea to go to your chiropractor on a regular basis even if you are not in pain. Chiropractic care has many benefits outside of reducing pain. Seeing your chiropractor regularly can help you increase mobility, reduce stress, improve posture, prevent future injury, and support the body's overall well-being. All of these combined help to support your long-term health.

Choosing the right chiropractor is an important decision. Here at Inspire Chiropractic & Wellness we provide our patients with:

• Personalized Care: Every treatment plan is tailored to your unique needs, lifestyle, and health goals.
• Modern Techniques: From gentle manual adjustments to advanced tools like the Impulse Gun, we offer a full range of evidence-based chiropractic methods to ensure your comfort and results.
• Whole-Body Approach: We focus not only on relieving pain but also on the body as a system, improving mobility, posture, and overall wellness—helping you feel and function at your best.
• Education & Empowerment: We provide you with the tools and education to be able to know what is happening that is causing your pain and how to take an active role in your own treatment.
• Warm, Supportive Environment: We pride ourselves on making every visit comfortable, welcoming, and stress-free.

The length of a chiropractic treatment is rather short. As a new patient, or if we haven’t seen you in a while, your appointment will be around 45-60 minutes. This is the longest appointment you will have due to the need to perform a targeted history and exam which will help pinpoint what is causing your pain. After the first visit, a normal visit will last about 20-30 minutes. This usually includes a modality such as electric stim therapy and an adjustment. Time can also vary by about 15-20 minutes with additional modalities, rehab exercises, or presenting with a new or updated condition.

Chiropractors go through extensive education and training starting with a 3-4 year undergraduate degree, followed by another 3 years of graduate school for the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Throughout these 6-7 years, students focus their studies on sciences like biology, anatomy, and physiology. Once working toward their D.C. degree, they immediately start learning about palpation and how the body moves. By their second semester of 10 semesters total, a student starts to practice adjusting under the guidance of their professors. By the time they finish their degree, they will have gone through numerous adjusting classes, student clinics where they treat their peers, and finally 8 months of out-patient clinics, treating the general public. Lastly, each student is required to pass 4 parts of a national boards licensing exam before they receive their license.

Yes, chiropractic care during pregnancy is very helpful throughout the entirety of the pregnancy. Some benefits include:

• Reduced Back, Hip, and Pelvic Pain
• Improved Pelvic Alignment: Proper alignment may help create more space for the baby to move and get into the optimal position for birth.
• Better Posture and Balance: As your center of gravity shifts, chiropractic care helps you stay balanced and reduce strain on your spine.
• Easier Labor and Delivery: Some studies suggest that chiropractic care may help support shorter, more comfortable labor by keeping the pelvis and nervous system functioning well.

No, chiropractic care is not physically addictive. You will not become "dependent" on adjustments like you might with medications or other substances. Most people choose to come back to their chiropractor once they start to feel the benefits of regular chiropractic treatment, such as:

• Less Pain and Tension
• Improved Posture and Mobility
• Improved Sleep and Energy
• Better Overall Sense of Well-Being

The “crack” heard during an adjustment is called a cavitation. Cavitation happens when a joint is gently separated or adjusted, creating a small change in pressure within the joint. This pressure change causes gas bubbles in the joint fluid to rapidly release, creating the familiar “cracking” or “popping” sound.

No, you should not try to adjust yourself. While you may get that 'cracking' noise (a cavitation), it only releases gas from the joints, not correcting a misalignment or restriction in your joint. Adjusting yourself is not precise enough to target the specific joints in a controlled way. This could lead to injuries like muscle strain, nerve irritation, or even more serious injuries if done improperly.

Instead try things like Gentle Stretching and Mobility Exercises, Practicing Good Posture and Ergonomics, Regular Movement and Hydration, and Seeing a Trained Chiropractor for safe care.

We accept Highmark, Capital Blue Cross, Aetna, and Medicare insurance plans. We also accept auto/personal injury and worker’s compensation insurances. Since there are so many different plans and coverage options available, we are unable to give you an exact cost estimate and/or guarantee of what will and won’t be covered. When you schedule your appointment, we will take your insurance information. At the time of your first appointment, we will provide an estimate of what your insurance will cover and what financial responsibility you may have. Ultimately, however, it is entirely up to your insurance plan to determine what services will be covered and how much of the cost will be moved toward patient financial responsibility.

Yes, chiropractors specialize in treating conditions involving the spine. It is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic treatment. Chiropractors help with back pain by using different spinal adjusting techniques, performing soft tissue therapy, with modalities like E-stim, and educating patients on proper posture, ergonomics and exercises to reduce and prevent back pain.

Yes, neck pain is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care. When performed by a licensed chiropractor, a cervical adjustment can be very helpful in increasing range of motion, reducing pain and headaches, and correcting postural deficits.

Yes, chiropractors treat patients with headaches very often. Headaches can be caused by many different things, but one of the most common is called Cervicogenic Headaches. These types of headaches are caused from tightness or tension in different areas of the cervical spine. Chiropractors are able to identify what is causing these headaches and relieve the tight muscles causing the headaches with different adjusting, soft tissue, and modality techniques.

Chiropractic care and physical therapy are similar in that they both focus on helping patients recover from pain, injuries, and movement deficits, however, they take different approaches. Chiropractors focus on the spine, nervous system, and joint alignment that is causing pain and correcting it through chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy and modalities. Physical Therapists focus on improving movement, strength and stability using guided exercises, stretching, manual therapy, and modalities. While these two professions are different, they work well together in helping patients reach their healthiest self.

Yes, chiropractic care can be very effective for both treating and preventing sports injuries. Chiropractors can assist in the healing process of sports injuries by adjusting to reduce pain and inflammation, restore joint mobility, improve circulation and healing, and improve nervous system function. In the case of injury prevention, keeping the body in proper alignment and correcting imbalances can prepare your body for different types of stresses on the body caused by sports. Many athletes, including professionals, report improved posture, range of motion, balance, and overall athletic performance after regular chiropractic care.

Yes, chiropractic care improves posture significantly. Chiropractors use spinal adjusting to reduce tension and pressure caused by misalignments that can contribute to poor posture. They also are highly educated in different types of techniques like Corrective Exercises, Postural Assessment, and Ergonomic and Lifestyle guidance that they use to assist their adjusting to get the best results possible.

During a chiropractic adjustment, there’s much more happening than just the familiar “pop” (known as a cavitation). That sound is simply gas bubbles being released within the joint as it’s moved, which is a normal and harmless part of the process.

Beyond the sound, the real benefits are happening deeper in the body. Chiropractic adjustment helps correct misalignments in the joints, especially in the spine. These misalignments can put pressure on or irritate the nerves that pass through the spinal column. When these nerves are compressed or irritated, they can lead to muscle tension, pain signals, inflammation, and even reduced circulation.

By restoring proper alignment, an adjustment can:

• Relieve nerve irritation
• Reduce pain signals
• Promote better blood flow and healing
• Relax surrounding muscles

Yes, chiropractic care is generally safe for children when performed by a licensed chiropractor. Many parents choose chiropractic care for their kids to help with everything from posture and injuries to help with sleeping and general wellness. Chiropractors modify their techniques to the child's age, size, and development, often involving a light pressure or more gentle technique like Impulse or Activator adjusting.

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