By a chiropractic industry contributor. You have an ache in your lower back or a stiffness in your neck that just won’t go away. You’ve heard that chiropractic care might help, but you’re not sure what to do next. Choosing a provider can be confusing. Making the wrong choice can mean wasted time, money, and pain that doesn’t get better. The biggest mistake is thinking all chiropractic care is the same. Different chiropractors use very different methods and have different ideas about care.
Finding a professional who fits your health goals is key. A good chiropractic provider will focus on a careful exam before suggesting any treatment. You are not alone in looking into this option. In fact, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, about 11% of U.S. adults received chiropractic care in 2022. As more people try chiropractic care, patients need to become smarter consumers. The goal is not just to feel better for a little while, but to have a long-term plan to help you move better.
Quick answer: The best way to choose a chiropractor is to look beyond the adjustment itself. You should focus on how good their first exam is, if they are willing to explain their methods, and whether they create a treatment plan just for you with clear goals. They should not push a single long-term contract that is the same for everyone.
What’s inside
· Why Focusing Only on the ‘Crack’ Is a Mistake
· What Should Happen in a Proper Consultation?
· How Much Does a Chiropractor’s Specialization Matter?
· Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic Care
Why Focusing Only on the ‘Crack’ Is a Mistake
If you only focus on the popping sound, you mistake a side effect of the treatment for the actual goal. This can make you overlook the more important steps of diagnosis and therapy. While many people associate that “cracking” sound with an adjustment, it has little to do with the quality of care. A good Wheat Ridge chiropractor focuses on helping you move better, not just making a sound.
The sound itself comes from a process called cavitation. Your joints have a fluid that acts like a lubricant. This fluid contains gases like oxygen and nitrogen. When a chiropractor makes a quick, gentle push on a joint, the pressure inside changes. This causes the gases to form a bubble that then pops, creating the sound you hear. It’s the same thing that happens when you crack your knuckles.
With more people using chiropractic care, it is more important than ever for patients to know what makes for good treatment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for chiropractors was $79,200 per year, showing it is a large and established health profession. As a patient, your focus should be on the chiropractor’s process, not just the sound of one adjustment. If you don’t hear a pop, it doesn’t mean the treatment failed. And if you do, it doesn’t guarantee success.
❝ The real way to measure a good adjustment isn’t what you hear, but what you can do after. Can you turn your head further with less pain? Can you stand up from a chair more easily? You measure progress by how much better you can move and how much less pain you feel, not by how loud the sound is.
In the end, focusing too much on the sound takes away from the key parts of good care. These include a full initial exam, a clear diagnosis of your muscle or joint problem, and a treatment plan made just for you. The adjustment is just one tool a provider might use. Good care is about the whole plan to get you moving better, not just one noisy moment on the table.
What Should Happen in a Proper Consultation?
A proper consultation includes a detailed health history, a full physical exam, and a clear diagnosis before any treatment is suggested. The first visit is the best way to see a provider’s quality and style. It should be about finding facts, not selling you something. Rushing this step is a big red flag. Any good treatment plan must be built on a solid understanding of the problem.
Your first appointment should feel like talking to a detective. Expect to answer detailed questions about your pain, but also about your work, lifestyle, old injuries, and health goals. This is followed by a physical exam that looks at more than just the sore spot. A good chiropractor will do tests for your bones, muscles, and nerves to check your range of motion, muscle strength, and reflexes. All licensed chiropractors in the U.S. must pass difficult exams from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) to prove their skills in these areas. If a provider wants to start adjustments just minutes after meeting you, without a full evaluation, you should be careful.
❝ The most important question a chiropractor should answer is not “How can I fix you?” but “What, specifically, is wrong?” A clear diagnosis, explained in words you can understand, is the foundation of any good healthcare plan. Treatment without a diagnosis is just guesswork.
Use the following table to judge the quality of your first consultation.
| Evaluation Step | Green Flag (Thorough Process) | Red Flag (Rushed Process) |
| Health History | Asks detailed questions about your lifestyle, job, and past injuries. | Focuses only on the immediate symptom. |
| Physical Exam | Does tests for your muscles, nerves, and bones (e.g., reflexes, muscle strength). | Skips a detailed physical exam or does a very brief one. |
| Diagnosis | Provides a specific diagnosis and explains the cause of your pain. | Offers a vague explanation or uses confusing terms without explaining. |
| Treatment Plan | Suggests a plan with clear goals and a timeline. | Pushes for a long-term, pre-paid contract on the first visit. |
In the end, you are looking for a partner in your health, not just a technician. The consultation is your chance to see if the provider is a good listener, is good at finding the problem, and communicates clearly.
