Chiropractor in North York – Finch West

Chiropractic in North York

Come and see us on Finch. Our North York clinic is at 1275 Finch Avenue West, Suite 206, between Keele and Dufferin, a few minutes from Finch West station and York University. Two Doctors of Chiropractic practise here, Dr. Farah Ashhadi-Somehsaraei and Dr. Derek Mak, alongside physiotherapists, massage therapists, an acupuncturist and an osteopath, and between them most days of the week are covered.

New to this treatment? How chiropractic care works, and when to see a chiropractor rather than a physiotherapist.

Desks, warehouses and lecture halls

Three kinds of spine walk in here. Office workers and students from York University with neck pain, headaches and the ache between the shoulder blades that comes from screens and phones. People from the warehouses, plants and trades around Keele and Finch with low back injuries from lifting and standing, many of them under WSIB. And residents of Downsview, Bathurst Manor and the streets north to Steeles with the everyday problems of a stiff spine. Our chiropractors treat:

• Neck pain, stiffness and headaches that start in the neck
• Low back pain from lifting, standing or sitting, and sciatica once serious causes are ruled out
• Pain between the shoulder blades and around the ribs
• Workplace injuries, inside a WSIB program of care
• Whiplash and other collision injuries, planned with our physiotherapists
• Hip and shoulder problems where the joint is part of the story
• Back and pelvic pain in pregnancy, with adapted techniques

Who should you see first?

North York has a chiropractor, an osteopath and physiotherapists in one clinic. A stiff or locked spinal joint suits chiropractic. Widespread stiffness, or a preference for gentle whole-body treatment, suits osteopathy. Weakness, a sports injury, a work injury with a return-to-work plan, or recovery after surgery suits physiotherapy. Book whichever seems right; everyone assesses first and refers within the clinic, and for a work claim the physiotherapist and chiropractor can share one WSIB program.

What treatment involves

After the assessment, your chiropractor draws on joint manipulation, mobilisation, soft tissue work and exercise, and explains each before using it. You stay clothed and can decline any technique. The exercise between visits matters as much as the treatment on the table, so expect homework. The plan has a goal and an end, not a standing weekly slot.

Your first visit

Forty-five minutes to an hour. History, what you want to get back to, how your spine and the joints around it move, strength and nerve tests where relevant, and screening for anything that needs a doctor first. You leave with a plain-language explanation, a plan with a rough number of visits and something to do at home. Treatment usually starts the same day.

Paying for chiropractic

Chiropractic is not covered by OHIP, but most extended health plans through work cover it to an annual limit, and so do most university student plans, which we bill directly too. We bill most major insurers directly. No HST applies. After a car accident it can be funded through your auto insurance accident benefits when it is part of an approved treatment plan; after a workplace injury it can be part of a WSIB program of care for an allowed claim. Bring your claim number.

Questions we hear in North York

What are your hours? Monday 11am to 7pm, Tuesday to Thursday 10am to 7pm, Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm.

How do I get there by transit? The 36 Finch West bus stops outside and Finch West station on Line 1 is a short ride east. The Finch West LRT runs along Finch as well.

I am a York student. Does my plan cover this? Most student plans cover chiropractic, and we bill many of them directly. Bring your student card and plan details.

Which chiropractor should I choose? Either. Request one by name. Dr. Ashhadi-Somehsaraei also practises at our Vaughan clinic.

Do I need a referral or an X-ray? Neither, usually. Check whether your insurer wants a doctor’s note. Imaging is arranged only when it would change the plan.

Is there parking? Yes, at the building on Finch Avenue West. The clinic is Suite 206 on the second floor.