Frequently Asked Chiropractor Questions in San Jose CA

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on the relationship between the body’s structure, movement, and function, particularly the spine, joints, muscles, and nervous system. Chiropractors evaluate how the body moves and identify areas of joint restriction, muscle tension, or mechanical stress that may contribute to pain or difficulty moving.

Treatment may include chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and other therapies designed to reduce pain, improve mobility, and support healthy movement and physical function. Chiropractic takes a whole-person approach by considering factors such as posture, activity, lifestyle, and biomechanics when developing an individualized treatment plan.

Chiropractors commonly treat musculoskeletal conditions involving the muscles, joints, and spine. Patients often come to us for back pain, neck pain, certain types of headaches, and pain involving the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, and feet. Chiropractic care focuses on helping reduce pain, improve movement, and support the body's recovery and overall function.

A chiropractic adjustment is a controlled movement or force applied to a joint. It is commonly used to help improve joint movement, reduce stiffness, and manage certain types of musculoskeletal pain. The technique and amount of force used are based on the patient's condition and individual needs.

Chiropractic care is generally safe when done by a trained and licensed chiropractor. Some people may feel a little sore or stiff after an adjustment, but this usually goes away quickly.

Serious problems are rare. However, some health conditions may make certain adjustments unsafe. This is why your chiropractor will review your health history and examine you before treatment. They can then choose the safest type of care for your body and needs.

Due to every patient being different, the number of treatments depends on the severity and condition of the patient. Here at Resolve Chiropractic, based on your examination, we will make a detailed plan to help you get to your health goals.

Chiropractic care may help your body move and feel better. The benefits can be different for each person.

• Helps Reduce Pain: May help with certain types of neck pain, back pain, and headaches.
• Improves Movement: Can help stiff joints move more comfortably and improve range of motion.
• Reduces Stiffness: May help decrease muscle and joint tightness.
• Support Better Function: Chiropractic care may help improve joint movement, mobility, and nervous system responses related to pain and movement, helping your body move and function more comfortably.
• Helps With Recovery: Chiropractic care may be used along with exercise and rehabilitation to help people return to normal activities.
• Drug-Free Option: Provides a non-drug approach for managing some muscle and joint problems.
• Support Better Sleep: Chiropractic care may help reduce pain and tension, making it easier for your body to relax and sleep comfortably.

Chiropractic care works best when it is based on your specific condition and needs.

Chiropractic care is generally considered safe when performed by a licensed and trained chiropractor. Some patients may experience temporary soreness or stiffness after treatment, but this usually goes away quickly. Serious complications are rare. In fact, a 2023 review of 154 clinical trials involving 7,518 patients reported no serious adverse events.

Although rare cases of artery injury and stroke have been reported following neck manipulation, a direct cause-and-effect relationship has not been established. Before treatment, your chiropractor will review your health history and examination findings to make sure chiropractic care is appropriate for you.

Chiropractic adjustments are generally not painful, although some patients may experience temporary discomfort or soreness. An injured or inflamed area can be more sensitive because inflammation makes the surrounding nerves and tissues more responsive to pressure and movement.

The typical first appointment is a 45-minute examination and treatment. Every appointment after will vary based on each patient, but typical appointments range from 10-15 minutes.

In order to get into chiropractic school, our doctors have achieved Bachelor’s degrees and the required courses. In order to be a Doctor of Chiropractic, it takes 3.5-4 years worth of Doctorate studies at a Chiropractic school. After Chiropractic school, doctors are required to do 24 hours of continuing education every year.

Absolutely. Gentle, pregnancy-specific chiropractic care can be a safe and beneficial option for many women throughout pregnancy. Our goal is simple: help you feel comfortable, move well, and support your body as it changes throughout pregnancy.

Pregnant patients commonly visit us for musculoskeletal concerns such as:

• Low back and hip pain
• Pelvic and pubic symphysis pain
• Round ligament discomfort
• "Lightning crotch" or pelvic discomfort
• Neck, shoulder, and upper-back tension
• Rib and muscle tension
• Changes in posture and mobility
• Headaches
• Sciatica and radiating leg discomfort

We take the time to understand what you're experiencing and determine whether there is a musculoskeletal component that we can help with. Our care is gentle, specific, and tailored to your stage of pregnancy and individual needs.

Your body still needs support after your baby arrives. Pregnancy and delivery can place significant demands on the spine, pelvis, muscles, and joints.

Postpartum chiropractic care can help support comfortable movement as you recover, return to exercise, and adapt to the physical demands of motherhood—from feeding and carrying your baby to lifting, bending, and getting back to the activities you enjoy.

Chiropractic care is not physically addictive and does not cause chemical dependence or withdrawal. Some people enjoy the relief, relaxation, and improved movement they feel after an adjustment, which may make them want to return.

The popping sound is called joint cavitation. When a joint is quickly moved during an adjustment, the joint surfaces separate slightly, causing a rapid drop in pressure within the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint. This pressure change causes dissolved gases to form a small gas-filled cavity, creating the familiar “pop” or “crack.”

You can “pop” your own neck or back, but it is not the same as a chiropractic adjustment. However, it is not recommended. When you do it yourself, you cannot always control which joint moves or how much force you use. Forceful or repeated cracking can cause soreness or injury to the muscles, joints, ligaments, or nerves.

Not all insurance plans cover chiropractic care. At Resolve Chiropractic, we are an out-of-network provider and are not contracted with any insurance companies. However, if you have a PPO insurance plan, you may have out-of-network chiropractic benefits, and we can submit claims to your insurance on your behalf.

