FAQ

No. Chiropractic care has never been about back pain.  Most patients come in for neck, back and headaches.  However, the essence of chiropractic is to remove pressure from the nerve(s), which most often tend to exit at the spinal level.  That same nerve that exits the neck goes down to your fingers and can affect your heart, lung, etc.  Conversely, the lower back nerve(s) can go to the toes as well as digestive or reproductive organs.  When pressure is present, the communication between the brain and body is compromised.  Leave this condition present, it leads to dysfunction and in time disease.  

The obvious answer is no.  You as a patient have the control of your healthcare choices.  However, if we do our job through education, you as a patient will understand the benefits of getting spinal checkups on a regular basis.

For example, can you decide to brush your teeth 10 times during the day to not brush for the next couple of days?  This may sound silly or even ridiculous, but not maintaining your spine has a similar effect.  The spine is an organ that is constantly in use 24/7 even while sleeping.  If you are using your spine 100% of the time, what are we doing for your spine to correct dysfunction?  With teeth we can brush, floss, stimulate gums, mouthwash, dental cleanings etc.

What is your spinal hygiene?  That is when chiropractic fits in as a regular routine for optimal spinal health.

No.  The sound is not from bone rubbing on bone.  It is from the stretching of ligament(s).  When a ligament is stretched there is a gaseous release.  This gaseous release is nitrogen that is stored in the ligament.  This nitrogen is restored in about a 20 minute period.  That does not mean your spine needs to be worked on in 20 minutes.  It simply means the ligament will make another sound (pop) if stretched again.

No. That is why we often refer to a visit as a spinal checkup.  We are checking to see if your spine needs an adjustment that visit.

This is particularly true in a severe case where the patient may even come 2 times in one day.  The patient may not need an adjustment that visit, or another procedure may be called for on that visit like stretching or exercise.

No.  Again the patient is in control of all their healthcare decisions.  For instance a pregnant patient would not get x-rays for obvious reasons.  At our office we take a very specific x-ray with state of the art equipment that is not done at a typical facility.  

The x-rays provide a ton of information and serves as an educational tool for both doctor and patient.  Patients are often surprised by what they see on an x-ray no matter the age of the patient.

Treatment plans often depend on the state and condition of the patient.  Every case, patient, and spine is unique and we tailor the course of care taking all factors into consideration.  Dr. Mendez is typically conservative, so his recommendations when given are usually the bare minimum necessary to get to the desired goal.

Absolutely.  Dr. Mendez has specialized training with newborns, toddlers and children of all ages.  For example, think about what happens during the birthing process whether natural or cesarean, a tremendous load is applied to the newborn’s neck resulting in a compromised upper cervical scenario.  Again, think of how many times you and every other child in the world fell on their butts as they are learning how to walk.  Not every fall is perfect or graceful.  This is a very common injury that children sustain which can lead to pelvic dysfunction.  This very misalignment oftentimes leads to digestive (colic), respiratory (asthma), and excretory (bed wetting) issues.  Keep in mind this is only taking one area of the spine into consideration.  The neck region is another area which can lead to ear infections etc.

In addition, we do for our patients as we believe for our own family.  Having said that, our own children Ayanna 6, Alina 3, and Ethan 3, have all been checked and adjusted since hours of being born.  On average our children get checked every other week no matter what is going on.

Yes.  Pregnancy is a great time to be getting adjusted.  Due to the release of the hormone relaxin, spinal problems are exaggerated since the ligaments are being further stretched in the direction of the misalignment due to the elasticity present during the pregnancy.  Not only does chiropractic address spinal issues for the mom, but it also addresses the nerve pressure present, which in turn affects the womb directly and indirectly.  

Yes.  Chiropractic care is covered by health insurance.  Keep in mind we are an out of network provider.  Even if you know you have out of network benefits, it is always advised to provide us with your insurance information so that we may verify your chiropractic coverage prior to your visit.  We can then better inform you of any associated costs you may incur, if any.