Frequently Asked Questions:

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Common Questions About Our Services

What is a chiropractor?

A chiropractor is a licensed doctor who specializes in neuromuscular (nerves and muscles) and musculoskeletal (muscle and bone) disorders. Most chiropractors emphasize the body’s ability to heal itself and perform manual therapy and specific adjustments (also known as manipulations) of the spine and, occasionally, the extremities.

Spinal adjustments aim to relieve back and neck pain while also keeping your spine in proper alignment to stop the problems from returning.

Chiropractors are specifically trained in functional anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, neurology, pathology, and require minimum 7 years of training to received their Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Chiropractic therapy is widely accepted as a non-invasive, risk-free method of treating neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders, and therefore safer than surgery.

All medical treatment has some degree of risk. Chiropractic therapy is no different. There have been isolated reports of incidents that reflect the practitioner rather than the profession.

Patients may experience moderate pain, stiffness, or discomfort following a treatment, as with all types of manual therapy performed by healthcare and medical practitioners. Any concerns you have should be voiced and addressed early and to your satisfaction.

Although some people report minor discomfort or soreness after spinal manipulation, these symptoms usually go away within 24 hours. Chiropractic care is popular because it produces positive results; most patients leave their chiropractor’s office feeling instant relief!

Everyone with a spine can benefit from seeing the chiropractor! From all ages including pediatrics, toddlers, teenagers, adults and elderly patients can all be treated safely and effectively with chiropractic treatment!

Most conditions require a treatment plan of several adjustments to begin to correct the problem and begin healing. Typically the body responds favorably to adjustments in about 8-10 adjustments. Although not required, it is common to continue maintenance care to keep the positive results that were gained from the chiropractic treatment, however less frequently.

Chiropractic care differs from a medical doctor’s treatment plan. Medical doctors prescribe drugs that you take at home for some length of time. Chiropractic treatment also occurs over several weeks with progressive adjustments to the spine and body.

A chiropractor may provide therapeutic, preventive, or maintenance care over a specified number of visits over a specified time period. If you have any concerns about how long your treatment will last, ask your chiropractor for an estimate.

When you use your joints in your hand, foot, neck and back there is a natural buildup of pressure in the form of nitrogen gas. When that pressure builds up and has no where to go it puts pressure on the joints and they become stiff. When a chiropractor adjusts the stiff joints and you hear the noise, that’s the nitrogen gas being released to allow the joint to function naturally again.

Chiropractors commonly treat conditions of the spine that cause pain. A chiropractor can help you find relief and restore function if you have pain, injuries, or spine disorders.

Chiropractic care emphasizes the significance of the body’s ability to heal itself. Most chiropractors can provide nutritional advice as well as recommendations on which exercises are best suited to your specific condition.

Registered Massage Therapists are massage therapists registered either provincially or federally, with a governing body to practice massage. In Canada, the equivalents are known as registered massage therapists.

To obtain their licenses, licensed massage therapists must complete training and exams. Licensing requirements vary by state, but in order to be registered and treat clients.

Massage therapists work with people of all ages and with a wide range of medical conditions. Some emphasize preventative massage to avoid injury and pain, while others emphasize massage’s relaxation benefits.

The manual techniques used by each therapist differ. There are gentle and deep tissue techniques, as well as alternative medicine techniques, that emphasize the body’s energy fields.

Registered massage therapists have advanced training and experience that enables them to provide care to relieve pain, improve tissue mobility, increase circulation, or improve function.

“Medical” massages are intended to assist people suffering from medical disorders and illnesses. The goal is to help patients with cancer, diseases, or who are in hospice reduce pain and stress.

A massage session typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes, but you can reap the benefits of massage in as little as 20 to 30 minutes.

A health history questionnaire may be requested by your massage therapist. Following that, your therapist will ask you a series of broad questions to determine which areas require attention and whether any conditions require treatment. This will help them decide whether or not massage is right for you.

Your massage experience will be determined by the condition for which you are being treated as well as the expert advice of your massage therapist. A traditional massage may be used to relax the muscles on the surface, while a deep tissue massage may be used to target the muscles, fascia, and other tissues deeper in the body.

You can uncover whatever body part your comfortable with. The massage therapist will need to expose the skin of any area that they are treating so let them know what area you’d like treated and they’ll advise on what clothing is necessary to remove.

The majority of people leave their sessions feeling at ease and relaxed. Many people report that their aches and pains have lessened or gone away completely after receiving a massage.

