Frequently asked questions

Not all chiropractic is the same.

Conventional Chiropractic

Conventional chiropractic focuses on symptom relief or symptom management by temporarily relieving pain, reducing muscle spasms and inflammation. Chiropractors have done well under this model of symptomatic/relief conventional care, and many of them are great at what they do.

Ichi-go Ichi-e Chiropractic

If you think of the spine like a foundation of a house, you realize that weakness in the foundation can change the structure of the entire house. Walls begin to crack, doors and windows become deviated & won’t close properly, and floors become uneven and begin to creak. You can make cosmetic repairs, but sooner or later you’ll have to address the foundation, otherwise, the problems will return again …

… and again… and again… and again.

And suddenly, instead of achieving true correction, we’re relying on chiropractic to be much more like a natural (and sometimes expensive) form of pain medication.

At Ichi-go Ichi-e Chiropractic, rather than constantly repairing the damaged areas, we’ve chosen to focus on correcting the “underlying foundation” so that your spine reaches as much of its normal structure and function as possible.

Of course, our services aren’t for everyone. However, if you are tired of constantly patching up the problem areas and are looking for a more long-term solution that you can both feel AND see for yourself, then Thrive Chiropractic may be the right place for you.

Once the foundation has been corrected, we’ll guide and teach you how to keep it that way through customized recommendations designed for your particular spine and level of dysfunction.

If we were to ask you what normal blood pressure is, you might answer 120/80. Maybe you’re not even sure what that means exactly, but you know there is a normal value. In healthcare, there are normal values for not just blood pressure, but many things like blood sugar, heart rate, bone density, body mass and eyesight (to name a few). There will always be variations based on age, gender, ethnicity or a specific situation. No one needs to be perfect, but there are accepted ranges. Most of us are unaware there is also a normal when it comes to the structural alignment of the spine.
A structural dysfunction is any alignment abnormality or motion abnormality that causes your spine to shift from its normal structural alignment. When the body, in particular, the spine, is unbalanced, the result may be a variety of secondary conditions (symptoms) such as pain, numbness/tingling, headaches, sciatica, hernia’s – just to name a few. Anything that adds stress to your body will subtract from your body’s ability to adapt to its environment and may result in health challenges.

Unfortunately, no. Subluxations are misalignments in the spine that cause tension in the nervous system and dis-ease. Sometimes subluxations can cause symptoms like pain, stiffness, weakness, muscle spasms, etc. However, most of the time subluxations are silent and cause decreased function without causing pain.
Less than 10% of the nerves in your entire body sense pain. So even if those causing you pain, there’s still 90% that could be affected without you even knowing it. That’s why getting checked by a Chiropractor and Protective Chiropractic Care throughout your life are important.

Here’s a list of some health-related issues that have improved through Structural Corrective Chiropractic Care in our office:

– Allergies
– Asthma
– Arthritis
– Bell’s Palsy
– Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
– Chronic Fatigue
– Colic
– Digestive Disorders
– Disc Bulges or Disc Herniations
– Epilepsy

– Fibromyalgia
– Gastrointestinal Dysfunction
– Headaches

– Herniated Discs
– High Blood Pressure
– Immune Function
– Irritable Bowel Syndrome
– Knee Pain
– Behavioral Disorders
– Low Back Pain
– Menstrual Disorders

– Meniere’s Syndrome
– Migraine Headaches
– Multiple Sclerosis
– Neck Pain
– Neurologic Dysfunction
– Otitis Media (Ear Infections)
– Sciatica
– Scoliosis
– Shoulder and Arm Pain
– Seizure Disorders

– Skin Disorders
– Sports Injuries
– TMJ Disorder/Dysfunction
– Torticollis
– Trigeminal Neuralgia
– Ulcers
– Vertigo or Dizziness
– Visual Eye Disturbances
– Whiplash
– ZZZ – Sleep Disorder


Let us make something crystal clear, chiropractic is NOT a cure or treatment for any disease, condition or symptom; however, when your spine and nervous system is working optimally, your ability to heal, to recover, and to be healthy drastically improves!

The symptoms and conditions listed above (and many more) are most often what we call secondary conditions or collateral damage, caused by a myriad of core problems – such as Structural Dysfunction(s).

Our job is to determine if the collateral damage that you are currently experiencing is a result of a core problem located in your spine and nervous system (Structural Dysfunction).

If they are, we can help; if they are not we will let you know and refer you to the appropriate health care professional.

Just the opposite! Chiropractic releases tension in the nervous system that develops over time from the physical, chemical, and emotional stress we experience. Most of the time our patients comment on how wonderful they feel – more energy, decreased pain, more mobility, less pressure, increased life!
Our doctors are trained in a variety of chiropractic techniques to take care of everyone. If you’re nervous about an adjustment, just let us know and we’ll help you through the process safely and comfortably.

