Frequently Asked Questions

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Questions about Money:

  1. How much does a visit cost?

  2. Will my auto insurance pay for treatment after an auto accident?

  3. Can you help me with my work injury?

  4. Do you accept my group health insurance?

  5. Is Dr. Graffeo on my insurance list of Preferred Providers?

  6. What forms of payment do you accept?

Questions about Treatment:

  1. Do I need a referral from my primary care provider?

  2. What does the chiropractor do, exactly?

  3. Will you have to take x-rays?

  4. Do you use manual treatment, massage, or other techniques?

  5. Does chiropractic treatment hurt?

  6. Do you treat children?

  7. What are the risks in receiving chiropractic treatment?

  8. Can you help with broken bones?

  9. Would I do just as well to have a friend "crack" my back?

Questions about Logistics:

  1. How do I get an appointment?

  2. Where is your office?

  3. What are your hours?

  4. When should I start to seek care?

  5. How long do appointments take?

  6. Can I bring my children with me?

  7. How long will I have to receive chiropractic treatment?

  8. Will I have to keep seeing a chiropractor for the rest of my life?

  9. What if my back is killing me and you're not open?


How much does a visit cost?

This varies depending on exactly what kind of treatment you need.  Until the doctor has studied your health information, spoken with you about your problem and examined you at least briefly, this is impossible to estimate.  We can give you a no-charge consultation so that the doctor can determine what you will need.  At that point, we will go over the cost for what the doctor has recommended and you can decide what to do.  Call 503-255-5522 to schedule a no-charge consultation.

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Will my auto insurance pay for treatment after an auto accident?

Yes. In Oregon, your own auto insurance will cover treatment for conditions that were caused by the auto accident for everyone who was in your car during the accident, no matter who was at fault. Our doctors recommend that everyone who has been in an auto accident get a checkup as soon as possible afterward, including any children who were in the car. Auto accidents can cause major hidden injuries. Any accident, even a 'fender-bender', can cause major hidden injuries that you may not notice until days or weeks later. These injuries can cause problems years later if they are not treated promptly.  

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Can you help me with my work injury?

Dr. Graffeo has helped many patients who have strained their back, neck, ankle, or wrist (to give a few examples) while in the course of their work duties.  Chiropractic care is automatically covered at 100% for the first 30 days or 12 treatments without any medical referral.  If you still need care after that, we can usually arrange that with your Worker's Compensation carrier.

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Do you accept my group health insurance?

We do not currently accept assignment of group health insurance plans. (We do accept assignment for auto accident insurance.) We require payment in full at the time of service. However, as a courtesy to our patients with health insurance, including Medicare, we will contact your insurance company for information about your coverage, and we will send a bill to your insurance company on your behalf for the services we provide to you. This is not a guarantee that your insurance company will pay for the services you receive, as coverage can vary widely for chiropractic care. Our Zero Balance Club can help you save money on your chiropractic treatment. As a member of this club, each time you pay for six visits, your seventh visit is free!

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Is Dr. Graffeo on my insurance list of Preferred Providers?

ParkView is not currently a member of any Preferred Provider groups, and we do not currently accept assignment of health insurance payments. However, we will be glad to help you work with your insurance company if you have chiropractic coverage. We do have special savings plans that help you save money on your chiropractic treatment, including our Zero Balance Club.

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What forms of payment do you accept?

We can accept payment in cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, or Discover. We offer special discounts when you pay in full for your services on the date you receive them.  

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Do I need a referral from my primary care provider?

No. While some health plans require a referral from your primary care provider before they pay benefits, they cannot prohibit you from seeking care from any physician you choose. Even though we don't accept assignment of insurance payments, we will be glad to help you work with your insurance company. Treatment for injuries received in an auto accident do not require any referral. Work injuries in the state of Oregon can be treated up to certain limits without any referral. It is important for you to receive care from a doctor you trust. If you're not sure how this relates to your situation, call us at 503-255-5522 and we'll be glad to help you.

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What does the chiropractor do, exactly?

On your first visit, the doctor will get a thorough case history and consultation for you to determine what might be the source of your problems and if chiropractic care can help your condition.  He will then let you know what tests he recommends to correctly diagnose your case, such as further examination, obtaining past medical records, x-rays or other specialized testing.  Once testing is complete, he will tell you what treatment and therapy might be best for you, and can usually begin to deliver that treatment and therapy to you on that very first day, if you like.  Subsequent visits include an efficient assessment of your case and treatment as needed.

