[ Other Attentions ]

1. Don't select practitioner only by a sign.
   You should select clinic by the information of your acquaintance who has visited that clinic (still it's like a lottery in Japan).

2. Avoid the practitioner using a showy advertisement.
   The more immature the practitioner is, the more showy advertisement he/she would use. You should avoid clinics that are using big advertisement in the phone book, newspaper etc. Of course you should avoid practitioner who advertises that he can heal various diseases or symptoms. These practitioners have misunderstood chiropractic and they distort chiropractic. Also these advertisements obstruct the correct understanding of chiropractic for the Japanese people. Skilled chiropractors will have new patients by word of mouth without exaggerated advertisement or sign.

   By the way, I'd like to say next fact. Japanese Medical Law and Alternative Medicen Law prohibit announcing symptoms or diseases which are susceptible to the treatment in any advertisements. But any "chiropractors" can advertise susceptible symptoms or diseases with impunity because the law of chiropractic is not entacted yet in Japan.

   In order to dissolve these contradictions, the law of chiropractic should be entacted as soon as possible.

3. Avoid clinic where many assistants do most of the treatment.
   Generally in Japan, assistants have desire to have their own office as soon as they have skilled in chiropractic technique. Therefore "assistants" are always unskilled in technique. And however skillful and famous the director of the clinic may be, patients will be treated by a immature assistant in this clinic.

4. About treatment charge and adjustment frequency.
   There is a little charge difference between the metropolitan area of Japan and other areas.

   In Kanto region, treatment charge is about 5,000Yen-7,000Yen per one treatment. In addition, most of offices will request the inspection fee (2000Yen-4000Yen) on the first time treatment.

   Treating time will be about 15 - 40 minutes. This will vary by doctor's adjusting level and by number of visiting patients. In an area other than Kanto, treatment fee and first time inspection fee will be a little cheaper than the above price.

   Dubious chiropractors will instruct all patients at early stage to visit with a few days interval for about 10 times without concerning with a kind and an extent of patient's symptom. And after that, they will instruct patients to visit as frequently as they can.

   Conscientious and honest chiropractors will set up a treatment interval for every patient according to his/her condition.

   In addition, you should pay attention (or should avoid) for such offices as doctor recommends too expensive vitamines, healthy foods or healthy goods etc.

   I know a chiropractic office in Tokyo that promotes healthy foods and vitamines to the first time patient enthusiastically, and requests as the total fee 100,000Yen including a treatment fee.

[ Advices before & after when you have chiropractic care ]

1. Is there any age limit ?
   No, there is not.
   Even infants and babies, or even over 90 years old people can be adjusted. Some people ask me "Osteoprosis is going on in my spine with an inspection of a hospital. Can I have chiropractic care? "
   
   Skilled chiropractor will be able to treat these people without any difficulty. The experienced doctor can adjust with low amplitude pressure, and he can use other technique using more mild force.

2. There are no special attention before you have treatment.
   You need not any special preparation as go to the hospital.

3. Warnings after the treatment
   
   Don't do hard exercise or drive for a long time just after the treatment.
   Also don't walk with heavy baggage just after the treatment.
   
   
4. Don't take a bath for a long time, drink too much, or apply a hot pack to the acute painful area.
   
   The reason of these warnings are.....not to induce the displacement again due to relaxation of muscle tendons and ligaments by excess blood circulation. And to prevent the progression of acute inflammation, not to disorder propriocepters existing in the tendons & ligaments.(Propriocepter = one of the endings of sensory nerve. It sensors the joint angle & joint position)
   
   In the case of chronic pain, a different step may needed case-by-case, and ask to your doctor how to do.
   
   At the same time, I'd like to mention about cooling the painful area
   
   In many cases it will be better to cool acute painful joint area. Yet, this is not applicable to the acute abdominal pain. In this case, receive medical test in a hospital as early as possible without cooling or warming painful area.
   
   Following is one of my instructions to the patients.
   
   "Cool the painful joint area for 10 minutes with ice or other cooling apparatus.
   
   After one hour interval, cool the same area for 10 minutes. Repeat this procedure 4-5 times in a day."
   
   
5. Walking is the most simple and effective exercise to maintain your health and improve joint function.
   
   Walk enough with ordinary stride after treatment to get back normal rhythm of the total body.
   
   Walk! Walk! Walking is the most simple, inexpensive healthful exercise.
   
   Time length of the walking at a time will be enough to 20-30 minutes.
   
   Yet, suspend the walking if pain becomes awful by walking.