FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
If you’ve never received chiropractic treatment, it’s natural to wonder about what to expect at the office. LA Sports and Spine understands and will gladly answer your questions. Below you’ll find a few of the questions we often hear from patients. For more information, please call us at (310)-470-2909 or send us an email. We’ll get back to you shortly!
Q: What are your methods?
A: At LASS we use a variety of orthopedic, physical therapy, manual therapy, and training approaches to help calm your pain down and then shore up any weak areas to prevent recurrences.
Q: I don’t want to be adjusted. Is this a necessary part of the treatment?
A: Every patient is unique. Chiropractic adjustments are appropriate for certain conditions, but are not absolutely necessary. The signature treatment is the education you will recieve about the spectrum of treatment options that are recommended for you.
Q: Can you help with spinal stenosis?
A: Spinal stenosis is a common condition in the elderly where a narrow spinal canal pinches on a spinal nerve root. Non-surgical care such as exercise and physical therapy is the treatment of choice. We have helped many patients with this condition. If you are a candidate for surgery we would recommend a consultation for you.
Q: How long is the typical visit?
A: Usually 30 to 40 minutes.
Q: Do you offer massage therapy?
A: Soft tissue manipulation is an integral part of some treatment programs. However, the goal of care is to get to the cause of your pain and the massage is mostly for temporary relief only.
Q: Can you help with a pinched nerve?
A: Yes. Pinched nerves in the neck or low back cause arm or leg symptoms such as numbness, tingling or weakness. We will perform the necessary examination to diagnose this condition. The first line of treatment includes ergonomic or lifting advice, physical therapy, and exercise. Often anti-inflammatory medicine prescribed by your medical physician is important too. About 20% of the time pinched nerve symptoms worsen in the first month or fail to resolve over a 1 to 3 month period. Such cases require additional testing such as with an M.R.I. and more invasive treatments such as epidural injections or surgery. We will make appropriate referrals in these instances.
Q: Can I see you for headache pain?
A: Absolutely. Chiropractic along with postural/ergonomic advice is a proven approach for many headaches. Occassionally, multidisciplinary management with other specialists is required and a team approach is utilized.
Q: What type of treatment is used for knee problems?
A: Initially, the knee disorder is assessed and diagnosed. As a an example knee tendinitis will require a thorough evaluation of the foot and hip as well as the knee. Proper foot wear and balance exercises along with a specialized patello-femoral tracking exercise program is utilized.
Q: If I can’t raise my arm overhead should I see an orthopedist?
A: Typically, we will evaluate you and begin a physical therapy/pain management program. However, an orthopedic consultation and M.R.I. evaluation will be necessary if no progress is seen within a few week period. Soft tissue massage, gentle exercises, electrical muscle stimulation, and heat or ice treatments are usually quite effective.