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Frequently Asked Questions
at Horsley Chiropractic Healthcare

It’s understandable to have questions about your condition and treatment. We’ve listed the answers to the questions we get asked most frequently which we hope will help you. Of course if you have any other concerns or questions don’t hesitate in contacting us.


How long will it take me to get better?

Many factors will affect how long it will take you to feel better. We treat every single patient and their current condition on a case by case basis, therefore you can be assured that your care is specific to your needs. We have found that some patients experience relief after their first treatment while others may take longer to experience an improvement.

  • Problem Duration: How long you have had the problem for.
  • Overall Health: Your overall health and fitness.
  • Commitment to Treatment: Your commitment to following the advised treatment plan.
  • Compliance with Clinician Advice: Your compliance to taking actions that are advised by the clinician eg following an exercise plan laid out for you.
  • Job Type: The type of job you do.
  • Stress Levels: The levels of stress you experience.

All of the above contribute to the healing process and will have an impact on how long it will take you to heal.

Will my health insurance pay?

Julian Keel the chiropractor at Horsley Chiropractic Healthcare is BUPA and PPP registered and are covered by all other major health insurance providers.

Chiropractor vs osteopath

While there are many similarities between the two, the key differences are in the spinal techniques used by them. Patients of Chiropractors often choose to have regular “preventative check-ups”. If you undergo regular dental check-ups and believe in the benefits that offers avoiding the pain of dental problems then you will appreciate the benefits of “preventative check-ups” from a chiropractor. It means not having to wait for pain to become established a chiropractor is skilled at detecting and treating the underlying signs of musculoskeletal problems. Chiropractors are also qualified to take and read x-rays.

Chiropractor vs physiotherapist

Chiropractors receive a great deal longer training to become qualified practitioners. Chiropractors are trained to be able to diagnose and treat as primary care practitioners a GP referral is not necessary. Chiropractors are highly trained to deliver skilled, specific manipulation called adjustments. Physiotherapists are not trained to carry out manipulation of this kind.

Do joints have to be cracked?

Joint manipulation carried out by your qualified chiropractor is not painful. For some there may be some soreness in the following hours after an adjustment, but your chiropractor will advise on ways to minimise this. Of course you don’t have to have your joints cracked if you don’t like it. We use a variety of techniques that we tailor to each individual case, some of those techniques use very low force and don’t involve the cracking noise eg NSA Network Spinal Analysis SOT Sacro-Occipital technique and Activator technique.

What is the popping noise?

During an adjustment you may hear a popping sound. The sound is caused by a natural gas release due to a change in pressure within the joint space that is being adjusted. It’s the same effect as when someone cracks their knuckles.

Will I be given exercises?

Our first concern when you visit us is to find out what’s wrong and find the cause of the problem. After carrying out a thorough assessment and examination we’ll explain what we’ve found outline the treatment plan we propose and cover the benefits and any significant risks associated with your condition and proposed treatment. The treatment plan we propose may include specific self-help exercises that will improve your rate of recovery and help reduce the risk of recurrence of your problem.

Will I have to keep coming back?

Some people feel that when you consult a chiropractor you have to go for the rest of your life. This isn’t true. While many of our patients chose to enjoy the long term health benefits of regular chiropractic check ups there are some that come to us intermittently for more acute care needs. Whichever route you chose we respect your decision.

Frequently Asked Questions at Horsley Chiropractic Healthcare | 01483 281 428