Chiropractor is usually amongst the last resort medicine man to be visited
when all other forms of treatment have failed. The first time visitors are
surprised to find the treatment to be far less painful when compared to all that
they have already gone through. This is when they realize that a chiropractor
addresses the body as a whole and not the spinal cord alone.
The first visit to a chiropractor takes longer because he/she will want to
know all about any medical conditions you have so as to know what form of
treatment would be best for you. There will be forms to fill out. The
chiropractor will review these sheets before you enter the office and he/she may
have some further questions to ask you about information you provided. For
the immediate problem you are having the doctor will ask you specific questions
such as:
When did your pain start?
Where is the pain located?
Any specific activities or motions that make the pain worse or better?
Is there any injury in the background causing the pain? Etc.
This is followed by a through medical examination which is quite detailed.
This is not your run of the mill process but here besides the regular such as
blood pressure, pulse and temperature there would be neurological and orthopedic
examinations of the body part having pain. Like in the case of spine these tests
would be done for the spine. You would also be checked up for muscle tone,
motion and strength in the painful region. The doctor could have other
chiropractic tests done to arrive at the diagnosis. But don't worry these are
essential to take the right decision.
Once the problem is understood, the chiropractor will determine if the
condition will respond to chiropractic care. He/She will explain the condition
from which you are suffering and the chiropractic treatment plan that will be
used as well as how long these treatments may take. The frequency of visits
varies you may only need one treatment or your condition may require regular
treatment such as 2 or 3 times per week over a period of weeks or even months.
The seriousness of your condition or the amount of pain you are in determines
this frequency of chiropractic care. The intent is to lessen the pain so that
you can perform your normal daily routine and to stabilize your problem.
At your first instance of chiropractic treatment you may require an
adjustment to be made to your vertebrae to regularize movement or induce
movement. In this adjustment, pressure is applied to your spine either through
hands or through a device. This process has very little or almost no pain
associated with it. But there are chances of discomfort for a few seconds.
In chiropractic treatment the X-rays and MRI's are important to gauge the
true condition of the patient on the inside. If you have any old scans etc
please do show them to the concerned doctor.
Most, but not all insurance covers chiropractic care. You can call and get
your chiropractic coverage before you go in. Or most chiropractic offices will
call and find out your coverage for you.
Many who go to a chiropractor once get such relief, that for future problems
they go to the chiropractor first.
