We are considered a primary visit provider, so you don't need a referral. Just come on in, like you would your dentist, optometrist, or medical doctor.

In very rare instances, usually due to extenuating circumstances, a referral for chiropractors may be helpful or necessary. We will help you cross that bridge if we get to it.

First, you will fill out some paperwork. Next, we will take a complete history of your chief complaint(s). We'll then perform a physical exam of the area(s) of chief complaint. We may or may not take digital x-rays, depending upon our clinical decision. An MRI or other imaging study may be needed.

Once we have all the information we need, our chiropractors will go over your findings to diagnose the condition and inform you of your treatment options. Treatment options may include care in our office, co-treatment with another health care professional, or a referral to another provider.

Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic treatment is covered by most insurance companies. We will work with them to determine your deductible and co-payment for treatment. Our chiropractors also accept cash, checks, and major credit cards, as well as CareCredit.

Our chiropractors will have finished a four-year bachelor's degree in an undergraduate setting prior to obtaining a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic degree from an accredited program. The coursework is demanding and is comparable to that of other doctors. In addition, your Nebraska D.C. has completed the rigorous exams from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which include Parts I-IV and Physiotherapy, prior to obtaining a license.

Our chiropractors routinely work with local medical doctors, podiatrists, dentists, physical therapists, and more. We believe every health care professional is meant to help you! When you surround yourself with providers who are professional, respectful, and who work well with others, you will benefit.

Chiropractic treatment can be as gentle as is necessary for the comfort of the patient. Some treatments include manual adjustments in which chiropractors employ a quick thrust to the spine or other joints, and they can sometimes be associated with a popping noise.

Other treatments include the use of adjusting instruments or table-assisted therapies. At times, the patient may experience muscle soreness or tenderness after an adjustment similar to what is experienced after a workout session. Ice, heat, and/or stretching are all you'll need to treat any discomfort. Together, we will determine what is best for you. We always give our best care recommendations, but we will never persuade you to accept treatment out of your comfort level.

Our chiropractors would never do anything to put a patient in harm's way. Generally, children require few treatments and respond very quickly. They do not have years' worth of accumulated joint and tissue damage we see in our adult patients.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for children to have their spines checked. Does your baby favor one side during breastfeeding? Does your son complain of headaches or earaches? Did your daughter fall down during her last gymnastics class? If so, they need to be checked for joint misalignments. Do not allow years to pass with their joints in an abnormal position. Over the years, this can lead to arthritis or worse. Just imagine how good you could feel today if you had chiropractic care all throughout your life. Give that gift to your child!

You got that way by living your life! Chiropractors are trained to find misalignments of the spine and joints, known to chiropractors as subluxations. Subluxations can occur for a number of reasons, including but not limited to childhood accidents, pregnancy, childbirth, stress, poor sleeping/posture habits, sitting for long periods of time, previous sports or work-related injuries, and so on.

In addition, muscular imbalances and asymmetry of the body can predispose a person to subluxations. A subluxation may not only affect the muscles in a region of the spine, but also the nerves, soft tissues, and organs in that region. Tender or spastic muscles in a spinal region are an obvious symptom that is easily felt by the patient, but the nervous system, soft tissue, and organ irritation are not always as directly apparent.

No patient has to continue with appointments if you don't want to. You may choose acute, corrective, or wellness/elective care. The purpose of acute care is to reduce or eliminate your most obvious symptoms. Corrective care is used to stabilize the body after the acute phase to help avoid a relapse in the short term. Wellness or elective care includes regular spinal checkups. This type of preventive care can save time and money by keeping minor problems from becoming more serious. This is the type of care people choose on their own.

Do you go to your dentist or optometrist on a regular basis, or at least know you should? Then you understand the concept behind regular, preventive appointments. When patients have chronic conditions, it may take time to repair those tissues. Expecting to repair years of direct tissue damage in one or two sessions is like expecting your dentist to clean your teeth once and be done with dental care.

We recommend continued appointments with chiropractors, but it is up to the patient. According to the National Library of Medicine, your medical costs can be reduced by 85% when you see a chiropractor regularly. Call today to schedule an appointment!