Q: I’ve been told that if a chiropractor is good, she won’t need to take x-rays. If that’s true, why do chiropractors x-ray?
A: The need for chiropractic x-rays will be determined by your doctor with age, history and present health in mind. For example, Medicare will not cover chiropractic care if yearly x-rays are not taken. This is to insure that your doctor doesn’t miss one of the many problems an older patient might develop. A small child on the other hand may never need to be x-rayed.
Although, in my office, not all patients are x-rayed, there are cases I refuse to treat without the important information that an x-ray will give me. No matter how experienced or sensitive one’s fingers, specific information about congenital malformations, tumors, severe arthritis or fractures cannot be felt through the many layers of tissue between bone and fingertips. Sometimes what isn’t found is as important as what is.
Remember that the quality of care you receive from your doctor depends upon all the resources he or she has available to determine how to treat you. An x-ray is one of those resources.