In my experience, most people have no idea what to expect when seeing a chiropractor for the first time. Some people expect just to walk in, lay down, get “cracked” and be sent on their way. Although some chiropractic offices work in this way, Apex Chiropractic is different. At Apex, we take our time to figure out exactly what is bringing the patient into the office. We conduct a thorough history and exam, and take any necessary x-rays, before treating a patient for the first time. Our goal is not just to get a patient out of pain as fast as possible, but to also keep them out of pain for a long time. In this post, we will discuss what to expect when visiting Apex for the first time.
The First Visit
As a new patient at Apex Chiropractic, we like to take this time to get to know the patient and to find out the reason they are coming in. The first thing a new patient should do is fill out an intake form, either online or in the office. This gives the doctors an idea of what is bringing the patient into the office. After checking in and turning in the necessary paperwork, a doctor will take the patient into the exam room to perform a detailed history during the consultation. This can give the provider the necessary information to formulate a diagnosis and to see if there are any complications that may keep them from being treated. The history is one of the most important aspects of any visit to a medical professional’s facility. After the history, the doctor will perform a physical exam on the patient. The point of the exam is to locate the problem and further confirm the diagnosis made from the history. During the exam, the doctor will touch the area where the patient is feeling pain, have the patient perform range of motion of the spine and perform orthopedic tests. The objective of the orthopedic tests is to recreate the patient’s pain, which helps confirm the doctor’s diagnosis. The last thing that will be performed will be x-rays. Taking x-rays allows the doctor to see the actual structure of the spine. At Apex Chiropractic, we make precise measurements on the x-rays in order to determine which areas of the spine are misaligned, and thus need to be adjusted and then adjust based on what we find on x-rays. This separates us from many other chiropractic offices.
Why Are Exam and X-rays Important?
The history, exam, and x-rays can reveal more than just a diagnosis. Another important reason we take these steps at Apex Chiropractic is to make sure there are no contraindications to our treatment. A contraindication is usually a symptom or condition that would make it unsafe for them to be treated. When it comes to chiropractic care the main form of treatment is an adjustment. When it comes to receiving an adjustment there are contraindications that a provider should be aware of. Some of these include but are not limited to:
- Fractures of the spine
- Arthritic Conditions (some not all)
- Cancer of spine or bones
- Spinal infections
- Severe Osteoporosis
Some chiropractors do not spend enough time with the history or exam which can do more harm than good for the patient. Especially if they did not catch any of the contraindications the patient might have. At Apex Chiropractic, we always make sure there are no contraindications present before we start any form of treatment on a patient by taking a detailed history and exam followed by a series of x-rays.
Report of Findings
Following the consultation, exam and x-rays, the patient is usually advised to come back another day to review the results and recommended treatment plan. This is commonly known as the report of findings. During the report of findings, the doctor will review their diagnosis with the patient. This is done by reviewing the history, exam and going over the x-rays that were taken. This way the patient is able to see what is going on and what needs to be corrected to alleviate their symptoms as much as possible. After going over the exam and x-rays, the doctor will sit down with the patient to go over the recommended treatment plan. The treatment plan is designed to correct the patient’s problem as much as possible. This includes the frequency of visits over a period of time, the treatments that will be performed, and what to expect when it comes to finances, including what may be covered by insurance. Once all of this is complete, we move onto treatment.
Although some people expect one adjustment to fix all of their problems, chiropractic care usually doesn’t work in that way. In most cases, patients are advised to be treated multiple times a week for the first few weeks. This allows for the fastest path to recovery. Initial adjustments are very similar to going to the gym or dieting. You can’t work out one time, or eat one salad and expect to lose weight, right?
At Apex Chiropractic, these first two visits usually take about 45 minutes. This is to ensure that we have found the root cause of the problem, and taken time to explain to the patient what their problem is and what to expect for treatment. After the first two visits, patients should expect appointments to last only 15-30 minutes, depending on their specific treatments.
If you or someone you know can benefit from chiropractic care feel free to call our office to make an appointment or you can schedule online. If you have any questions please leave them below and we will be sure to answer them.