Massage in a Chiropractic Setting

Comment

Comment by Gerry Bunnell on October 7, 2009 at 4:44am

I agree with you Ivy, a Chiropractic setting is an ideal location for a professional MT. Massage and Chiropractic together do so much more for a patient than either modality can achieve by itself. Together they are quite synergistic.

I've been working with my D.C. for 2.5 years now and have found it very rewarding. Thank you for starting this group.

Peace

Comment by Ivy Hultquist on October 6, 2009 at 8:21pm

I am glad to see this group get off to such a great start! I was surprised to see so many posts after starting the group. To introduce myself, I am a massage therapist in Iowa. I have worked in a chiropractic clinic for nine years now. The chiropractic clinic is my father’s, who has had his practice for 40 years. I honestly love working in this setting and think it is an ideal environment for many massage professionals. The benefits of the combination of chiropractic and massage are great for clients and patients. Generally, my dad prefers his patients get a massage first, however many prefer the relaxing after an adjustment. I have clients who see other chiropractors and I have found the “before or after” preference has a lot to do with the method or technique the chiropractor uses. My father uses the Palmer or Gonstead technique and I think they generally prefer a massage prior to the adjustment. I have had other chiropractors also say a post-adjustment massage does help "hold" the adjustment better. It is a personal preference for many.
As far as insurance reimbursement, I have been hesitant to start. I felt my business was succeeding without it and I honestly have not had many clients request reimbursement.

Comment by Leigh Catlett on October 6, 2009 at 5:26pm

The Chiro I work with prefers massage prior to adjustment. Most of the massages are billed through the clients insurance and the front desk deals with all of that. There is one insurance company that they deal with that will not pay if the massage and adjustment are on the same day... go figure!

Comment by Joseph Enriquez on October 6, 2009 at 12:52pm

I generally would give a massage first but each client is different so if they do not know what works best for them then try both and determine what is best for them.

Comment by Michael Donaldson on October 6, 2009 at 11:41am

My chiro goes by individual client. If somebody is real tight and has a hard time letting go before an adjustment then massage first. If they are fairly loose then massage after. He showed me an article suggesting that a massage done after has shown to hold an adjustment longer.

Comment by Matthew Waid on October 6, 2009 at 11:28am

I think it should be up to the client to try it both ways. I have some who like to have the adjustment first then massage, and it really seems to work better for them. Although, I must say that most people prefer having the massage first then getting adjusted. If possible, I think they should try both ways to see which one works best for their body.

Comment by Emily J Clark on October 6, 2009 at 10:48am

The chiropractors that I work with, like it if the client comes into have a massage first and then have the adjustment, because the muscles are warmed and relaxed it helps the adjustment go easier

Comment by Julia R. Kreider on October 6, 2009 at 9:10am

What do you and your chiropracticors reccomend : massage before or after the skeletal adjustment?

Comment by Gerry Bunnell on October 6, 2009 at 7:15am

Insurance billing is somewhat of a game Gene. I use to work the front desk part time for the Clinic I do massage at. At times I would have to verify Pt's insurance. We check on consideration for specific codes you primarily use at the clinic.

With a particular insurance company, I asked them if they cover massage therapy. The answer was a quick no. Hmmmmm. I asked to run some billing codes by them. Mixed in was 97124 which they said they consider. Hmmmm. I then explained to the agent that was the billing code for massage. I could sense the agent scratching their head on the other end of the phone. :) Figure that one out.

Insurance billing requires tenacity. (My wife does it for a living) In the clinic I work at everything is billed through the D.C.s NPI # Barbara is right, more insurance companies will accept codes for PT like 97140 (Manual Manipulation). Be careful with your notes though. Insurance companies look for specific activities using PT codes like Myo Release techniques, assisted stretching, etc.

Comment by Michael Donaldson on October 5, 2009 at 10:57pm

Gene, I'm a massage therapist in a chiro' s office and do all my own billing. I use a program called massage office. It's old but cheap and does the trick. In Washington where I work, Insurance companies want these done electronically. I would contact the providers that your billing and ask them if they have a website that they provide for providers. Many companies now want us to use their sites. Hope this helps.. any specific questions let me know.
best regards
Mike

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• Next ›
• Page