Tel: (808) 965-6623
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions for the Office
Where are you located?
Our office is located in downtown Pahoa Town. We are across from the NAPA Auto Parts store, in the blue building, above the Pahoa Smoothie Shack. There is one flight of stairs to get to our office.
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What type of insurance do you take?
We are contracted with most national insurance companies. We accept Medicare, Veterans Affairs (referral only), HMSA, United Healthcare, Kaiser Hawaii, American Specialty Health, HMAA-HWMG, and many auto accident insurance companies. We no longer bill for Geico Auto claims, do not provide services for personal injury claims, and are no longer accepting new QUEST insurance referrals.
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What do I need to do prior to my first appointment?
First, print and fill out our new patient paperwork, which can be found on the PATIENTS page of our website. Make sure to dress in something comfortable for your adjustment, and make sure to bring your insurance card and ID with you when you come. We ask that you come 15 minutes early for your initial visit if you have not filled out any paperwork prior to arrival, and at 10 minutes early if you already have your paperwork in hand.
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Do you take Med-QUEST insurance?
We are contracted with some Med-QUEST insurance, but due to billing issues, our office will no longer be accepting new Med-QUEST patients.​
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How long are appointments?
Initial visit to be seen for the first time usually last between 20-25 minutes. After the new patient paperwork has been finished, the chiropractor will go over your history with you, as well as any current concerns you might have. Once this is done, the exam and adjustment can begin. Continuing care visits usually take no more that about 10 minutes.
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How quickly can I be seen at your office?
New patient appointments are currently scheduling within a week from the date of your call. Returning patients can get another appointment within a few days of their call. We do maintain a rolling call list for cancellations, but please call early to be able to be seen. We do not maintain many emergency spots on our schedule, as they usually fill immediately.
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AFTERCARE INFO
Proper aftercare is an important part of any adjustment. People often feel more relaxed, move easier, and are able to breathe more fully. This doesn’t negate the need for care once you get home. Often, patients find they move and stretch in various ways after their appointment, to help release any tension they may be holding or unwind chronic tension patterns.
It is more important to support proper skeletal structure now that your neuromuscular system* is communicating properly.
Another important facet of aftercare is proper icing of affected areas. It is likely you will be sore after your initial adjustment, which is often compared to the soreness of a workout. Icing down these sore areas helps to decrease any swelling that may occur as the neuromuscular system begins to re-communicate with your skeletal system.
According to research, proper icing techniques not only decrease the amount of swelling in the area, decreasing your overall healing time, but it also allows for relaxation of the muscles in the area, giving you relief from muscular spasm pain. Icing has also been show to increase your pain tolerance, allowing you to naturally manage your pain better without medication.
Some of the best things you can do to promote healing after an adjustment include:
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• Use an ice pack on the treated area (20 minutes on, 40 minutes off)
• Drink plenty of water
• Light stretching exercises
• Sleep on a suitable support system – a mattress and pillow, not a couch or recliner
• Avoid heavy lifting
And don’t forget that massage and chiropractic often go hand and hand. If you feel that you may benefit from a massage before or after an adjustment, talk to the chiropractor about it. Most of the time, it is up to you which order you prefer. If you receive a massage before your appointment, as it will help to loosen any tight muscles which may be pulling on your skeletal structure. A massage after an adjustment can help to relieve any tension you may still be holding, as well as relax the muscles so they are less likely to pull tight again right away. Be sure to discuss this with your chiropractor during your first visit, if it is something you might be interested in persueing.
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There are several wonderful massage therapists in the building, located downstairs from our office, Hi’iaka Massage & Healing Arts. Their office is not affiliated with Pahoa Chiropractic.
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* Neuromuscular system – the entire system of nerves and muscles surrounding the skeleton, including the brain
WHAT TO WEAR
A common question many patients ask is “What should I wear to my chiropractor visit?” If you’ve never been to see a chiropractor, it is sometimes hard to know what to wear. Most importantly, you want to feel comfortable on your first appointment.