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Will you have to take x-rays?

We only take x-rays if absolutely necessary or additional biomechanical information is needed.  If a fracture or organ damage is suspected, an x-ray can find the problem and save your life and health.  When we do take x-rays, we use the lowest possible energy settings to get reliable results.  We never x-ray anyone who might be pregnant.

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Do you use manual treatment, massage, or other techniques?

Yes.  Manual and mechanical traction can be very relaxing and therapeutic, as are heat therapy, direct muscle stimulation, and ultrasound massage.  In addition to using his hands to re-align your bones and muscles more correctly, Dr. Graffeo could use light force chiropractic adjustments, drop table, activator method, physiotherapy and nutritional management as needed to get the best results for you. We also have a Licensed Massage Therapist on staff.

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Does chiropractic treatment hurt?

Not normally.  Occasionally the doctor must work with tissues that are extremely tender due to spasms and inflammation.  He encourages patients to stay in close communication with him so that he can make the correction needed while staying well within the patient's band of tolerance.

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Do you treat children?

Dr. Graffeo treats children, infants and even babies.  It is wonderful to see them laughing and smiling during and after their visit with the doctor.  

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What are the risks in receiving chiropractic treatment?

Compared to the effects and side effects of medications, surgery, and "traditional" medicine, chiropractic care is extremely safe.  Malpractice insurance premiums for medical doctors are approximately twenty times higher than those paid by chiropractors.  Chiropractic care does carry some risk, especially in cases of broken bones, extremely fragile or brittle bones, and serious underlying disease.  If you might be injured by chiropractic care, the doctor will not treat you, but will refer you to a specialist who can help you safely.

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Can you help with broken bones?

No, not until they have begun to heal.  When x-rays reveal a fracture, we refer the patient to a physician who is a specialist in handling them.

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Would I do just as well to have a friend "crack" my back?

We have heard of this practice, but cannot ethically recommend it unless your friend is trained in manipulative therapy.  Knowledge of the skeletal and nervous system, diagnostic interpretation and methods of testing and treating the spine are essential in performing safe and effective treatments. 

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How do I get an appointment?

Drop by or call 503-255-5522.  Let whoever answers know you would like to see Dr. Graffeo as a new patient.  They will find an open appointment time convenient for you. 

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Where is your office?

We are located at 16248 NE Glisan Street, on the boundary between Portland and Gresham.  We are next door to Walgreen's, which is at the corner of 162nd and Glisan.  Click here for driving directions.

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What are your hours?

Normally, appointment times are:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
9:30 - 6:00

Tuesday
3:00 - 6:00

Saturday morning
9:00 - 12:30

Occasionally our hours vary for vacations, holidays or illness.  We announce those changes as soon as possible on our message answering machine at 503-255-5522.

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When should I start to seek care?

If you suspect you have been injured or have had chronic neck pain, back pain, headache or fatigue, call us now.  If you are hurting three days in a row without real improvement, call us now.  It is best to get a check-up within three weeks after an auto accident or impact injury at work to record any musculo-skeletal damage, even if you are not aching.  Waiting usually just makes things worse, and may put your insurance coverage at risk. 

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How long do appointments take?

Appointments usually take about twenty minutes.  However, your first visit may take as much as 2 1/2 hours, which might include a thorough case history, consultation, exam, x-rays, evaluation, treatment and therapy.

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Can I bring my children with me?

Children and babies are welcome in our office.  Our staff are happy to entertain them while you are with the doctor.  If you are concerned about any of their health problems, be sure to ask the doctor about it.  He can often help.

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How long will I have to receive chiropractic treatment?

We can give you a fairly reliable estimate after you have been examined.  Your speed of recovery depends on the seriousness of your current condition, the speed with which your body responds to treatment, how well you follow directions in keeping a healthy lifestyle, your own knowledge of how to avoid further injury and the level of stress in your life.

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Will I have to keep seeing a chiropractor for the rest of my life?

Probably not.  Some conditions do require ongoing care.  Many patients, though, after completing their care programs, remain problem-free for years or decades without seeing the chiropractor.  Once you have reached a state of good health, just as physicians and dentists recommend regular checkups, so do chiropractors.  We think that major health disasters can be prevented when problems are detected early and handled or reversed.

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What if my back is killing me and you're not open?

Pain and swelling can be relieved by rest, ice, compression and elevation.  Try those first, with over-the-counter pain medication if needed.  If those do not offer enough relief until an appointment can be made, you should present yourself to an emergency room.

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