If you had a deep tissue massage, you might be sore the next day. This is nothing to be concerned about. A hot shower or a soak in the tub can help relieve muscle aches and pains.

No! You don’t need a referral before seeing our doctors and therapists. We accept walk-ins and can treat on the first day!
You can call our office at 306-954-4242 to make an appointment. We have same-day appointments available!

Physiotherapists primarily measure your impairments and your functional limitations.

Impairments include:

  • Pain
  • Weakness
  • Loss of motion
  • Paresthesias (numbness, tingling, pins, needles, etc.)

Functional limitations include:

  • Lying
    • Sleep
    • Rolling over
    • Getting up out of bed
  • Sitting
    • Moving from standing to sitting
    • Moving from sitting to standing
  • Standing
  • Walking
    • Level ground
    • Stairs
    • Uneven ground
  • Running
  • etc

Tracking your impairments and functional abilities gives physiotherapists objective information to compare with initial measurements. In addition, your reports and personal experiences help to validate your improvements and clue your therapist to regressions and/or lack of progress.

The bottom line is that you should notice improvements in how you feel and function throughout therapy. If you are not following an anticipated path of progress, your therapist will reassess the situation or make recommendations for further testing or treatments.

Additionally, our chiropractor will measure your nerves with an EMG or  “back-scan” to determine the degree of misalignment and stress on the spinal nerves.

Although every provider is different, the initial session usually lasts 45 to 60 minutes. After that, each session will vary depending on your condition and progress; most often, it will last 45-60 minutes. A chiropractic appointment requires 10-15 minutes so it’s quick and convenient without a large time commitment.

Your unique needs will determine the length of time, which our therapist will discuss with you. In addition, the frequency of your weekly appointments will be determined by you and your physiotherapist.

It is common for your therapist to want to see you more often in the early stages of your care to assess your progress and confirm your treatment plan. You’ll probably see your therapist twice a week initially and then make your appointments more spaced out as you proceed through treatment.

We understand that dealing with insurance can be complicated; therefore, Axis Health Center would gladly assist you and answer your questions. It is important to contact your insurance carrier to determine your coverage depending on your specific policy.

Visit our insurance plans page for additional information, and please do not hesitate to contact us.

For your convenience, we provide a variety of payment alternatives.

Our clinic will never turn a patient away for this reason!

If you do not have insurance, that’s okay. For patients who do not have insurance, we offer cash-based options due at the time of service.

Please contact our Saskatoon Chiropractic clinic and speak to our front desk about costs and setting up payment plans.

We have a late cancellation and no-show policy. We require 24 hours notice to change an appointment. Failure to give 24 hours notice or no-shows will result in a 50% charge of the appointment fee.
 
We provide email and text reminders to give ample time for patients to contact us and avoid fees.

Please see our Policy Page Here for more information

Arriving at our physiotherapy clinic is like walking into any other medical office! Here’s what you can anticipate.

When you arrive at our office, you will register at the front desk. We’ll need your insurance information as well as any other paperwork you’ve brought with you (i.e., referral, X-ray or MRI report, and other medical reports)

When you first meet with our chiropractor or physiotherapist, you will need to fill our health intake forms.

Following these discussions, your therapist will perform a physical examination to identify developmental difficulties or delays. Your therapist may also observe your child as he or she engages in activities like toy play, standing, sitting, moving, and transitioning between activities.

Following your therapist’s assessment you will work together to develop a treatment plan for you.

If you have any questions, please contact us at any time. We want to ensure that you are satisfied with your plan, treatments, and progress.

Though it’s your choice who to see first, we usually recommend that you see the chiropractic doctor first. The doctor will perform the necessary physical exams to determine the diagnosis and what therapy is best suited for your condition. From there they will make recommendations for what other therapy will also benefit your condition.
Absolutely! In fact, Chiropractic is a form of therapy that is best started young. It’s also best to see the chiropractor early detection of spine related conditions, such as scoliosis, and to treat them as the child grows and ages.
Acupuncture and dry needling are considered painless. Though you typically feel them as the contact the skin, once they are in place you typically cannot feel them. So acupuncture does not hurt.
Discontinuing care is never recommended. Your treatment plan is custom designed just for your diagnosis. If you discontinue care then you will not get the results that were explained to you by the doctor. Additionally, stopping treatment before your condition is cured may make the problem worse and come back more intense than when you initially felt it. We recommend that you follow and complete your treatment plan in full for optimal results.
Yes we direct bill most large insurance companies, however there may be some exceptions. Please see our Direct Billing Page Here for the most updated information. However, personal health plans typically don’t allow direct billing.

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