Our chiropractic clinic has served the people of Algonquin and the surrounding region since 1997. Over the years, we’ve answered many common questions from our patients. To give you the smoothest patient experience possible, we’ve compiled the answers to those chiropractor FAQs on this page. We hope you find these frequently asked questions about our chiropractic physician helpful as you plan your next visit.

Don’t see your question answered below? Please give us a call, and one of our helpful team members will happily answer it for you.

You can jump to the question you’re curious about by clicking the links below:

• Are the chiropractic treatments you provide safe?
• Is my treatment going to hurt?
• How much do your chiropractic services cost?
• I don’t have insurance. Can I still receive treatment?
• Which insurance plans do you accept?
• What is the Cox Technic?
• How soon can I expect to see results from my chiropractic treatment?
• How do I know this will work?
• What happens if my symptoms don’t improve?
• Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor to see a chiropractor?
• What should I wear to my appointment? Do I need to wear a gown?
• What kind of training and certifications do you have?
• How is chiropractic care different from physical therapy or massage?
• How long is the first appointment and what can I expect?
• Why is there so much paperwork?
• Who reads my X-rays?

Are the chiropractic treatments you provide safe?

Yes! The chiropractic treatments we provide are the safest and most conservative options for pain treatment available. Unlike medications, steroids and opioid painkillers, our drug-free treatment options do not have any potentially addictive side effects. Those treatments only temporarily mask the pain symptoms while our treatments actively heal the body. Treatment from a chiropractic physician is also safer than surgery because it doesn’t come with the risk of harmful complications.

For these reasons, we recommend seeing a chiropractor first before pursuing any of those other options. You may be able to find pain relief and restore your health without risking addiction or complications.

Iatrogenesis means getting worse after a treatment. With one of our techniques, the rate of iatrogenesis is less than 1%!

We have a network of excellent local orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, pain management doctors, medical doctors and physical therapists we refer our patients to when needed. Most patients never have to see another provider for their condition after they start care here.

Remember, dozens and dozens of famous athletes, actors and actresses and musicians get care from a chiropractic physician. If it was going to hurt them, they would not risk it!

Is my treatment going to hurt?

No. We make it a point to offer painless and noninvasive procedures to gently correct and heal musculoskeletal conditions. Our head chiropractic physician, Dr. Anthony R. Galante always does “tolerance testing” or tests the procedure before performing it, ensuring the treatment is painless.

So, for example, if you were recently in a car accident and had significant neck and low back pain, we would start you out with our most gentle treatments ONLY if you passed tolerance testing. We would then gradually move to more advanced chiropractic treatments and exercises as the pain subsided and your strength improved.

While our treatments and therapies are not painful, it is possible to have some temporary soreness after your first or first several treatments. This is because we are re-aligning spinal vertebra and stretching ligaments, adhesions, scar tissue and fascia that have not been moved or stretched in a long time.

If you are sore after the first treatment, typically the soreness goes away or lessens significantly after the second treatment, and it’s rare to have any soreness after the third. Remember, with our technique less than 1% of patients get sore after their treatments.

How much do your chiropractic services cost?

This question is not as easy to answer as you would think. Each insurance company, including Medicare, covers and pays different amounts for different services. For example, if you were in a car accident or injured at work, your insurance may cover 100% of the costs.

First, if you are reading this, you qualify for our complimentary consultation. Just mention it when you call. We will then let you know what further charges are going forward before we provide our services.

The cost of your first visit will depend on several factors, including the type of problem or problems you have, how many areas of the body will be examined and any necessary X-rays.

Typically, the total charges for the first day are in the $100-$275 range. Some or all of that may be covered by insurance.

After your first visit, if Dr. Galante can help you, he will put together a detailed treatment plan. The plan will include what needs to be done, how long it will take, what your insurance benefits are and what your out-of-pocket costs will be. All the costs will be clearly spelled out for you with your insurance coverage factored in.

Watch Dr. Galante’s video below to learn more about the costs of seeing a chiropractic physician:

I don’t have insurance. Can I still receive treatment?

Yes! We treat people both with and without insurance. We have affordable treatment plans for those without insurance. We also treat people on Medicare and people who have been injured in car accidents or at work.

Which insurance plans do you accept?

We accept BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare. We are “in-network” with Medicare as well, and if you were injured in a car accident or at work, you may be covered at 100%.

If you have a different insurer, you may still be able to get coverage. When you call for your appointment, we will get your insurance information and check eligibility and benefits.

What is the Cox Technic?

The Cox Technic is a painless, hands-on spinal decompression procedure that gently corrects the more serious spinal conditions, including disc herniations, arthritis, stenosis and sciatica. Dr. Galante received his Cox Technic certification over twenty years ago for the lumbar spine and followed it up with certification for the cervical spine in 2017 and the thoracic spine in 2022. He remains one of the few chiropractic physicians with certification in the Cox Technic for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine in the Northern Illinois region.

How soon can I expect to see results from my chiropractic treatment?

The answer to this question will depend on the type and severity of your condition, but we want you to feel better FAST! Recovery times also vary from patient to patient. Some patients begin to experience relief after their very first treatment, while others can take days or weeks to feel relief.

