When you come for your first visit our goal is to get to know you and your health as fully as possible. This is so we can offer you the best possible care and get you on your healing journey. Our practice is a beautiful healing space where you can expect to feel welcome and listened to. The process involves 5 parts:
The consult (first visit)
The first visit stage involves a consultation whereby the chiropractor will ask you about your reasons for coming, the nature of your pain or injury, what your goals are that you are looking to achieve, and some questions about your general health and health history. For example, old injuries and accidents in the past are often brushed off as inconsequential, but many times they are an important link in why your current pain has come about. A good medical history can provide important insights as to where the problem may be coming from, and why it has come about in the first place.
THE CONSULTATION
A thorough case history of your current complaint, previous health and medical history can be vital to get to the root of your pain and dysfunction
The initial session Assessment
After our consultation together, we will do a physical assessment on the first visit. Typically this involves assessing the body with orthopaedic tests (the joints and soft tissues) and neurological tests (the nerves that control the body). The former includes the posture, the movement patterns of the spine and other joints, the range of motion of joints and feeling for painful areas in the joints and muscles. The neurological assessment looks at how well the nerves are functioning. This includes reflexes, testing the muscle strength and sometimes the tracking of the eyes. The chiropractic assessment that we use in our protocols is very thorough and precise, and we use them as indicators pre- and post adjustment. The goal is to clearly identify the patterns of restriction in the body and the pattern of neurological interference.
The Findings
During and after the physical assessment we will explain what we are looking for, what the tests show, and what we can do about it to get your better. This is called a report of findings. We will explain our diagnosis, why the problem has come about, and how the treatment process will look. We will recommend a course of care based on the consult and assessment, and we can address any questions you may have at this point.
The treatment on the first appointment
After the report of findings we can commence treatment in the first visit. In chiropractic we call this an adjustment. Our technique uses gentle pressure, so you don’t need to be concerned about the adjustment being painful. The most important aspect of recovery is making sure we are addressing the primary area, because some painful areas will be secondary or compensatory symptoms. Once we find the primary area, a gentle precise approach is far superior to using heavy force. Read more about our techniques in our blog. NIP, SOT, CFD.
After the treatment
Immediately after the adjustment we will assess the spine and other joints involved to check for change. You should feel a change already, particularly in the range of motion of the neck and pelvis, and how the muscles change from being weak to being strong(er). The pain levels may not change immediately, since the process of healing takes time, but objective changes we expect to see and measure on every visit. After the adjustment we will discuss the treatment plan and arrange the subsequent visits that suit you.
Tips for helping the healing process
After your chiropractic adjustment has taken place, there are a few things you can do to aid in the healing process. After your adjustment, go for a 10 minute walk to move your spine and joints in a natural way and encourage good movement. This helps to reinforce the changes we have just made in the treatment and provides good neurological feedback for the brain. Drink plenty of good quality water to keep your brain and body well hydrated. Most importantly, help your mental health by being aware of stressful or unhelpful thoughts, and connect with your breath to aid in relaxation and awareness.