How Much Does a Chiropractor’s Specialization Matter?
It matters a lot, especially if your problem is complex or comes from a specific activity like sports or a car accident. Any licensed Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) can provide general care for muscle and joint problems. But extra training after their degree shows a deeper level of skill in a certain area. Think of it like the difference between a family doctor and a heart specialist. Both are doctors, but you see the specialist for a specific heart problem.
After the “D.C.” on a provider’s business card, you may see other letters. These aren’t random; they stand for years of extra study and tough exams. For example, a DACBSP® is a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians®, which shows they have special skills in treating sports injuries. A CCEP®, or Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner, has special training for problems in joints outside the spine, like shoulders, wrists, and knees.
❝ A general chiropractor can often treat the symptom, like lower back pain. A specialist tries to find and treat the root cause, which might be a problem with how your body moves in your ankle or a weak core from a certain sports movement.
This difference is important for getting results that last. If you are a runner with shin splints that keep coming back, a sports-focused chiropractor will better understand running and can study how you run. If you have carpal tunnel from office work, a provider with an extremity certification will have more ways to treat the wrist and arm directly, not just the neck tension that goes with it.
When looking for a provider, look for these credentials on their biography page. If your pain is from a specific event, like a car accident, look for chiropractors who clearly state they have experience with personal injury cases. They will know more about problems like whiplash and the paperwork needed for insurance. Asking “Do you have any special training related to my injury?” during your consultation is a smart and telling question.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic Care
What are some major red flags to watch out for? Besides the high-pressure sales tactics, be careful of any provider who claims they can cure problems outside of muscles, bones, and joints, such as asthma or allergies. Another red flag is a provider who refuses to work with your main medical doctor. Good healthcare is often a team effort. A provider who tries to keep you from your other doctors may not have your best interests at heart.
Is a chiropractor legally considered a doctor? Yes. A licensed chiropractor holds a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, which is a professional degree they earn after college. This requires an undergraduate degree and then a four-year doctoral program. They are licensed as healthcare providers you can see directly, but what they are allowed to treat is focused on problems with nerves, muscles, and bones, not the full range of medicine an M.D. covers.
Who should not get a chiropractic adjustment? Some conditions make spinal adjustments risky. You should avoid them if you have severe osteoporosis, a known bone fracture in the area, bone or joint infections, or certain types of cancer that affect the spine. People with specific spinal conditions are also not good candidates. Always share your full health history to make sure the treatment is safe for you.
What are the main philosophical differences between chiropractors? Generally, chiropractors may fall into two groups: “straight” and “mixer.” A “straight” chiropractor focuses almost only on the spine. They use adjustments to correct problems with the spine’s alignment (called subluxations) as their main form of care. A “mixer” chiropractor uses other treatments along with adjustments. These might include massage, acupuncture, diet advice, or special exercises to treat the body as a whole.
Do I need a referral from my medical doctor to see a chiropractor? In most cases, you do not. Chiropractors are considered providers you can see directly, meaning you can make an appointment without a referral. However, some health insurance plans may require a referral from your primary care physician for the visit to be covered. It is always a good idea to check your insurance policy first.
The Bottom Line: You Are Hiring a Diagnostic Partner
Choosing a chiropractor is less about the treatment and more about the thinking behind it. The most common mistakes, from focusing on the sound of an adjustment to agreeing to a long-term plan on day one, all come from one error: skipping the step where they figure out what’s wrong. Good care is not just a payment for a quick “crack.” It is a partnership built on a careful look into why you are in pain.
Your most important tool as a patient is the first consultation. Use that time to check the provider’s process. Do they ask detailed questions? Do they perform a full physical exam? Can they explain your diagnosis in plain English and suggest a plan with clear goals you can track? A provider who takes this time at the start is focused on solving your specific problem, not just using a generic method.
In the end, the goal is not just to get an adjustment. The goal is to get you moving again and reduce your pain so you can get back to your life. The right provider acts as a guide in that process, giving you a clear understanding of your condition and a plan that makes sense for recovery. By focusing on a good diagnosis first, you set yourself up for a much better result.
About the author
Dr. Omid Ferdowsian, D.C., DACBSP®, CCEP®, is the lead chiropractor at Governor’s Park Chiropractic, a practice with locations in Denver, Lone Tree, and Wheat Ridge. For over 17 years, the clinic has provided care focused on personal injury, sports injuries, and family wellness. Their services include chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, massage therapy, and spinal decompression for patients ranging from infants to seniors. The practice uses several treatment methods to address the root causes of muscle and joint problems.
