Initial Examination by a Chiropractor
The first time you see a chiropractor you may be unsure of what to expect. Though there are different schools of thought in chiropractic, the general aim of consultation is the same – to find the main cause of your condition in order to treat it and, hopefully, resolve it.
The Initial Examination
When you visit a chiropractor for your first examination the goal will be to discover the root of the problem. You might go in with back pain that you’ve experienced for years, and they will examine you in order to possibly discover where in the body your problem is coming from, and what you might be doing to aggravate that problem. The Chiropractor will have the time to fully investigate your symptoms and underlying problems.
Chiropractic examinations may vary from practice to practice, but this will usually include a hands-on examination a well as orthopaedic tests and possibly x-rays. The chiropractor will want to watch you perform certain movements whilst constantly examining your spine for ranges of movement and how easily they are performed.
During the examination, do not be surprised if the chiropractor looks at your whole spine. Even if your pain is very specific, most chiropractors work on the whole spine which they believed to be linked. As such they will not make their decision until they have looked at all possible causes of the problem.
Developing A Treatment Plan
Once a chiropractor has performed the initial examination they will then investigate your problem further to determine firstly whether treatment is possible, and secondly what treatment will work best for you. This will be based on the results of your initial examination, combined with a detailed medical history, which will include important pieces of information about your lifestyle.
Chiropractor’s will give priority to your initial diagnosis to ensure that there are no serious underlying conditions that may require immediate treatment. However, usually they will find a problem that is within their realm of treatment.
What Kind of Problems Can Chiropractors Treat?
Chiropractors are not just there to treat back pain. They can, in fact, treat a wide range of conditions resulting from the nervous system. A large number of chiropractic treatments are related to sports injuries, though they will also assess your lifestyle and recommend changes in diet, exercise, posture and so on. The most typical chiropractic treatments are ‘adjustments’, normally given in the course of a few days. However, adjustment is often combined with various other treatment.
Conclusion
During your initial consultation you may be surprised about how much a chiropractor can tell you about your condition. However, it may also take a little longer to get to the bottom of the problem. The good news is that the chiropractor will let you know the status of your treatment as soon as possible, allowing you to plan for further visits or alternative treatments if required.
