Chiropractic treatments are covered under Medicare although they have to be allowed by a GP! If you are suffering from a chronic condition for over 6 months you may be eligible for a care plan from your general practitioner!
All Medicare plans that cover chiropractic care are patient claimed and have a small out of pocket expense unless GP has stated “Bulk Billing” is necessary on the file!
All of our processing for both medicare and private health are done onsite and claimed on the spot!
Chiropractic is covered by all major private health insurances with “Extras Cover” for chiropractic services. This means that depending on your insurance company and cover limits you will be covered for a percentage amount of the total cost of the appointment.
For your convenience our chiropractic clinic locations in both Westmeadows and Broadmeadows offer HICAPS GO online and a HICAPS terminal on site to ensure you can claim your extras on the spot!
Our team of chiropractors are also claimable for other treatment modalities also such as dry needling and cupping. This is dependant on who is available on the day to provide such techniques!
Yes, Our team of chiropractors are able to help woman suffering from pain during their pregnancy with specific chiropractic techniques. It is common to see low back pain and tightness through the front of the abdomen due to a growing baby. We also offer pregnancy pillows that allow all pregnant women to lay on their stomachs during all treatments which can help alleviate pain and discomfort. This also enables our practitioners to work on all areas of the body during the period of pregnancy care.
Our chiropractors use therapies that are very gentle and safe for both mothers and babies before and after pregnancy. Our team can treat a wide range of pregnancy aches and pains and create the changes needed prior to birth by helping decrease tension throughout the pelvis and low back.
There is never an clear answer to this question prior to an examination and thorough check up. Usually you will get recommendations on your initial visit about what chiropractic care is needed and what approach will be used unless there are further examinations required such as X-ray reports.
Depending on the person chiropractic care may be for symptomatic issues only.
There are also those who choose to improve their overall function an wellbeing which progresses further over time. Usually after achieving results such as enhanced functional wellbeing many decide to incorporate chiropractic care as ongoing management or wellness care.
Both Chiropractic Care and Massage therapy are great ways of relieving tension throughout the body and apply various different techniques to achieve specific patient goals and outcomes.
Depending on what you are more comfortable with our Chiropractors on your first visit will perform a thorough examination to find out how the body is moving within the joints and how restricted certain movements are. Chiropractors also use different orthopaedic tests which help justify whether or not further imaging is required such as X-ray and if there needs to be certain interventions or other health practitioners to help create positive changes for better health. Chiropractors usually perform spinal adjustments using either their hands, chiropractic activators or drop tables to areas of restriction although that does not mean they don’t focus on the muscle tissue. Chiropractors also use trigger point therapy to decrease pressure in tight muscles and also have the ability to use oils to help massage through areas where muscles are tight and sore.
Some Areas Of Concern Chiropractors Deal With Include:
Unlike Chiropractors, massage therapists use an approach of focussing solely on the muscle and this is great when that is the main concern. There can be times where joints may be causing pressure on other areas of the body causing referral patterns and decreasing muscle tension will not make any changes long term for problems like this.
If you are someone who is getting massages already and is only finding temporary pain relief, chiropractic care may be beneficial! Contact our team of chiropractors to get examined today at either our Westmeadows or Broadmeadows Chiropractic Clinics.
Our westmeadows and broadmeadows clinics offer chiropractic services which also include modalities such as dry needling, cupping, sports taping, trigger point therapy, Stretching and exercise prescription.
Our Westmeadows chiropractic practice also accepts referrals from GP’s for chiropractic services. If you are given a CDM or EPC plan you are eligible for up to 5 chiropractic visits per year!
What Can You Expect On Your First Visit To Our Clinic?
First Visit or First Treatment at either of our westmeadows or broadmeadows health clinics includes a case history, posture scan, movement analysis, pain assessment, orthopaedic testing and a full body treatment. Referral for X-ray imaging (if required) is bulk-billed through Medicare.
