Generally speaking no.
Chiropractic is covered under Medicare via the Chronic Disease Management Scheme (CDM) formally the Enhanced Primary Care scheme (EPC).
Under the CDM scheme patients who suffer from a chronic disease (such as high blood pressure or depression) may be eligible for up to five consultations with a chiropractor in a calendar year. Patients under the CDC scheme require a referral from their General Practitioner. The only time patients require a referral from their GP is for Department of Veterans Affairs and Workcover.
HEALTH FUND REBATES AVAILABLE – check your fund for your level of cover and rebate.
- Initial Consultation: $95
- Initial Consultation (concession): $80
- Subsequent Consultation $70
- Subsequent Consultation (concession): $60
- EPC (GP referral under Medicare required): $10 Gap Payment (Bulk-billed for concession card holders)
Initial Consultation: 40 mins.
This will include a full history, postural, orthopaedic and neurological examination. If X-rays or other testing is required the chiropractor will request these tests. If further testing is not needed treatment will begin immediately and involve one or more of the techniques listed below.
Every patient receives soft tissue massage to the relevant areas. This can be done through clothing if the patient prefers. No adjustments are performed “cold” without the relevant area being warmed up first.
Subsequent Consultation: 15-20 mins.
This will include any relevant testing, soft tissue massage and one or more of the techniques listed below. No adjustments are performed “cold” without the relevant area being warmed up first.
We utilise a variety of techniques including:
- Soft tissue massage
- Dry needling
- Trigger point therapy
- Low force (Activator-type) instrument adjusting
- Diversified manual adjusting
- Thompsons Drop Table
- Webster’s Technique – for pregnant women
- Low Level Laser Therapy
We utilise the best technique for your particular problem.
We work with you and your preferences for treatment to gain the best possible treatment outcomes!
Generally speaking – no! It depends greatly on what the presenting problem is. Some clients initially present in a great deal of pain following an accident.
We will treat these people a lot differently to someone who has long term tightness between their shoulders from sitting with poor posture for many years. Quite often a patient may feel some muscle soreness following a treatment. This is mainly due to the soft tissue release not the adjustment.
This is because, as part of treatment, we are trying to loosen tight muscles. This soreness generally only lasts for a day and the patient feels significant relief following the brief period of discomfort. Everyone is different. Some may be sore for a day others will not!
This varies for person to person and largely depends how significant the injury/problem is and long it has been present for. A 10 year old boy who took a bump at football is generally going to recover a lot sooner than a 55 year old sedentary office worker who has been suffering from tension headaches for 10 years!
Chiropractic treatment is most associated with neck pain, back pain and headaches. However chiropractors are trained and experienced in treating all joints and muscles in the body. As such we often treat:
- Hip injuries – such as bursitis
- Knee injuries – such as patella tracking issues
- Wrist injuries – such as carpel tunnel
- Jaw injuries – such as a “clicky” jaw
Chiropractors recognise that everything in the body is connected. Thus injuries to a knee, for example, can affect a patient’s hip and low back.
The body has a tension headaches may have the root cause in pelvic rotation or lack of low back curve in one’s spine. Chiropractors will always examine the full spine and associated muscles to find the underlying cause of a person’s problem.
Absolutely! Initially the chiropractor does most of the work. Broadly speaking our job is to reduce pain and increase function. Basically we get things moving again. As treatment progresses the patients become more involved.
Specific exercises are given to done at home. These rehabilitation exercises generally take two forms. Exercises are given to strengthen weak muscles and/or exercises are given to stretch tight muscle/tendons/joints.
We utilise a web-based program with more than 3000 exercises in its data base to ensure you have access to the best rehabilitation exercises available. Those who utilise this program always have the best long term results!