It’s important to know that chiropractors don’t adjust your spine at random nor do they thrust into a healthy spinal segment. The input of adjusting a subluxation will have a different input into the nervous system versus thrusting into a healthy spine.  A chiropractor performs High-Velocity Adjustments compared to a physio’s or osteopaths Low-Velocity Mobilizations. Hearing a cracking noise doesn’t mean it’s a success. 
 
– High Velocity Adjustments – induces unique physiological changes
– Low Velocity mobilizations – no neurophysiological changes are found
 
Researchers report that an adjustment needs to be delivered in under 200 milliseconds to induce the types of physiological changes desired. Anything slower than that and it will have a different physiological effect on the body.
 
Beginning to understand the difference between a Thai massage, a physio, or your partner thrusting into your spine versus a chiropractor? My 4-year-old daughter could walk on your back and some things might definitely crack – that doesn’t mean it’s good for you or what your body/brain needs.

Ichi-go Ichi-e Chiropractic is one of Amsterdam’s Top Chiropractic Offices. We want you to feel immediately at home when you walk in the door. Since chiropractic care involves a series of visits, each one building on the previous one, it is important for you to feel comfortable right from the start.
Plan ahead…
Please fill out the online New Patient Form.
Please bring a copy of any past CTs, MRIs, X-rays or other relevant test results.

Following the paperwork, you will meet with one of our Chiropractors to discuss the relevant details of your health. In order for us to gather a complete picture, we may ask questions regarding previous injuries, postural habits, sports, medication usage and results, diet, repetitive stressors, etc. If we think your problem is outside our expertise we will let you know. Our Structural Chiropractic Examination takes about 30-60 minutes to complete depending on the severity of your condition.
Our examination is designed to detect specific Structural Dysfunction(s) but it also allows for a better understanding of your spine compared to what is considered “normal”.

After your examination, we will schedule you for a one-on-one conference with one of our experienced Chiropractors. During this conference, we will review all of the details of your consultation and exam to determine the health problems, recovery timeline, and cost for care. We then give you a folder that includes your results, as well as some information about the practice. We ask that you keep this folder to hold for future health examinations.

Healing is individual and there are many contributing factors.
Chiropractic is similar to exercise…one work out does not get you in shape, and typically neither does one adjustment.
While we are similar in our anatomical make-ups, we all have had different life experiences that greatly impact our health. Because of this, it is difficult to determine the amount of care that will be necessary without all the pertinent details acquired by a Comprehensive Chiropractic Examination.
However, based on our years of clinical experience, we have seen some clients experience results almost instantaneously, while most start to notice significant changes within the first 3-6 weeks of their care. Your individualized care plan will be based on the severity of the structural dysfunctions in your spine and your individual health goals.

No, unless you want to continue improving your health.

Think about anything in your life you want to work properly…your house, your car, your teeth, your muscles. You could easily stop taking care of them, too, but you’ll probably experience a gradual decline in how they work. Your spine and nervous system are no different. Many of our client’s include chiropractic care in their lifestyle to be as healthy as possible.

Being symptom-free does not necessarily mean that healing has completed or that your spine is in optimal alignment. Our goal is not just to provide relief but to create a situation where the spinal stresses that created the issue are minimized,

Our assessment includes objective measures that are independent from your subjective symptoms. Thus, it is best to be assessed periodically to ensure that if things have shifted & a correction can be made to prevent your body from being accustomed to a misaligned state which could lead to spinal deterioration and/or pain.

A monthly massage keeps the body in optimum condition and helps keep you energized and feeling loose. 

  • For people that exercise regularly: 3-4 times a week, we would strongly recommend having a sports massage every 2-3 weeks to help aid in healthy tissue repair & reduce pain felt from the intensive workouts the body is going through.
  • Sometimes you just need to reduce stress in your life or have a way to manage the stress you can’t help but be faced with. Whether it’s stress from your career, traveling, having children, or other physical or mental demands, massage is a great way to reduce stress and relieve the body. You can cope with your lifestyle much easier with weekly, bi-monthly or monthly massage sessions. 

We are happy to provide you with all of the necessary paperwork to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

The Chiropractors at Ichi-go Ichi-e Chiropractic are members of the SCN (Stichting Chiropractie Nederland) and NCA (Nederlandse Chiropractie Associatie) or DCF (Dutch Chiropractic Federation). This means if your insurance does reimburse chiropractic services, we are certified for reimbursement.

Insurance companies are focused on relief of symptoms and don’t always provide you with the best complete care coverage. At Ichi-go Ichi-e Chiropractic (WE) are focused on correction and we have a professional responsibility to give you the best Structural Chiropractic Care. The insurance company is not “bad” for taking this approach, but often that means clients will be taking control and paying for the care they need versus what the insurance company is willing to pay for.