Our Westmeadows Clinic
Our Westmeadows Clinic is spacious and easily accessible by car, bus and train. Onsite Parking is available with wheelchair accessibility and is within 10km of Melbourne CBD
What Can Our Team Do To Help?
Depending on the severity of the injury or area of concern our practitioners in our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Clinics will treat accordingly to your complaint. Treatments that may be provided but are not limited to include:
Spinal manipulation, Activator Methods, Drop Piece, SOT and other adjustive techniques can help alleviate joints that have restriction such as spinal segments and joints (LeFebvre, Peterson & Haas, 2012)
PNF/PIR/prescribed stretching – Stretching has shown to reduce pain, improve functionality of the wrist and hand also maintains strength and improves patients in both long and short-term outcomes.
Remedial Massage, Trigger point therapy or use of handheld massager – Have shown to decrease pain/tenderness, enhance both range of motion and quality of life and influence flexibility (Shah et al., 2015) (Imtiyaz, Veqar & Shareef, 2014)
Advice on daily living activities/diet – This enables advice on how to change to make healthy actions into habits and may offer a valuable alternative with potential for long-term impact. (Gardner, Lally & Wardle, 2012)
Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores. (Fernandes, Pedrinelli & Hernandez, 2015)
Dry Needling or Cupping to the surrounding musculature to help decrease tension and inflammation around the area of the hand and forearm.
In Short No, X-Rays are not necessary to get before seeing a chiropractor. This is because our team of chiropractors perform an assessment which includes a thorough history, orthopaedic testing and mobility stress tests to ensure that there are no significant red flags that may justify the need for an X-Ray.
Indications for an X-ray Include
To diagnose recent trauma which may have been a cause of fracture or dislocation at any age and anyone over the age of 50 who has suffered from a minor fall or slip with uncommon pain.
Diagnose degeneration/arthritic conditions or structural changes that may be causing pain and restriction.
To see changes with spinal deformities over time to ensure they are not getting worse such as scoliosis/kyphosis or other spinal degenerative changes.
X-rays are a great tool to help guide a particular treatment that is needed for the patients success. 8 times out of 10 it is likely that with or without X-rays the chiropractors treatment will not change and this will be based on patients goals and what they have assessed on examination. Our team of chiropractors are able to refer out for any X-rays that are indicated.
Contraindications for an X-ray
To identify problems with soft tissues. Unfortunately X-rays can only visualise issues related to bones and joints and not with muscular problems.
To find out whether or not areas of no concern have problems.
If the patient is pregnant
X-ray referrals without any clinical evidence or reasoning
It is common that with most general complaints not to need X-rays. Also with the initial assessment our practitioners find that with most patients they will have certain anomalies where things dont add up before a referral is needed for an X-ray. The reason why chiropractors and other allied health professionals don’t send patients out readily for X-rays is because of the exposure to radiation and it is best to avoid it if possible!
Inflammation is something we usually see in our joints and is something that we all like to avoid! Unfortunately sugar is something that fires up our bodies inflammatory system in various ways. We all want to be functioning as best as we can so it is ideal to restrict your sugar intake. It is common to have a sugar craving for sweets and there can be healthier substitutes that allow for better energy and overall performance when it comes to bodily functions.
These snacks can include things such as fruit or nuts which are a great way to avoid ramping up your sugar intake and avoiding those high GI foods that cause us to crash. There are also other types of foods such as yogurts and nuts which are also great snacking foods but beware as they are also high in calories and should be limited.
Exercise is also a great way to decrease sugar cravings as the body tends to crave healthier foods to refuel and rebuild.
By substituting or limiting sugar in your diet the following benefits can be seen in various research articles:
The Melbourne Chiropractor Westmeadows provides specialised therapeutic techniques to help with all types of musculoskeletal problems. Our team of chiropractors strives to decrease pain, increase function and create solutions to your problems which will be long term. Our team strives to get patients back on their feet as quick as possible with ongoing support if it is essential.
