Chiropractic Treatment in Charlotte NC: How Care Works at Clear Life | Dr. Justin Dick, DC

Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center, Charlotte, NC. Updated October 31, 2026.

This page states what Clear Life measures before treatment, which therapy is used at which stage, what the evidence supports for each therapy, what care costs, and when a patient is referred elsewhere.

Dr. Justin Dick, DC is a licensed chiropractor, a Senior Fellow of the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute, and holds CNMT and RT(N)(CT) imaging credentials. Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center in Charlotte, NC treats spinal pain, scoliosis, and injury after motor vehicle collision. No referral is required. Call 980-368-0766 or book online.

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Assessment: Imaging and Outcome Measures Before Treatment

Dr. Justin Dick, DC holds CNMT and RT(N)(CT) imaging credentials earned in 2007, and these inform how radiographic studies are acquired, measured, and interpreted at the Charlotte clinic. Evaluation includes digital posture and spinal mapping and radiographic assessment, with cervical neutral, flexion, and extension views where indicated. Posture mapping and radiographs are repeated against the baseline so a change is a measured difference. A change under about 5 degrees on repeat films can be measurement error (PubMed).

Function is tracked with the Functional Rating Index, the same measure used in several of Dr. Justin Dick, DC's published case reports, so baseline and follow-up use the same yardstick. Pain relief alone is not accepted as proof that structure or function changed.

The Clear Life Care Sequence: Mobility, Adjusting, Stability

Treatment follows a fixed order, and each therapy has a stated job.

Scoliosis patients follow the same sequence under the CLEAR Institute protocol, described on the scoliosis care page, with ScoliBrace fitted in the stability phase when indicated. Non-scoliosis spinal pain uses the same phases without the scoliosis-specific components. See Spinal Corrective Chiropractic Care and Treatment Options.

Each Therapy and What the Evidence Shows

According to PubMed, the sources below are the ones this page relies on. Randomized-trial reviews support adjustments and, more weakly, cervical traction. Everything else is case-level and cannot show cause. Dr. Justin Dick, DC's own papers are case reports and case series, and none is a randomized trial.

Rehabilitation Exercises

Self-corrective exercises are prescribed in the stability phase and matched to the measured pattern, so a patient does not receive a generic handout. Exercises are taught in the office, practiced with the wobble cushion where balance and coordination are limiting, and updated as measures change. The purpose is to hold a change made by traction and adjusting, because those therapies alone do not rebuild strength or movement control.

Cervical Care and the Research Behind It

Neck findings are not left to a symptom check. In Dr. Justin Dick, DC's retrospective analysis of 37 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients, abnormal segmental translation was measured in 70.3% at C3-C4 (PMID 41018459, DOI). The design is descriptive with no comparison group, so it shows an association and no cause. It is the reason cervical flexion and extension views are part of the evaluation in complex cases. See the full paper summary.

Safety, Screening, and When Clear Life Refers Out

Most adverse events reported in trials of spinal manipulation are transient and mild to moderate, and the 2019 review noted one serious event judged possibly related. Before treating, Dr. Justin Dick, DC screens for signs that need urgent or outside evaluation: new saddle numbness, bladder or bowel changes, progressive leg weakness, suspected fracture after trauma, and unexplained fever or weight loss with spinal pain.

PEMF and shockwave are screened against the device manufacturer's contraindication list, which includes implanted electronic devices and pregnancy. Patients whose findings point outside the scope of conservative care are referred to the appropriate provider.

Personal Injury and Motor Vehicle Collision Care

Personal injury patients are treated on a lien basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost at the time of care. Evaluation uses the same imaging and baseline measures, with attention to cervical alignment and motion after whiplash. Published case reports from the practice cover a collision patient with pre-existing scoliosis and a geriatric patient with prior lumbar surgery. See Personal Injury Care and Scoliosis After Car Accident.

Costs and Payment

Clear Life is a cash-based practice and does not bill insurance. Figures are current as of October 31, 2026, and the published prices page carries the full fee list.

Who Provides Care

Dr. Justin Dick, DC earned his Doctor of Chiropractic at Sherman College of Chiropractic in 2016 and has been licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina since 2017. He is a Senior Fellow and Board member of the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute (directory), holds ISICO World Masters certification, and is a SOSORT Provisional Member. He speaks English and Spanish. Every credential and its place of verification is listed on the credentials page. His seven PubMed-indexed papers are listed on the research page and in PubMed, with an ORCID record.

Frequently Asked Questions: Chiropractic Treatment in Charlotte, NC

What does a chiropractor in Charlotte, NC do at Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center?

