Chiropractic services in Winchester

Agilaflex is Winchester’s premier centre for professional chiropractic services. Whatever the cause of your injury, our qualified healthcare professionals will ensure you are mobile and pain-free again in the shortest time possible. Our aim is to resolve your symptoms while also treating the underlying cause of your injury to prevent recurrence.

Chiropractic is an independent registered primary health care profession, offering highly successful treatment for back pain, neck pain and general joint pain, without the use of drugs or surgery. The effectiveness of chiropractic treatments in helping with low back pain was detailed in the 2009 NHS National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines.

Chiropractors look at the effect that your joints, soft tissue and muscles have on your pain and nervous system, specifically pain radiating into the legs or arms. Treatment consists of gentle joint, nerve and muscle mobilisation and manipulation, combined with advice on posture and exercise.

Before being recommended a course of treatment at Agilaflex, you will receive a comprehensive physical examination from one of our healthcare professionals to establish the root cause of your pain. This will take into account your work situation, social environment, level of physical activity and general lifestyle. See our approach.

Chiropractic treatment can involve the manipulation of your bone alignment (usually your spine) so you might hear popping or clicking noises as the bones move relative to each other. This is perfectly normal.

Qualifications

Chiropractors working in England must train full-time for four/five years at undergraduate level, clinical and gross anatomy, physiology, radiology, orthopaedics, neurology and diagnosis before passing clinical entrance exams to enter the final year, which involves fully-supervised patient encounters. Following successful graduation, students complete one further supervised year before becoming state registered practitioners doctors of chiropractic.

Is chiropractic effective?

Chiropractic is considered a safe, effective treatment for acute back and joint pain. Research also shows that chiropractic can be helpful in treating neck pain, as well as pain from osteoarthritis.

What are the risks?

People taking blood-thinning medications or who are suffering from moderate-severe osteoporosis, spinal cord compression or inflammatory arthritis should not undergo spinal manipulation. If you have a history that raises a contraindication to treatment, further imaging or referral will be recommended.

Always inform your primary health care provider whenever you use chiropractic or other pain relief alternatives. It is also important that you keep your chiropractor informed about your medical history, such as medical conditions, medications, surgery and lifestyle factors, etc. While very rare (recorded as one in 13 million), there have been cases in which chiropractic treatment has aggravated a herniated or slipped disc, or neck manipulation has resulted in spinal cord injury or stroke.

Q: What can I expect on my first visit?

A: At your initial assessment your clinician will conduct a thorough physical examination and gain a confidential understanding of your full medical history in order to make a diagnosis. This allows us to assess your state of health and any possible causes of your back, neck or joint pain. This examination may be complemented with an on-site X-ray examination, if deemed necessary.

To determine your condition, our clinicians are trained to examine areas of the body using a highly-developed technique known as palpation, which helps them identify any areas of weakness or strain. Before your examination, you will usually be asked to remove some clothing around the affected area of the body.

Your clinician will then discuss with you the most appropriate treatment plan for your needs, together with an estimate of the number of sessions required to treat your condition successfully. Unless otherwise requested by the patient, this may often involve recommendations for one or more modes of treatment, or possibly a combination of all three – chiropractic, osteopathy and physiotherapy.

If they believe that your condition is unlikely to respond to treatment, your clinician will refer you to an appropriate source of professional help. All Agilaflex clinicians are skilled in diagnosis and trained to identify when a patient needs to be referred to a relevant specialist.

Q: What can I expect when I receive treatment?

A: After your assessment we will provide you with a diagnosis of you condition, together with a personal plan which outlines the number of sessions that are likely to be required and the desired outcome. Your treatment will be monitored and, if necessary, adjusted to take into account changes in your condition. We keep you fully informed of progress at every stage.

Q: Will the assessment or treatment hurt?

A: Most of our treatments are relatively pain free. However, it may be possible that you experience some soreness during or after your session, as a thorough assessment can occasionally aggravate existing symptoms. We aim to ensure that you are mobile and pain-free again in the shortest time possible, while also treating the underlying cause of your injury to prevent recurrence. Our aim is to help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible, and not to keep you coming back in to see us – although you are always welcome!

Q: How many treatments will I need?

A: Every patient is an individual. Therefore we do not prescribe a set number of treatments for any condition. Following your initial assessment, your clinician will discuss with you the anticipated number of treatments. You will be reassessed on each visit and if progress is slow, or if there is no apparent improvement, then your treatment will be modified as appropriate, or you will be referred to a relevant specialist.

Q: How long will the assessment and treatments last?

A: Your initial assessment will last 60 minutes and takes the form of a thorough physical examination and, if considered appropriate, will include a treatment. Further follow-on consultations will typically take between 20 and 30 minutes, and occasionally longer where necessary.

Q: What if I need to see a specialist?

A: If they feel it is appropriate for you to see a specialist, your clinician will discuss it with you and review the possible benefits of a specialist opinion. Please note that we are able to complete any X-rays that may be required in-house.

