Some Common Questions

Patients are pleasantly surprised that adjustments are usually very gentle and actually feel good.

Dr. Allen uses many different techniques and selects the most effective and gentle ones for your condition.

We set aside 1 to 1 1/2 hours just for you on your first visit.Your subsequent treatment visits will take approximately 20 minutes and we run on time.

While most insurance plans cover chiropractic, we encourage you to contact our office if you have specific questions. During your initial visit we will verify your benefits and let you know what your chiropractic coverage is. We are providers for many of the insurance companies in the area, including BCBS, United Health Care, UMR, PHCS, Choice Care, and many others. In addition, we also accept Medicare, Cash Patients, Debit Cards, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, and CareCredit.

Most chiropractors receive a bachelor degree and then complete 5 years of post graduate chiropractic training before receiving their doctorate in chiropractic. Throughout the education program, emphasis is placed on specific chiropractic adjusting. Course work, which is very similar to that of medical school, includes Gross Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology and Biochemistry. The last two years focus training in physical and imaging diagnosis, physical therapy, nutrition and exercise rehabilitation. Finally, an internship program is completed before graduation. Prior to licensing in Tennessee, your chiropractor must complete rigorous National Board exams.

No, chiropractic physicians do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. We rely on natural methods to help the body heal itself. However, we understand that there is a point where medication and surgery are needed and will refer a patient if necessary.

Chiropractors treat a variety of conditions including low back pain, bulging and herniated discs, migraine headaches, neck and shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, and other health problems. We also treat many patients who have previously had back surgery and treat newborns and children as well for their back problems.

Chiropractic focuses on relieving pain, inflammation, and spasms by restoring proper function of the nerves, joints, discs, bones, and soft tissues. Chiropractors seek to correct the cause of the problem rather than just treat the symptoms. Chiropractors also help many other health conditions by counseling patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, sports injuries, and healthy life style changes.

Chiropractic is about health!

When spinal joints get stuck in the wrong position or quit functioning correctly we call this a subluxation. Subluxations can cause pressure on nerves, discs, muscles, and other tissues and can lead to dysfunction in other parts of the body including organs and tissues. Chiropractors correct these subluxations using gentle techniques called adjustments. The chiropractor's goal is to restore proper function to the joints, tissues, and especially the nerves, which control the function of other organs and tissues. Chiropractors also prescribe specific rehab exercise to strengthen weaker tissues and nutrition therapies to support healing and optimize the function of the entire body.

An adjustment is a specific, safe and controlled thrust restoring motion to a fixated joint. Dr. Allen is trained in a variety of techniques, including traditional osseous adjusting and low force adjusting techniques that are safe on children and the elderly. He also is highly experienced in adjusting extremities and treats many sports injuries.

Yes, adjustments are very safe. That's because an adjustment is being delivered by a highly trained professional, and risk factors are identified in patients before any type of care is administered. Research shows that chiropractic is remarkably safe compared to medical care, drugs or surgery.

Most people feel some relief after their first visit and substantial relief after 6-8 visits. Chronic or severe cases usually take longer to respond. After the initial relief is obtained, treatment is focused on stabilizing the condition for long lasting results. Dr. Allen puts patients on a special program to get them out of pain as quickly as possible and then decreases the visit frequency as the patient heals and returns to normal.