Making a decision about Chiropractic care in Panama City or any town can present a possible patient with a lot of daunting challenges. Because of the small size of our area and the many different municipalities finding the right one should never be left to chance. Here are some key points to consider when deciding on a chiropractor in our area as well as others.

Does the chiropractor offer the services that I need? Many local chiropractic offices limit the type of services in their offices based on where they went to school. Some colleges teach physical therapy in their schools and others frown on additional services. Try to find an office that offers a complete package which makes decision making easier. Chiropractic services as well as medical services in the same office can be helpful so that deciding whether or not you need a chiropractor or a medical doctor is treated for you. If you just want chiropractic only make sure you will not be forced to undergo other tests or procedures. If you desire an office with a medical staff make sure the medical personnel are trained in Pain Management and that the office is fully equipped to do procedural pain management in house which saves having to make appointments with outside offices which in Panama City can take weeks.

Do they offer the latest training and technologies? Look for years in practice and additional training. Have they been in Panama City long or do they move around? Do they offer services like decompression therapy? I recommend the DRX9000C. This device has offered many patients relief from herniated and bulging discs as well as spinal degeneration in both the Lumbar and Cervical regions and is a state of the art unit. Do not be fooled by copy cat machines which can not perform at the same level as this unit as it is the only ones that provide significant Spinal Decompression. There are currently only three of these units in the Panhandle of Florida but if you need decompression treatment they are worth the search. The Zerona laser again is rare in our area and is not just for melting fat off the body as the lasers on this machine can be used for post surgical healing and wound healing after an accident. Many injuries can hide to regular x-rays so the use of a Video Fluoroscopy unit in a pain management suite will allow doctors to find and detect hidden fractures and ligamentous damage. This can be of paramount importance should you be involved in an auto accident or suffer a serious injury as commonly these injuries can go undetected and lead to later permanent damage.

Do they take my insurance such as Medicare? You will find that in our area many Bay County practices are no longer taking Medicare and even fewer are taking Medicaid. This should be very important in your decision making if you plan on using your insurance and not paying for services as rendered. Many time reimbursements from insurances do not come in as fast or cover as much as you think.

Do they accept active military? Because Panama City has multiple military facilities including Tyndall AFB and the Naval Coastal Systems Station. You may want to consider if the office will accept these type of patients and do they support our fighting men and women in uniform.
Does the chiropractor respect my time? Many Panama city area practices especially some of the medical ones can make you wait weeks for appointments and if you are in pain then this is unacceptable. The outer lying areas can be quicker but usually offer less services. When you are missing work due to pain you need relief fast and waiting will not work. This can force the patient to make quick decisions and sometimes the wrong ones as a result. Personal service and understanding wait times should be of utmost importance in any office. Understanding that your time is precious and that you have other things on your plate will make all of your visits more pleasant and waste less of your limited time. Offices should strive to keep that in mind when scheduling and work with you as much as possible about unforeseen events.

Will you see the same doctor each time? Many local offices rotate multiple doctors and sometimes the patient feels like they have to start over each time they go in. Make sure that the doctor you get will be able to follow through with your care.

Does the chiropractor offer weight loss options? Few doctors honestly will spend time working with weight loss because of the way insurance handles this issue and there is so much noncompliance. Some offices but not many offer treatment with the Zerona Laser. This non invasive treatment option can reduce fat on your body with no diet, no surgery, and no downtime. This device has received FDA clearance as a body sculpting machine and is painless and on average causes patients to lose between 4-7 inches with no major change in lifestyle. Typically, offices will ask that patients start living a better lifestyle to maintain loses that they receive in their offices.

Are there ways to check out the office? Yes, in many cases a quick online search can tell you a lot about an office. We invite you to go to Google maps and look at the reviews of offices online and compare each chiropractic office and pain management offices as well. Many offices can now be found online and we encourage research and questions. Online referral services can also sometimes be of help like 123 Chiropractors.