We accept Credit, Debit, Cash, Check, Health/Flex Savings Account (HSA/FSA Card), PPO Health Insurance (Select Plans), and Personal Injury Liens following a car accident. Below are insurances we've accepted in the past:

• Anthem Blue Cross
• Blue Shield of California
• United HealthCare
• Aetna
• Cigna

Yes. Research shows that spinal manipulation can help reduce pain and improve function in people with certain types of low-back pain. Chiropractic care may also help improve movement and reduce stiffness as part of an individualized treatment plan.

Yes. Chiropractic care may help reduce certain types of neck pain, improve movement, and decrease stiffness. Research supports treatments such as spinal manipulation or mobilization.

Yes, chiropractic care may help certain types of headaches, especially headaches that come from the neck (cervicogenic headaches). Treatment may help reduce headache pain and improve neck movement.

Both chiropractic care and physical therapy can help with pain, movement, and recovery, but their approaches may differ. Chiropractors often focus on the spine, joints, and musculoskeletal system, using adjustments, exercises, and other therapies to improve movement and reduce pain. Physical therapists typically focus on rehabilitation through exercise, strengthening, stretching, and movement training.

Yes. Chiropractors can help manage many muscle and joint problems related to sports, including certain types of back and neck pain. Care may include adjustments or joint mobilization, soft-tissue treatment, exercise, and rehabilitation to help reduce pain, improve movement, and support a safe return to activity.

Hawk C, Whalen W, Farabaugh RJ, Daniels CJ, Minkalis AL, Taylor DN, Anderson D, Anderson K, Crivelli LS, Cark M, Barlow E, Paris D, Sarnat R, Weeks J. Best Practices for Chiropractic Management of Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline. J Altern Complement Med. 2020 Oct;26(10):884-901. doi: 10.1089/acm.2020.0181. Epub 2020 Jul 30. PMID: 32749874; PMCID: PMC7578188.   

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022). Spinal Manipulation: What You Need To Know. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Yes. Chiropractic care may help improve mobility and certain aspects of posture, especially when combined with strengthening, stretching, and corrective exercises. Research has shown that manual therapy and exercise can improve forward head posture and other postural measures.

Santos TS, Oliveira KKB, Martins LV, Vidal APC. Effects of manual therapy on body posture: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Gait Posture. 2022 Jul;96:280-294. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.06.010. Epub 2022 Jun 18. PMID: 35738063. 

Sheikhhoseini R, Shahrbanian S, Sayyadi P, O'Sullivan K. Effectiveness of Therapeutic Exercise on Forward Head Posture: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2018 Jul-Aug;41(6):530-539. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2018.02.002. Epub 2018 Aug 11. PMID: 30107937. 

A chiropractic adjustment uses a quick, controlled force to move a joint. This movement stimulates the nerves around the joint and may help improve movement, reduce stiffness, and decrease pain. The “popping” sound is called joint cavitation and happens because of a quick change in pressure inside the joint.

Chiropractic care for children should be age-appropriate and based on the child’s specific condition. Gentle manual techniques may be considered for certain muscle and joint problems in children and adolescents, but the evidence is more limited than it is for adults.

Gross AR, Olson KA, Pool J, Basson A, Clewley D, Dice JL, Milne N. Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in paediatrics - an international evidence-based position statement for physiotherapists. J Man Manip Ther. 2024 Jun;32(3):211-233. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2024.2332026. Epub 2024 Jun 10. PMID: 38855972; PMCID: PMC11216248. 

Chiropractic care provides movement and sensory input to the nervous system and may support better sleep. If pain or physical discomfort is interfering with sleep, reducing those symptoms may make it easier to rest comfortably. Better sleep and less pain can also support a healthier mood.

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses acoustic waves to deliver mechanical energy to targeted tissues.

Radial shockwave spreads energy over a larger, more shallow area, making it useful for muscles and soft tissues. Focused shockwave sends energy deeper and to a more specific area, allowing for more targeted treatment.

Shockwave therapy is most commonly recommended
for chronic tendon and soft-tissue problems, especially when pain has not
improved with rest, exercise, or other conservative treatments. Common
conditions include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow,
patellar tendinopathy, hip/gluteal tendinopathy, and calcific shoulder
tendinopathy.

Treatment should be based on a proper
examination and diagnosis, since shockwave therapy is not appropriate for every
injury or every patient.

Rhim HC, Singh M, Maffulli N, et al. Recommendations for use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in sports medicine: an
international modified Delphi study. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;59:1287-1301. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a treatment
where you breathe 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. The increased
pressure allows your blood to carry more oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

This extra oxygen can help support healing,
fight certain infections, and improve oxygen delivery to damaged tissues. HBOT
is medically used for specific conditions such as decompression sickness,
carbon monoxide poisoning, certain non-healing wounds, and radiation-related
tissue injuries.

Cold laser therapy, also called low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation, is a non-invasive treatment that uses specific wavelengths of light that are absorbed by tissues and can influence cellular processes. It may help reduce pain and inflammation and support tissue recovery for certain muscle and joint conditions. Research has shown benefits for conditions such as knee osteoarthritis and some types of neck pain, although results can vary depending on the condition and treatment used.

Sofia Oliveira, Renato Andrade, Cristina Valente, João Espregueira-Mendes, Filipe S Silva, Betina B Hinckel, Óscar Carvalho, Ana Leal, Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation in Reducing Pain and Disability in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Physical Therapy, Volume 104, Issue 8, August 2024, pzae073, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzae073 

Chow R, Johnson M, Lopes-Martins R et al.

Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials

The Lancet, 2009; 374, 1897-1908

Professional laser systems allow the provider to control treatment parameters such as wavelength, power, dose, and treatment time. At-home devices vary widely in their specifications, so they should not automatically be considered equivalent to professional equipment. 

Many products sold online use lower-powered lasers, LEDs, or a combination of both. These may still provide benefits, but they are not necessarily the same as professional laser therapy.