You will receive a timeline on what to expect during your second appointment when we go over your exam findings, X-rays, treatment plan and costs. For example, we may tell you that we expect a 50% improvement in the first four weeks of treatment.

How do I know this will work?

The short answer to that question is you don’t! Dr. Galante has been a practicing chiropractic physician for over 30 years and has treated tens of thousands of patients. He has likely treated hundreds of patients with your exact problem and will not accept your case if you are not a good candidate for his treatment plans.

Also, you do not know if medication, physical therapy, seeing your medical doctor or going to a pain management or orthopedic specialist will work either!

Studies show chiropractic care is more effective than other forms of treatment for numerous conditions, so you should start with the most conservative, safest treatment first. Start with chiropractic care, and if that doesn’t help, we can always consider another course of treatment with medical providers.

What happens if my symptoms don’t improve?

You will receive a timeline for when we expect to see improvements before we start treatment. We will base this timeline on your exam findings and X-rays, and it will include all the costs. We may tell you to expect a 50% improvement in the first four weeks of treatment. In this example, if you aren’t at least 50% better at the four-week mark (most patients are better than 50% at this point), we will consider ordering further testing such as blood tests, MRIs and EMGs (nerve tests). We will also consider referring you to one of the following:

• Medical doctor for medication
• Orthopedic surgeon
• Neurologist
• Pain management doctor
• Physical therapist.

We will order any necessary testing and then refer you to the appropriate doctor to give you the best chance for a full recovery. Often, combining medical services with our care brings about the desired outcome. Rarely do we have to send patients for surgery.

Our goal is to prevent you from becoming a “chronic pain” patient and help you to live your active lifestyle for as long as you choose. Most of our patients do very well both in the short and long term.

Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor to see a chiropractic physician?

For 99% of patients, the answer is no! Occasionally, we will come across a policy that requires a referral. If that is the case for you, we can work with your healthcare provider to get the appropriate paperwork done. However, most new patients can see a chiropractic physician at our clinic without receiving or needing any referrals.

What should I wear to my appointment? Do I need to wear a gown?

We have people that come from home, work, social events and wear all different types of clothing. For the first visit, to do a proper examination and see and palpate the spine, we usually have people put a gown on for their exam. If you do not feel comfortable wearing a gown, you can wear shorts and a T-shirt (without any metal if we need to take X-rays).

What kind of training and certifications do you have?

Dr. Anthony R. Galante has several licenses, certifications and decades of experience that make him qualified to provide you with the best chiropractic care. He is a licensed chiropractor in Illinois and continually completes at least 150 hours of ongoing education every three years to maintain his license. He is also one of the few chiropractic physicians in this region certified in the Cox Technic for Lumbar, Thoracic and Cervical Spine. His other credentials include certification as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) and certifications in Durable Medical Equipment. Dr. Galante also maintains active membership in the Illinois Chiropractic Society and American Chiropractic Association.

How is chiropractic care different from physical therapy or massage?

The main difference between chiropractic care, physical therapy and massage is philosophy. And it is a huge difference! Physical therapy and massage therapy mostly work on exercising, stretching and massaging the muscles. Chiropractic care differs because it works on the spine first to improve spinal function. This, in turn, decreases pain and relieves pressure on the nerves. Those nerves control all your muscles. So, relieving pressure on the nerves causes those tight muscles and muscle spasms to go away almost magically. In this way, we chiropractors treat the cause of the problem, which is probably not muscular, even though most patients think so.

How long is the first appointment and what can I expect?

Most first visits last around 45-60 minutes, so plan on an hour.

When you call to schedule your first appointment, we will email you some of the paperwork. If you have a printer, you can print it out and fill out the forms before you come in, which will save time. If you do not have a printer, no problem! You can fill out the forms when you get to the office.

When you arrive for your appointment, a staff member will have you sign all pertinent paperwork. Then we will lead you back to a room where the doctor will do the consultation, examination and X-rays if necessary. The X-ray room connects to the consultation room.

The second visit where we review your findings usually lasts 30-45 minutes. And routine appointments after that last around 30 minutes but can be longer or shorter depending on what treatments are in your treatment plan.

Why is there so much paperwork?

Paperwork serves two main purposes:

1. It gives the chiropractic physician an idea of your health history and current problem.
2. Most of it is required by Medicare, insurance companies, car accident insurance companies and/or Worker’s Compensation.

We do not like the hassles and red tape of insurance forms and requirements either, but we must follow the rules. Once the initial paperwork is done there is very little paperwork for future visits. Thank you for your cooperation!

Who reads my X-rays?

Dr. Galante will do the initial reading and review your X-rays with you. After this, as with any X-ray taken at a hospital or ordered by your doctor, your X-rays will go to a board-certified radiologist. We will get a report back, which we will review with you. The radiologist will bill you separately from Algonquin Chiropractic Center.

Have More Questions? We Have Answers!

We hope you’ve found this chiropractor FAQ page helpful. If you don’t see your chiropractic frequently asked questions listed, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask them. You can also schedule a consultation to learn more about how our clinic can help you.