Frequently Asked Questions

A common myth is that spinal adjustments can be a habit-forming treatment. There is no evidence that once you see a chiropractor, you will need to continue to go. If you discontinue your care, your spine may return to its original state.

Your spine can become misaligned again if you do not make changes to your lifestyle after you stop chiropractic care. Depending on your goals and lifestyle, people often choose to continue with maintenance care after they get back to feeling and functioning better.

Chiropractic adjustments almost always feel great and typically don’t cause any discomfort. Some patients may experience minor discomfort after an adjustment. We may offer suggestions to decrease discomfort, such as ice packs, heating pads or light stretching, that you can do at home after your appointment.

That being said, most patients leave with less pain than they arrived with. Progress takes time, but you may experience immediate relief after an adjustment. We work with each individual patient to ensure optimal comfort and results throughout their care at our office.

As chiropractors, we do not claim to “cure” anything. We seek to restore optimal balance to your spine and nervous system to get and keep your body working at its absolute best. Your brain sends messages down through the spinal cord and out the nerves to control and coordinate all the functions of the body.

When spinal misalignments, or subluxations, happen, it pinches those nerves so they can not send the information effectively. This can lead to pain and various other symptoms.

Chiropractic adjustments remove this nerve interference to allow these messages to get from your brain to your body, and keep you functioning and feeling your best. During this process, we see improvements in a wide range of symptoms and pain. Our goal is always to meet you where you are and help you reach your goals.

An estimated 60-90 lbs of force is placed on an infant’s neck during delivery-and thus their nervous system. The nervous system, including the brain and spine, is the master control system of the whole body.

A gentle adjustment from Dr. Rignell will restore proper alignment in the spine and remove interference from the nervous system as the child undergoes key developmental changes. This allows optimal development as the child grows. We see amazing improvements in conditions such as sleep problems, ear infections, colic, constipation, latching trouble, torticollis, reflux and so much more.

As children get older, learning to walk and then running, jumping, and playing can often lead to many falls and small (or big) injuries. Other kids may experience problems, as they spend more time on their computer, phone or playing video games. Chiropractic care can provide gentle and effective changes to their developing spine and nervous system, which can prevent bigger problems down the road. Kids love getting adjusted too!

Sometimes patients hear a popping or cracking sound during the adjustment. This is not dangerous, and it does not cause discomfort for patients. This sound occurs because gas and fluids move through your spine.

Your body depends on fluids to lubricate the bones between each section of your spinal joints, so it’s normal to have this fluid in your skeletal system. When the gentle pressure of the adjustment is placed on the spine, this gas can be released from the fluid and make a small “pop.”

We are in network with most insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid. We can also accept the insurance for those involved in a car accident or work injury, and most often there is no out-of-pocket expense for these patients. We do our absolute best to take all the hassle out of insurance and billing. Just give us a call, and we can discuss your unique situation and determine your benefits. For those patients without insurance, we offer affordable cash plans and payment options. We make every effort to work with everyone, regardless of insurance or finances.

The costs of care can vary depending on each unique patient’s case. We can better determine costs by simply calling our office or a free consultation. After assessing you and your condition, we will lay out a specific plan to get you the care you need in the most effective and efficient way possible. People are often surprised at how affordable care can be!

Chiropractors are primary care physicians, and therefore we do not require any referral from another provider. Many patients come to us as their first and only health care provider. If we find referrals are needed, we will always work with other providers to ensure you get the exact care you need.

We love working as a team with your other healthcare providers. Chiropractors are trained in a way that often gives us a unique perspective on your treatment and healthcare needs. The treatment we provide is unique and distinct from other care that you may receive, and they can most often complement and work well together.

The primary focus of your first visit at Rignell Family Chiropractic is for Dr. Rignell to determine if chiropractic care is right for you and your condition. We take great care to determine what is wrong, what we can do to fix it, how long it will take, and thoroughly answer all the questions you have.

After completing the consultation, examination, and X-rays (if needed), we often provide relief treatment at the first visit, which is a little more like a bandage, but gets the healing process started and often provides some initial relief. This allows us to take time to correlate all the information gathered at the first visit and come up with the best and most effective plan moving forward.

Chiropractors cannot prescribe medication, but many of our patients don’t require medication to see results. They often visit us after discovering that conventional treatments mask their symptoms, instead of addressing the root cause of them.

We want to help your body heal, not just provide temporary relief from your pain or discomfort. Most patients are excited to find out there is a treatment option that does not require drugs or surgery.

Every situation is unique, but yes, it is generally okay to get chiropractic care after back surgery. Dr. Rignell will carefully review your imaging, reports and surgery notes to ensure that post-surgery adjustments are right for you.

We can work with and around those areas where the surgery was performed, depending on your symptoms and type of surgery. Surgery often weakens the surrounding joints and muscles because they overcompensate during the recovery process. Chiropractic care can tackle these issues without disturbing the area where you received the surgical treatment.

We do see some patients who only visit us a handful of times, while other patients require weeks or months of consistent care. The amount of time required for your recovery depends on many factors, including severity of your condition and the goals you have for your care and health.

Some patients only want their pain or condition to reach a manageable level, and others want to visit us until it completely disappears. And some patients may have specific health or functional goals. Talk to us about your goals, so we can develop a treatment plan tailored toward your health goals.