If you’ve experienced a spinal injury of any kind, you should expect a rehabilitation process to deal with the pain and help you regain as much function as possible. But spinal injury treatment is a bit more complex than general treatment for back pain, and it’s important that you be judicious as you choose a spinal rehabilitation center to guide you along your recovery. Here are some questions to ask that can assist you in that process:

1. How Many Spinal Patients Do You Treat?

   Although it’s fine for a practice to address several areas of care, you should ask how many of the center’s patients are spinal injury patients, or what percentage of the center’s work focuses on that concern. You want to make sure you’re working with people who make spinal rehabilitation their main priority. You may want to compare two or three centers to get an idea of what’s standard before making a decision, too.

2. Are Those Spinal Injuries Similar to Mine?

   Although the goal of spinal treatment is generally to heal back and neck pain, as well as to restore motor function, there are a wide range of spinal injuries that could be causing that pain. Some are caused by trauma, such as car accidents, while others are chronic conditions such as degenerative disc disease. So just because a center treats mostly spinal injuries doesn’t mean its staff will have experience with injuries similar to yours. Obviously, you’ll be better off if you choose a spinal rehabilitation center that has experience with your type of injury.

3. What Have the Outcomes of Other Patients Been?

   Obviously, not all patients see results in the same way or within the same time frame. But you should at least make sure that the spinal rehabilitation center you’re considering has a good track record of helping patients reach their maximum health levels given their injuries. You should take some time to confirm any claims made by a center by asking other medical professionals for their perspectives or even reading online patient reviews.

4. Can You Handle Emergencies on Site?

   Depending on what kind of spinal injury you’re dealing with and what stage of recovery you’re in, you may have either a very high or extremely low risk of an emergency. If your risk is high, you’re probably better off choosing a rehabilitative center at a hospital. If your risk is relatively low, however, then you might enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere and holistic approach of a chiropractic clinic, for example.

Do you have any help to offer on how to choose a spinal rehabilitation center? Share your thoughts in the comments.