FAQ
Common questions, answered straight.
If something here doesn't answer what you're actually wondering, the first visit will. We have time built in for the conversation.
Before your first visit
What should I expect at my first visit?
Two hours, one-on-one with your doctor. We start with a real conversation about what you've tried, what's still wrong, and what you want to be doing again. Then we run our movement assessment — we watch how you actually move under load, not just how your spine looks on a table. By the end, you'll have a clear answer: is this the kind of problem we can fix, and if so, how. You'll leave with two or three actionable things to practice — no equipment required.
What should I bring?
A driver's license, insurance card, a list of any medications you take, and clothing you can move comfortably in. We'll have you walking, hinging, breathing, and bracing on the floor — gym clothes work; jeans don't. If you've had imaging done in the last few years (X-ray, MRI, etc.), bring whatever you have. Not required, but useful.
How many visits will I need?
Standard care is a six-visit plan, weekly, with a re-exam at visit six to measure what changed. From there, most patients move to spaced check-ins. If you're coming in from a recent injury or motor-vehicle collision, the cadence is heavier up front — typically 2–3 weekly visits for 4–5 weeks while soft-tissue work is doing the heavy lifting.
Do I get exercises to take home?
Yes. After every visit you get a Therapeutic Movement Plan delivered through PhysiApp — typically about ten minutes a day, no equipment required. The plan is built around the specific pattern we're retraining for you, not a generic stretch routine. Patients who run their plan consistently at home report relief about 75% faster than those who skip it. The math on that is pretty hard to argue with.
About chiropractic care
Are chiropractors actually doctors?
Yes. Chiropractors are licensed doctors with thousands of hours of specialized education and clinical training. The training isn't the same as medical school — but the rigor is comparable. Chiropractic programs require around 4,485 class hours; medical school is around 4,248. The focus is anatomy, movement, and spinal function.
Is this safe?
Chiropractic is one of the lowest-risk healthcare professions. About 90% of what we do is soft-tissue work and nervous-system retraining — many of our patients never receive a traditional adjustment at all. As one data point: malpractice insurance for chiropractors averages $750–$3,000 a year. Ours runs below $1,500. Surgeons and OB/GYNs pay multiples of that.
Can chiropractors prescribe medication?
No, and most of our patients are happy about that. Most of the people who come in are looking to reduce their reliance on pharmaceuticals, not add another one.
Is chiropractic care safe for kids?
When done thoughtfully, yes. Pediatric work uses gentle adjustments and movement cues matched to the child. The principle is the same as adult care: minimum intervention, maximum positive change.
Insurance, cost, and access
Does insurance cover it?
Insurance increasingly does. Most plans cover roughly 12 manipulations per year. With insurance, typical out-of-pocket cost is around a $25 copay — most of our services bill under physical-therapy benefits, which broadens what's covered. We'll help you figure out exactly what your plan does before your first visit.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
For most insurance plans, no. We're happy to communicate with your primary care physician if you want us to.
What if I was in a car accident?
We see a lot of motor-vehicle collision (MVC) patients. We work with the legal side, manage pain control, screen for concussion and related complications, and protect injured tissue with soft-tissue work and movement strategies — breathing and bracing first, before more aggressive intervention.
Can I see you for a work injury?
Yes, in most cases without a referral. Some states require a physician referral after a certain number of visits — we'll let you know if that applies to you. We can also test functional capacity in-clinic to help establish safe work guidelines if that's what you need.
What we treat
What conditions do you treat?
We don't think about it as a list of conditions. We think about it as movement patterns. The Movement Paradigm assessment quickly tells us whether your pain is movement-based — meaning it's something we can fix — or whether it's a different kind of problem that needs a different specialist. If it's the second, we'll tell you who to see next.
What about animal chiropractic?
We don't treat animals at this clinic. Dr. Whitney runs a separate practice for that — small animals and equine — at movebetteranimal.co.
Still not sure?
Call us — we'd rather have a five-minute conversation than make you guess. (503) 432-1061.