Our westmeadows and broadmeadows clinics offer chiropractic services which also include modalities such as dry needling, cupping, sports taping, trigger point therapy, Stretching and exercise prescription.
Our Westmeadows chiropractic practice also accepts referrals from GP’s for chiropractic services. If you are given a CDM or EPC plan you are eligible for up to 5 chiropractic visits per year!
What Can You Expect On Your First Visit To Our Clinic?
First Visit or First Treatment at either of our westmeadows or broadmeadows health clinics includes a case history, posture scan, movement analysis, pain assessment, orthopaedic testing and a full body treatment. Referral for X-ray imaging (if required) is bulk-billed through Medicare.
Our Westmeadows Clinic
Our Westmeadows Clinic is spacious and easily accessible by car, bus and train. Onsite Parking is available with wheelchair accessibility and is within 10km of Melbourne CBD
What Can Our Team Do To Help?
Depending on the severity of the injury or area of concern our practitioners in our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Clinics will treat accordingly to your complaint. Treatments that may be provided but are not limited to include:
Spinal manipulation, Activator Methods, Drop Piece, SOT and other adjustive techniques can help alleviate joints that have restriction such as spinal segments and joints (LeFebvre, Peterson & Haas, 2012)
PNF/PIR/prescribed stretching – Stretching has shown to reduce pain, improve functionality of the wrist and hand also maintains strength and improves patients in both long and short-term outcomes.
Remedial Massage, Trigger point therapy or use of handheld massager – Have shown to decrease pain/tenderness, enhance both range of motion and quality of life and influence flexibility (Shah et al., 2015) (Imtiyaz, Veqar & Shareef, 2014)
Advice on daily living activities/diet – This enables advice on how to change to make healthy actions into habits and may offer a valuable alternative with potential for long-term impact. (Gardner, Lally & Wardle, 2012)
Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores. (Fernandes, Pedrinelli & Hernandez, 2015)
Dry Needling or Cupping to the surrounding musculature to help decrease tension and inflammation around the area of the hand and forearm.
Women experience a variety of musculoskeletal problems throughout their lives, ranging from hormonal cramps to back pain during pregnancy. Chiropractic care may be the key to alleviate these issues. Here are a few problems that chiropractic care may benefit women!
Osteoarthritis
A disorder that results in degeneration of joint cartilage and bone, osteoarthritis is primarily seen in people over 50 usually more common in females. This is usually due to a fluctuation in oestrogen during menopause. It usually causes hip, knee, and finger joint pain and stiffness. Chiropractic Care can help reduce pain of osteoarthritis in females. Joints can become damaged due to changes in posture and repetitive strain to joints because of the way you sit, stand, or walk. By fixing bad habits and making the right changes combined with chiropractic care may help decrease arthritic symptoms.
Lower Back Pain and Cramping
Lower back pain and cramping and can be caused by various factors such as endometriosis and other complications associated with menstruation. Some women are limited in their movements as they are unable to move due to pain. This means that pain, cramping and other associated factors such as headaches and migraines could be a problem. Chiropractic care is a way to decrease this pain and get back to a normal lifestyle. Cramping can be reduced by adjusting the spine and using soft tissue therapy methods to decrease tension within the affected muscle.
Pregnancy
As a mother grows, her centre of gravity moves forward and her body has to adjust to her baby’s changes. When this occurs an increased back curve is observed increasing strain within the area of the spine. A pregnant woman’s ligaments also change as they begin to loosen and relax as she reaches labour and delivery. This commonly results in pregnant women being in discomfort and pain. Pregnancy chiropractic care can help ease discomfort and pain that comes with pregnancy such as neck pain, headaches or low back pain just to name a few.
Note* If you are currently suffering from any problematic concerns such as neck or back pain, are wondering what we do on your first chiropractic session or would like to make a booking, you can always contact us to find out more! Online bookings available 7 days a week Saturdays and Sundays @ https://themelbournechiropractor.com.au/book-now
