When seeking a new provider, what goes first in your search bar? I would have to guess, “best chiropractor in San Francisco” or something similar to it. While there is nothing wrong with seeking out highly recommended or ranked chiropractors, you also have to acknowledge what a “good” chiropractor would be for you.
There are many components of a chiropractor’s office that could make it “good:” the ease of making appointments, transparency of pricing, adjusting techniques, bedside manner, result driven care, patient education, ect! Clients like to judge adjustments by how many “cracks” they get, while others avoid the “pop, snap, crackle” at all costs. When I go to chiropractic seminars, some chiropractors themselves believe it is solely the technique, while others believe it is the diagnostic skills and the management of care plans.
Then, what does make a good chiropractor?
Individualized care is just that - seeking out an experience that matters to you. Finding a chiropractor who can explain their findings, how it pertains to your relief or wellness goals, and have the touch and communication that makes you comfortable getting adjusted and being in the office. Comfort and communication. But most of all, how you are made to understand what pain relief really is, and what it should feel like. For many, it is step one toward a path of knowing how to maintain lifestyle and the postures we adopt for it.
For all my surfers out there, this analogy may speak the most to you, but it will make sense to anyone drawn to nature and natural healing. Chasing the horizon is an action as well as a way of thinking, because every step or stroke you take towards it, the further it extends. Healing is no different. The more you understand your body, the more you discover. Pain, or symptoms, is largely the result of a major trauma, the build up of minor day-to-day traumas, or a combination of both. Regardless, it is the main motivating factor for most to seek chiropractic care. Relief is important, and so is understanding the support you can create for your wellness and mobility once relief is achieved. Again, step one on what should be an endless journey of conquering goals and maintaining the ability to chase horizons. To prevent the build up of pain/symptoms again.
A “good” chiropractor makes sense to you. Makes you feel empowered. Puts you in control, and helps you understand your body and your goals. They help you make the most informed decision for yourself, and help you create balance in your body, your postures, and in your lifestyle.
Just like catching a wave, you never know all the information of that wave until you are in front of it. You do not know its speed, its slope, its energy. Begin with a chiropractor whose has been referred to you, or whose website and reviews connect with you. See how they make you feel, and analyze how your body responds to their approach. Ask questions, and feel confident in their ability to answer them.
A magic pill that takes your pain away is just that: magic. And magic always comes with a price - it is the balance of nature. What will it take in order to give? Health and healing should always be a journey - the beautiful sunrise that erupts from that distant line.