In the digital age it can be tempting to ask “Google” for the solution to everything that ails us. And, for many things Google or Yelp does great. Looking for gas or a grocery store then your online search is going to yield the results you want.
But, when it comes to your health, whether you are looking for a chiropractor or a dentist you are treading on the proverbial thin ice by simply trusting what google says in response to your search.
Scroll down your Facebook feed or do a search for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services and you can begin to understand that there is a business to showing up in the top of searches. That alone means little if you are truly looking for the “best” of anything.
So, what can you do?
To Google or Not To Google
Don’t get me wrong, Google and other search engines offer an amazing service, but that should be the beginning of your search and not the end.
I’m both grateful and amazed when people show up in my office, Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley, CA off of a google search. The same amazement holds when someone calls the office and their only questions are about the cost of care and insurance coverage.
Very rarely do I get someone who wants to understand the type of chiropractic care I offer, how I practice, what techniques I am trained in. Fairly often I will have someone who has seen another local chiropractor and is transferring their care. They were not totally satisfied with their prior care but seem to be doing little to determine how different my office might be.
Google is the Start, Not the End of the Search
Online searches are a great way to gather initial information. Let’s continue with your search for a chiropractor, but this holds if you are looking for a dentist or acupuncturist.
Start looking for a practitioner that is convenient to you. Does it matter if they are in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Auburn, or Penn Valley?
If it does narrow your list from there.
Do you care whether the practitioner is male or female? If you are looking for a female chiropractor then no matter how great I am, I’m not your gal!
Make a List of the Qualities Important to You!
If you are looking for a chiropractor or any other health practitioner in which you will trust your health and well being, then it makes sense to get as clear as possible on what is most important to you before you begin your search.
Here is a short list to get you started. These might be some areas that are important to you:
- Experience: maybe it makes sense to see someone with 10 or 20 or more years of real world experience.
- Technique: there are a number of chiropractic techniques. Do you want someone who does hands-on adjustments, instrument adjustments, very light and gentle adjustments? Or perhaps all of the above.
- Referrals: there is nothing better than a recommendation from someone you know and trust. Ask them about the areas that are important to you. What they look for might be different from yours.
- Corrective Chiropractic or Traditional Chiropractic: are you experiencing a chronic issue that has been bothering you for a while or keeps recurring? If so, consider whether you are looking to correct the problem or simply seeking short term relief. Corrective Chiropractic is focused on restoring balance and alignment to correct imbalances. Traditional Chiropractic is more focused on getting things moving for short term relief.
In the end it takes just a little more effort to find a chiropractor that is more likely to meet your needs and desires around how you would like to be cared for. Take the time to find a practitioner more likely to help you.
About Dr. Berkowitz
Bringing more than 3 decades of practice experience, Dr. Bill Berkowitz focuses on balancing and corrective care, applying his expertise to provide patients with predictable, repeatable and measurable results.
Dr. Bill consistently strives to enhance the well-being of his patients by addressing the root imbalances of their problems and promoting optimal balance, alignment, and function of the spine and nervous system.
Bill’s wealth of knowledge and experience has allowed him to develop a nuanced understanding of the human body and its intricate connections. With each adjustment, he supports the body in returning to a state of balance that goes beyond mere symptom relief, focusing instead on long-term correction for his patients’ well-being.
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