If this is your first visit, please remember to arrive early so you can take your time filling out the necessary paperwork and medical history forms. We want to keep you from feeling rushed during your visit but arriving late and then needing to fill out paperwork will affect the amount of time you spend with the doctor.
Common Clothing Questions
1) Will I Have to Undress?
You will never be asked to undress during a chiropractor visit. All muscle testing and adjustments
are done outside your normal clothing. Loose fitting tops and comfortable pants are the best choice.
2) Can I Wear Jeans to My Appointment?
Yes, you can wear jeans. Loose fitting jeans are better, as they allow for more movement, allowing
the doctor to conduct the the full muscle and motion testing needed for a proper adjustment.
3) Is it Better to Wear Shorts to My Appointment?
We want you to be comfortable during your appointment, and due to our climate, shorts are often
the most comfortable thing. Be aware that there is a variety of muscle and range of motion testing
that is done, so wear what is comfortable without being too revealing.
4) Can I Wear a Skirt or Dress?
You will probably more comfortable wearing pants or shorts, and the chiropractor probably will too. You will be asked to lie on a drop table, sometimes moving you from lying on your face to lying on your side and back, possibly moving one or both legs. Wearing skirts or dresses could end up making you feel more exposed than you would like. Skorts are fine as well, if you feel comfortable wearing them and they allow for a full range of movement. Please make sure to wear underwear if you are going to wear a skirt or dress.
5) What Type of Shoes Should I Wear?
Wear shoes that are comfortable for you! Most patients wear slippers or slide off shoes, as it is easier for the chiropractor to check leg length with no shoes on. If you wear orthotic shoes, please bring those along so the chiropractor can examine them. Also, be prepared to be asked to remove heavy boots or tennis shoes if need be.
What Not to Wear
Certain clothing and accessories are not conducive to a chiropractic appointment and should be avoided if at all possible.
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1) Get Comfortable
While you might come to the chiropractor’s office directly from work, you may want to change into something comfortable. While suits and ties aren't common on the island, even button-down shirts can be uncomfortable and restrictive. We do havea restroom available, if you need to change when you arrive. Also, you will be asked to remove everything from your pockets, so loose change, keys, cell phones, and other odds and ends don't fall into the table. We suggest you remove everything before coming into the office.
2) Bathing Suits
Being on the beach means we are often most comfortable in swimwear. If you are coming to an appointment after a day at the beach or pool, please make sure to bring a cover-up. While we want you to be comfortable, we also want our chiropractors to be comfortable with performing an adjustment. Ladies, shorts and a tee shirt pulled over swimwear, or a sundress style cover-up is needed in our office. Men, please wear a shirt when you come in.
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3) Take Off Jewelry
When the chiropractor has you lying on the drop table and is moving you from side to side and front to back, chances are that earrings will come undone or fall off, long necklaces and bracelets will get tangled in your clothing and even short necklaces can break when adjustments are being done. If you are wearing jewelry, be sure to remove it before you begin your adjustment. The chiropractor does have a basket for such things, but make sure you don’t forget it when you leave. We do leave anything left behind in the exam room at the front desk for easy retrieval.
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4) Minimal Makeup
Our chiropractors do make use of a drop table during your visit. This means you will lay face down during at least part of your exam and adjustments. Heavy makeup may smear or smudge. We understand that some women don’t feel comfortable going out in public without at least some makeup but avoid too much makeup or powders on the facial area.
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5) Hats, Belts, and Other Accessories
We understand the need for hats, but be sure to remove them before you lay down on the table. Belts should also either be removed or not worn at all.
Other items, such as suspenders, watches, and blue tooth earbuds should also be removed prior to an adjustment.
Ladies- don’t wear pantyhose, shape-wear, girdles, or waist-trainers to your appointment. If you wear these types of garments regularly, you should tell your chiropractor what type you wear, how often you wear them, and for how many hours each day.
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Please remember, our chiropractors are trained to provide you with a professional treatment of the entire musculoskeletal frame. In addition to skeletal adjustments, they can offer nutritional advice, massage therapy options, strengthening exercises, rehabilitative therapy, and more.
As you continue with chiropractic treatments, you will learn increasingly more about your body, leading you towards a happier, healthier life!