Unfortunately our healthcare system is more focused on “managing” illnesses and diseases than it is on overcoming or healing those conditions. We see this throughout healthcare. People with high blood pressure go on one, then two, and eventually three or more high blood pressure medications.
Nowhere in the process does anyone try to solve the problem that created the high blood pressure.
In today’s post, I’m going to show you step by step how to think about what you want in a doctor when you are looking for someone who can help guide you to recovery and healing.
After going through this guide, you will have a much better idea of what to ask, who to look for, and what you want.
Let’s get started!
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Many people fail in overcoming chronic neck and back pain for the simple reason that they don’t understand that the type of doctor they need is very different from their typical doctors.
You should always get really clear on what you want and why you want it so that you can keep that front and center as you look for a provider to help guide you.
How you set goals is important too because clarity is key.
What is it that your pain is keeping you from doing in your life, even if only partially?
What would it mean to you to get back to doing those things?
And ultimately, you want to find someone who will help you accomplish those goals or get you as close as possible.
To make this step go as smoothly as possible, make sure you write down exactly what you want:
- Get really clear on how often your pain is present, how severe it gets.
- What are you unable to do or limited in doing because of your conditions?
- What would change in your life if this pain were resolved or greatly reduced? How would you feel? Would you be more active? Would you sleep better and have more energy?
Step 2. Make a List of the Types of Practitioners
Another critical step to overcome chronic pain is to make a list of the types of practitioners who might be able to help and who you think you might be willing to work with. This step is important because it helps you get clarity on what you are looking for.
The vast majority of people who come to see me at Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley have not even considered this step. And, I understand. Many people don’t really understand what different practitioners do.
Unless you get clear on what you want and who might be able to assist you, your chances of finding what you need are slim to none.
Here are a couple of different practitioners and bodyworkers to stimulate your thought process:
- Corrective Care Chiropractic
- Functional Rehabilitation
- Acupuncture
- Deep Tissue practitioners like Structural Integration
- Craniosacral Practitioners
- Skilled Personal Trainer
When you really nail this step, you’ll have a much better idea of where to focus your energies in looking for the best fit for you.
Step 3. Start a List of Local Practitioners
The next step is to find out who might be local to you. This is often a limitation, especially in smaller communities.
Keep in mind that you might have to schedule with someone once or twice a week for a while. How far are you willing to travel on a regular basis?
Use the internet to look for different doctors and other practitioners.
Use searches with terms like “chronic pain relief” “chronic low back pain” “non-surgical treatment” “non-invasive treatment” etc.
To get started, you can make a list.
Also, ask friends and coworkers and anyone else. Try to speak with the person who had the experience and ask the difficult questions.
Look at their online reviews. What do they say about the person and the experience?
Look at their website. Is it professional? Is the language consistent with what you are looking for?
Step 4. List Out the Types of Services You Might Need
Once you’ve completed a list of local practitioner candidates, it’s time to list out the types of services you think you might benefit from.
In my office, Life Chiropractic I have put together 4 complementary strategies:
- Corrective Chiropractic: to restore alignment, balance, and joint motion of pelvis and spine
- Spinal Facet Mobility Practices: to maintain motion in the critical facet joints of the spine
- Posterior Chain Activation: to offset the sitting and slouching and stabilize the spine
- Vagus Nerve Practices: to bring greater balance to the autonomic nervous system
This step is important and one that most people overlook. But it’s incredibly important because if you don’t have an idea of what you might need it makes it more difficult to find it.
In fact, when I was starting out, this didn’t exist for me. I am a consummate student and I tried dozens of different approaches and in the end those 4 were the most consistently impactful.
Keep these tips in mind for maximum results:
- Listen to others successes – what worked for them and what worked for multiple people
- Research anything you hear about
Step 5. Go Deeper
A great thing about looking for a practitioner is that you are in control and there are many different ways you can go about it. So you can try a few strategies and see what works best for you.
See if there is anyone you can talk to about their experience. Formulate your own questions based on everyone you speak with and ask the staff of the office.
If they can’t answer your question that is a bit of a red flag and if they don’t offer a way to get your question answered that is a big red flag.
Once you come up with a list of practitioners and a list of questions, you can start to interview patients, office staff and practitioners.
Most practitioners will offer you a 10 minute complimentary consultation.
I recommend starting with this interview process. You will get a good feel for different offices and practitioners.
For me, I’m always happy to give people some time to ask questions. Healthcare is serious business and who you trust your body with is important.
A few ways you can approach this:
- List your most likely candidates
- Try to speak with patients of the practitioners
- See if you can ask the practitioner some questions
Step 6. Do It!
Now that you’ve made your plan it’s time to execute it.
Many people overlook this step and then aren’t getting the results they wanted or expected.
Be patient. You might need to do this process a few times. You might quickly cross certain candidates off your list and look for others. You might speak with people who recommend
Step 7. Commit and Follow Through
Be wary of people who try to sell you on an extremely long course of treatment upfront. Yes, it might take a while but you should be able to do it in smaller chunks.
And, be wary of anyone who promises the moon. Chronic pain is complex and everyone is different. There are no guarantees so be wary of anything close to a promise.
Wrapping it up
If you suffer from chronic pain – neck, back, headaches, sciatica – and are ready to commit to getting your life back, you’ll be well on your way to pain relief success. Keep in mind that the steps I just shared are a process just as your course of care will be.
Processes take time. Don’t be in a rush to find the right practitioner or to move through the care.
You’ll get the best results if you fully commit to the process.
If you live in the Grass Valley area and are ready to explore our Corrective Rebalancing Program you can schedule your first visit here: Schedule Here
About Dr. Berkowitz
Dr. Bill Berkowitz is a dedicated chiropractor who brings reliability and depth to his practice at Life Chiropractic in western Nevada County. Focused on addressing chronic issues like low back pain, headaches, and anxiety, Dr. Berkowitz delivers patient-centered care rooted in proven methods without unnecessary extras.
Life Chiropractic, founded by Dr. Bill Berkowitz, offers reliable and results-driven chiropractic care for residents of western Nevada County. With a focus on foundational health solutions, the practice prioritizes quality and effectiveness to help clients achieve relief from chronic issues without unnecessary add-ons.