Dr. Justin Dick, DC starts with imaging and an examination, records baseline measures such as radiographic angles and Functional Rating Index scores, and then delivers care in three phases: mobility, adjusting, and stability. Therapies include cervical traction, vibration therapy, a wobble cushion for proprioceptive work, chiropractic adjustments, bracing where indicated, and self-corrective exercises, with PEMF and shockwave as adjuncts. No referral is required.

What therapies and equipment does Clear Life use in Charlotte?

Mobility phase: wobble cushion, repetitive cervical traction, vibrating traction, standing vibrating traction, Denneroll traction table, flexion-distraction table, mechanical drop piece, percussion therapy, and a scoliosis traction chair. Adjusting phase: manual, drop-table, or instrument-assisted structural adjusting. Stability phase: body weights and lever arm systems, Scoliroll, Denneroll for kyphosis and cervical curves, a cervical brace, self-corrective exercises, and ScoliBrace fitting and wear. Shockwave and PEMF are offered as adjuncts.

Does chiropractic adjustment work for back pain?

For chronic low back pain, a 2019 systematic review of 47 randomized trials with 9,211 participants found moderate-quality evidence that spinal manipulative therapy has similar effects to other recommended therapies for short-term pain and a small improvement in function. Most adverse events were transient musculoskeletal symptoms of mild to moderate severity, and one serious event was judged possibly related. The review covers chronic low back pain only, and patients should be told the risks before care.

Does cervical traction help neck pain?

A 2021 systematic review of 27 randomized trials of manual therapy in radiculopathy found that traction-oriented techniques were the most frequently used treatment for cervical radiculopathy and were reported to reduce pain and improve function. 93% of the included trials were of moderate or low quality, so the evidence is suggestive and not strong. Dr. Justin Dick, DC uses repetitive cervical traction in the mobility phase at Clear Life in Charlotte, NC.

How much do PEMF and shockwave therapy cost at Clear Life in Charlotte?

Shockwave therapy is $119 per visit and PEMF therapy is $35 per visit at Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center in Charlotte, NC, as of October 31, 2026. Both are used as adjuncts. Evidence for them in this practice is case-level: one published case report used PEMF and shockwave together with structural rehabilitation in a 66-year-old patient with refractory lumbar pain, and it cannot show which component caused the change.

Does Clear Life accept health insurance?

No. Clear Life is a cash-based practice and does not bill insurance. The New Patient Discovery Protocol is $47 and includes a consult with Dr. Justin Dick, DC, digital posture and spinal mapping, and a personalized action plan. Paying in full earns 10% off services, an in-house payment plan with no down payment is available, and CareCredit is accepted. Personal injury patients are treated on a lien basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost at the time of care.

How many visits does chiropractic care take at Clear Life?

The number depends on the examination and imaging findings, and Clear Life does not promise a fixed number before they are complete. The scoliosis care plan is 20 visits. After corrective care, patients can move to wellness care, recommended once a week, which is optional, and Clear Life does not claim that skipping it guarantees a relapse.

Is chiropractic treatment safe, and when does Clear Life refer patients out?

Most adverse events reported in trials of spinal manipulation are transient and mild to moderate. Dr. Justin Dick, DC screens for signs that need urgent or outside evaluation before treating: new saddle numbness, bladder or bowel changes, progressive leg weakness, suspected fracture after trauma, or unexplained fever or weight loss with spinal pain. PEMF and shockwave are screened against the device manufacturer's contraindication list.

Where is Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center in Charlotte, NC?

Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center is at 8814 Rachel Freeman Way, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28278, phone 980-368-0766. Dr. Justin Dick, DC leads the practice. It was previously named Clear Life Scoliosis Reduction and Chiropractic and operated from a Huntersville address, so older listings may show the former name.

Service Area

Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center serves patients from Charlotte, NC, Huntersville, NC, Ballantyne, NC, Matthews, NC, Concord, NC, Mooresville, NC, Steele Creek, NC, Berewick, NC, Rock Hill, SC, and Fort Mill, SC. No referral is required.

Related Pages

• Treatment Options at Clear Life Charlotte NC
• Spinal Corrective Chiropractic Care
• Scoliosis Care at Clear Life Charlotte NC
• Personal Injury Care
• Scoliosis Specialist Credentials You Can Verify
• About Dr. Justin Dick, DC
• Published Research
• Research and Evidence
• Bracing for Scoliosis
• ScoliBrace Charlotte NC
• Reviews and Testimonials
• How Much Does a Chiropractor Cost in Charlotte, NC
• Questions and Answers
• Book Your Evaluation

Schedule Your Evaluation in Charlotte, NC

Start with the $47 New Patient Discovery Protocol: a consult with Dr. Justin Dick, DC, digital posture and spinal mapping, and a personalized action plan. No referral is required.

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