Last Updated on April 4, 2024
Chiropractors are lifesavers when it comes to getting rid of back pain and alleviating joint problems. But how much will a visit to a chiropractor cost? As with all medical visits, the cost will depend on a few factors such as the practice you visit, treatment types and plans, or if there are any exams such as x-rays required. This guide will break everything down when it comes to payment, so you should know what to expect.
Related: Holistic Chiropractor: Definition, Benefits, and More
The Cost of Chiropractic Care
There is a range of costs depending on your situation. What you pay at the chiropractor will depend on your insurance, how many times you will be visiting, and more. For one visit to the chiropractor for a simple alignment to get you feeling your best, you may be looking at around $30 in some places.
On the other hand, for chiropractor appointments that entail more complex procedures, you could need to pay a few hundred dollars. The average cost of an appointment across locations is around $65. Chiropractor costs are determined based on time and hourly rates of work, as well as the costs of equipment used for any scans.
Let’s get into the details of what your appointment and bill will look like when going through some common chiropractic processes.
Different Services From Your Chiropractor
Chiropractic visits are much like doctor’s appointments as their cost factors in diagnostics, treatment, equipment, and deals with your insurance. Here are some of the services that chiropractors can administer depending on what your condition requires and what it will take to help you heal.
Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound therapy is a common treatment option that helps to alleviate muscle tension and pain. During this treatment, your chiropractor will rub a gel on the affected area and gently probe with a transducer head that looks a bit like a microphone. This will transfer ultrasonic waves into the damaged area of your body that create vibrations that heat and move the tissue and cells in the area. The therapy does extremely well in promoting natural healing. The process is also one of the most cost-effective practices, with a normal fee of around $25 per appointment.
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Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy uses water in pools or baths to boost circulation with hot and cold treatments. There are many types of hydrotherapy that can range from wrapping affected areas with hot or cold-soaked compresses, exercises in a pool, steam baths, and more. Hydrotherapy can heal bodies quickly by improving flexibility and alleviating the negative effects of diseases like arthritis. Hydrotherapy session costs will depend on what treatment was received and can range from $50 to a few hundred dollars.
Electrical Stimulations
Electrical muscular stimulation is a popular treatment that introduces electrodes into the patient’s affected areas. EMS is common in sports medicine and physical therapy to musculoskeletal injuries. These treatments use impulses of electric energy to treat problem-causing muscle inflammation, pain, and tension. A treatment with electrical muscular stimulation can range from $200 to $20 on the low end. This price may depend on how many treatments you will be receiving.
Laser Therapy
Some chiropractors may have a laser system that they often use to treat sports injuries. The laser equipment precisely targets painful areas in muscles and joints to apply light beams that can stimulate nerve and muscle regeneration. These equipment types are very pricey, so an appointment that entails laser therapy can cost $200 or more.
Related: How to Relieve Whiplash Neck Pain Naturally
MRI Scans
Like other medical professionals, chiropractors will sometimes enlist the help of an MRI machine to aid in providing a better look at your musculoskeletal system. MRIs are often the best way to provide a full-body diagnostic to ensure you receive the best treatments. MRIs can identify trouble in joints, bone structure, and muscles that your chiropractor may not have been aware of. MRI examinations can be costly in the range of $100-$500.
Thermography
Thermography diagnostics is another tool chiropractors will use at times to provide an analysis of the electrical activity in your muscles. Thermography can map out problem areas that they will need to focus their attention on. This treatment type is often used in place of x-rays to avoid radiation. Thermographs can cost anywhere from $200-$500.
Practice Experience and Credentials
Like seeing any doctor, practices will charge relative to how experienced they are. People will always pay for the best care, and chiropractic practices are no different. All practices must meet the basic requirements, licenses, and training, but some go above and beyond in their education and treatment offerings. Highly experienced chiropractors who are recommended by their peers and have outstanding client reviews will tend to charge higher prices.
Location
Your geographic location will always have an impact on how much chiropractic services will cost. Those in New York City might pay vastly different fees when compared to someone in Wyoming. The cost of living and the amount of competition for chiropractors in your area will affect how much they need to charge for their services.
Insurance
When it comes to how much you will pay out of pocket to your chiropractor, the biggest factor will probably be your insurance. Many insurance plans cover therapy from a chiropractor. However, before seeking chiropractic care, be sure to check with your insurance provider to see if it is included in your plan and what kind of treatments they cover. Other questions to ask your insurance representative are:
● Are there limits to how many appointments they will cover per year?
● What kind of copay will you be looking at?
● Are all appointments covered by your insurance?
● Are there certain chiropractors in your network, or can you see any?
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These are just some of the considerations you should be aware of when thinking about price. If you are unsure of any appointments, you can always ask your chiropractor’s office for a pricing breakdown. Happy healing!