What Can You Expect from Your Chiropractor Visit?

If you are visiting a chiropractor for the first time, a lot of thoughts might be going through your head about the procedures and diagnosis, but knowing some of the basic facts might help ease your mind. The first visit will cover a basic patient history, some physical examinations, proper diagnostic studies, and — depending on where you stand — a treatment plan. 

In some cases an individual may conduct a phone interview before physically going to the chiropractor to talk over about the chiropractor’s general approach, and discuss the patient’s preferences. When visiting the chiropractor’s office, an in-office exam will be taken which will cover three basic areas — patient history, an exam, and diagnostic studies.  

Patient History
The patient will be asked to fill out forms to disclose background information about themselves and their conditions. It will include questions such as:

• When did the pain begin?
• Where is the pain located?
• Is the pain continuous or does it come and go?
• Describe the pain.
• Was there any injury prior to or after the pain?
• What circumstances make the pain worse or better?

The patient will also have to disclose any family history of illness and his or her previous medical records for reference. 

The Exam
The chiropractic exam will include your most basic tests such as pulse, reflex, blood pressure, and in some cases, neurological and orthopedic tests as well. These include muscle tone and strength, range of motion, neurological integrity, and more. Depending on the patient’s condition, more tests can be carried out such as posture analysis, and having the patient move in certain ways to see how the affected area responds.

Diagnostic Studies
A diagnostic study is not done in every case, and is only done if the chiropractor believes it is required to reveal further information that can help increase the accuracy of the diagnosis. These exams commonly include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans and X-Ray exams. All of this allows the chiropractor to establish a diagnosis and see if the patient’s condition can be cured or helped by chiropractic care. The patient will receive details about their condition, their treatment plan and the duration of it from their chiropractor.

Conclusion
A good chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Mesa, AZ, will help to relieve a patient’s symptoms with the smallest number of treatments possible, and will also help you stay on track by advising you on how to prevent future sciatica or back pain. The patient must be comfortable with their chiropractor so that they can be open with all their questions, as this is a profession that has a large variety of techniques. Unless you specifically open up about your ailment and previous records of it — including previous accidents or occurrences which might play a part in your pain — your chiropractor will never know exactly how to treat you. Without complete disclosure it will become a challenge for your chiropractor to tackle your problems properly. This is why conversing with your chiropractor about the examination and treatment plans is an integral part of the first visit.

Thanks to Lifecare Chiropractic for their insight into what to expect from your first visit to the chiropractor.