The Benefit of Your Chiropractor Offering Therapeutic Massage: It’s Something Special
Therapeutic Massage NOW at The Bend with Dr. Putnam
Why I’ve added therapeutic massage for clients to my chiropractic practice.
I imagine the James Beard Chefs of the world might have started as prep cooks. Their interest in food, flavors, and combinations grew their passion for delicious concoctions and sharing the pleasure of not just food but a complete and unique culinary experience. An experienced chef does more than cook they add nuances, passion and a pinch or two of something special to each dish. Not only do they create an extraordinary meal, but they create something to be savored, remembered and talked about for years to come. Further, they are inspired by the possibilities of food and the endless desire of people’s hunger.
I don’t have a James Beard award, but that would be cool. Instead, I have a desire for people to experience health and life in a natural and comfortable way. I have a unique skillset. I have 30 years of clinical practice, endless hours of nutrition training, 12 years of yoga instruction, 4 years as a fitness trainer, extremity diagnosis and treatment certifications and even a certificate in animal chiropractic.
Like many new doctors I started practice eager to help the whole world one technical adjustment at a time. Over the years I added more knowledge and skills. The successes and failures taught me even more about chiropractic care, people and practicing. Caring for thousands of people helped me appreciate the complex nature of healing and humans. People age. They also fall, hurt themselves, get hurt, and diseases infiltrate them. Chiropractic care require more than technical adjusting skills.
Further, care that works for one person one day may not work the next. People change. What works for one person may not work for another. People are all different.
My bag of tricks has evolved. It feels unnatural to not apply my unique and diverse skillset and stay in the box of chiropractic manipulation. I know how powerful a single chiropractic manipulation is in and of itself. A chiropractor must know more than what to adjust, but also how and when to treat and, maybe more importantly, when not to treat. These decisions come from valuable experience.
The biggest mistake I see clients make is seeking massage too soon for conditions that need diagnosis before massage as treatment. Too often, it makes things worse instead of better. I see massage as a critical therapy but it needs to be applied in the right place and time. I’m making time in my schedule for those people who can use my expertise and benefit from additional care for healing, repair and recovery.
Schedule Relief Soon
How to make an appointment with me for this additional care.
After so many patients asking me, “Do you know a good massage therapist?” I finally made the decision to add therapeutic soft tissue work to my services. Not because there aren’t plenty of great therapists in town. There certainly are! I respect many of them and their great work. But sometimes when I work on clients, I want to offer them more types of care that I know would be good for them that my schedule hasn’t previously allowed.
I often do a little massage with chiropractic adjustments, but I rarely charge the reimbursable insurance rates for that service. Massage is a billable treatment code and a valuable service. However, insurance reimbursement is unpredictable. I’m more interested in providing patient care than I am dealing with the nuances of this particular insurance code. I may bill some insuranaces if it is an insurance benefit but the majority of the fees will be the patients responsibility.
In essence, I’ve decided to add and offer massage along with chiropractic adjustments in 30 and 60 minute timeframes in order to do the type of massage that I feel will best support chiropractic care. This is similar to adding a session of exercise instruction. It is a separate focused service to support chiropractic adjustments.
The difference and benefit I will bring to the treatment table will be my clinical experience as a chiropractor. One familiar with your case. And don’t worry. You can relax. Mental and physical health are both part of holistic health care. I can’t help but have clinical approach but I will allow you a wellness experience.
“Don’t worry, you can relax. Mental and physical health are both part of holistic health care.”
Disclaimer-(or a GOOD Thing): An hour or 90-minute relaxing, spa type massage is not what I’m offering. I’m adding massage with a clinic benefit and expected therapeutic value. I wouldn’t have it in me to hold back mobilizing spinal segments or noticing toes, shoulders and elbows that needed chiropractic manipulation or knowledge to apply or avoid soft tissue work. Like chiropractic manipulation, there are times not to do soft tissue on certain conditions. A diagnostic capacity helps rather than worsens conditions when it comes to overzealous patients and therapists.
Rather than put myself in a position of needing to resist what I know a person needs I will create a space where I can address a person more holistically. Therefore, I’m limiting massage to my chiropractic patients and patient referrals. Anyone looking for this type of care will need to be an established patient or be willing to book an examination prior to this type of appointment. I will do massage for those clients where there is a clinical indication and where it is appropriate.
Chiropractic adjustments can be scheduled same day or on another day depending on availability.
A 60-minute appointment will include myofascial release, massage, stretching, joint mobilization, and trigger point therapy to relieve and improve joint pain, reduce muscles stiffness, increase mobility, and ease tension.
A session may include a restful quiet full body treatment to support natural healing, wellbeing and physical maintenance or it can be targeted to a specific region for therapeutic care to improve conditions.
First appointments include an up to date overview of medical history, current health status, and any other specific concerns before beginning treatment. By updating and reviewing health history a personalized treatment plan will help address your unique needs while minimizing the risk of injury or discomfort. As a licensed physician I am required to adhere to appropriate stands of patient care and clinical decision making will dictate treatment.
DETAILS:
Call for appointments and pricing 406.888.6040 or schedule online.
Pricing packages are available.
Insurance rates are dictated by plan coverage and limitations.
We do not accept all insurances and massage therapy is not covered by all plans.
Veteran Coverage: Massage and chiropractic care are covered by VA benefits with referral.
Booking Options:
30-minute therapeutic massage
60-minute therapeutic massage session
Chiropractic spinal manipulation
Extremity manipulation
*24 hours’ notice required for cancelation
*(ask to be on our waiting list- email us at wellness@thebendatwhitefish.com)
Arrive 10 minutes early, appointments are for allotted times, if you are late, we require payment in full for appointment duration.