Q: Will I have to have an X-ray?

A: Your clinician will only recommend an X-ray if there is a valid clinical reason for doing so. As with all health professionals, clinicians at Agilaflex must comply with the legislation that governs the use of X-rays: Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000.

Q: Is there a waiting list for treatment?

A: No. We are able to make same day, evening and Saturday appointments.

Q: Do I need to be referred for treatment by a doctor?

A: No. You may see us without a doctor’s referral. However, with your consent, we can keep in contact with your GP to enable them to maintain an accurate record of your medical care. In the same way as consultants, we work closely with GPs, as it is invariably of benefit to our patients.

Q: What should I wear?

A: We recommend that you dress in loose fitting, comfortable clothes. Your clinician will of course need to see the affected area of your body, and gowns are provided if it becomes necessary for you to remove any items of clothing.

Q: Do you continuously develop your techniques?

A: Yes. We pride ourselves on maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice.

Our clinicians undergo constant clinical supervision and training for both patient management and treatment techniques, as well as keeping up to date with all current methodologies through attending postgraduate training courses. We are committed to driving forward the standard of non-surgical back, neck and joint care, and to leading the field in its private provision while maintaining the highest standard of care and evidence-based practice.

You can be confident that the treatment you receive at Agilaflex will be of the highest standard. All Agilaflex practitioners are fully qualified and registered with the statutory regulatory bodies in the UK - the General Chiropractic Council, the General Osteopathic Council and the Health Professions Council, as well as the various industry bodies.

Q: What are your payment options?

A: Payment is required in full at the time of treatment. We accept payment by debit card, credit card, cash or cheque.

Q: I have private medical insurance - am I covered with you?

A: Yes. The cost of your treatment at Agilaflex is refundable by all major health insurers. You will be issued with an invoice for your insurance company after each treatment. We recommend that you contact your insurance company before beginning your treatment and seek answers to the following questions:

• Is a medical referral necessary?
• Are you liable to pay an excess?
• Is there any restriction on the number of treatments you are allowed?
• Is there is any limit on the amount you are able to claim?

Q: What conditions do chiropractors treat?

A: Chiropractors at Agilaflex are concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and restoring the body to optimal functioning, wherever possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Commonly treated conditions include back neck and joint pain, postural problems, sporting injuries, muscle deterioration, restricted mobility and occupational ill-health.

Q: Can anyone call themselves a chiropractor?

A: No. It is against the law for anyone in the UK to use the title 'chiropractor' or to claim to be a chiropractor unless they are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC).

The General Chiropractic Council is legally obliged to:

• Confirm that all applicants for membership have a relevant chiropractic qualification, are of good character and physically and mentally fit to practise
• Set and maintain standards of education and training
• Set standards of conduct and practice
• Attend to any complaints about the conduct or practise of chiropractors

Q: Can I receive chiropractic care on the NHS?

A: We advise that you check with your GP, local Primary Care Trust or Health Board whether NHS funding is available for chiropractic in your area. Funding is not currently widespread, despite the fact that chiropractic care is included in the Musculoskeletal Services Framework published by the Department of Health.

Q: Can chiropractors use the title 'Dr' when advertising?

A: The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) states that advertisers who use the title 'Dr' should not imply that they hold a general medical qualification.

CAP advises that practitioners without such a qualification should not call themselves 'Dr'; nor should they use the title 'Dr' in their advertisements or in any information or literature directed at patients. Chiropractors who wish to use the courtesy title of 'Dr' should use their name followed by their qualification in parenthesis, e.g. ‘Joe Smith (Doctor of Chiropractic)’.

Q: What qualification should I look for?

A: Chiropractic is an international profession and as such there is a wide variation in the titles of qualifications. Importantly, all chiropractors practising in the UK must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC).

All Agilaflex chiropractors focus exclusively on back, neck and joint pain and related conditions.

Q: What is McTimoney Chiropractic?

A: The McTimoney method of chiropractic was developed by the late John McTimoney over 50 years ago and is taught only at the McTimoney College of Chiropractic in Abingdon, near Oxford.

McTimoney Chiropractors undergo three to four years of part-time training, and UK members of the McTimoney Chiropractic Association have dual registration with the General Chiropractic Council.

General Chiropractic Association
www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm

British Chiropractic Association
www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk

NHS
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/chiropractic/Pages/Introduction

International Society of Clinical Rehabilitation Specialists
www.clinicalrehabspecialists.com

Agilaflex is committed to providing the highest achievable standard of care in the field of chiropractic, osteopathy and physiotherapy. This we aim to do in a clear, ethical and open way with all of our patients. However, if following treatment you have any questions or concerns regarding your treatment then please contact the customer care team in confidence, at either [email protected] or in writing to First Floor, 107 High Street, Winchester SO23 9AH, referencing our feedback & complaints procedure.