Chiropractic care is a popular form of pain treatment for conditions like sciatica and lower back or neck pain, but if you’re not familiar with it, you can feel skeptical and uncertain about going to a chiropractor. No need to feel that way anymore–we lay out what you can expect at your first chiropractic visit.
For some people, an interview with a chiropractor before a visit may be helpful, so that you can ask questions about the chiropractor’s expertise and qualifications, approach and philosophy, and what you’re hoping to get out of chiropractic care. Your first visit to the chiropractor may last as long as 45 minutes, and it will involve going through your medical history and a thorough chiropractic exam.
Before you see the chiropractor, you will have to fill out forms that will give him or her background information on your symptoms and condition. There will also likely be forms that go over your family medical history, any pre-existing conditions you may have, prior injuries, and any other treatments you’ve tried or are currently undergoing for the issue.
After filling out all your information, the chiropractor will perform a chiropractic exam. During this exam, they will check standard things like your blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and reflexes. They’ll also likely use other tests to look at the range of motion for the body part affected, your muscle tone, your muscle strength, and your neurological integrity (your brain and nervous system’s function). The chiropractor may also ask you to move in certain ways and/or analyze your posture or motion of the affected body part.
Based on the information you gave the chiropractor and the findings of his or her exam, they may also perform some diagnostic studies on you. These would include things like an x-ray, MRI scan, or other imaging studies.
After examining you, looking at your information, and looking at the results of any diagnostic studies performed, your chiropractor will give you a diagnosis. Depending on the diagnosis, your condition may or may not respond to chiropractic care based on fractures, tumors, or infections. If the chiropractor believes that it will respond to his or her care, they will give you an individualized treatment plan and an amount of time they think the treatment plan will take.
Appointments after your initial visit usually won’t be as long (15-20 minutes), and they will involve aspects of your treatment plan. These may involve things like spinal manipulation, manual manipulation, and/or mobilization of muscles and joints.
For more information, contact OneSource Healthcare at 229-439-1950 (Albany) or 229-246-6417 (Bainbridge).