Your First Visit To Be Chiropractic – What To Expect
Many new patients are unsure about what to expect when visiting the chiropractor for the first time. Visiting a chiropractor in many ways is similar to when you visit other healthcare providers like your GP or dentist. The office setting and intake procedure may be familiar to you but the chiropractic treatment rooms and consultation may be a little new to you. If you’re considering visiting a chiropractor for the first time, the following questions may help!
What Should I Do Before My Consultation?
In preparing for your first visit to the chiropractor it can be helpful to consider the following points:
- Put the date and time of your appointment in your calendar. This will help organize your schedule and ensure that you don’t forget about your appointment. At Be Well Chiropractic you will also get a text reminder the day before your appointment.
- During your consultation the chiropractor may ask you to perform specific movements to assess how your joints are functioning. Try to avoid wearing restrictive clothing or excessive layers of clothing that might make it more difficult for you to move around and be assessed by the chiropractor. Yoga pants, leggings, running shorts etc can be good options, but at the end of the day wear whatever will make you feel comfortable.
- Try to get to your appointment at least 15min early. This will give you adequate time to complete your initial paperwork, help the chiropractor to stay on schedule and maximize their time with you.
How Long Is My First Visit with the Chiropractor?
Your first visitis usually longer than a regular follow up consultation. At Be Well Kingaroy Chiropractic new patient chiropractic consultations go for roughly 30min.
What Will My First Chiropractic Visit Involve?
Your chiropractor will call your name after reviewing your paperwork and direct you to the consultation room. The first thing your chiropractor will do is complete a thorough history and ask you questions about your complaints and medical history. This will help them get a better picture of your overall health situation. Your chiropractor will then conduct a thorough physical exam where they will assess your area of complaint.
Your physical exam may include:
- Postural analysis
- Range of motion testing
- Muscle testing
- Orthopedic/functional testing
- Neurological examination
If necessary, the chiropractor may refer you for further testing or imaging if they feel that it is clinically warranted.
What Is the Treatment Process?
After conducting your history and physical exam, the chiropractor will determine what the best course of action is regarding the treatment of your complaint.The treatment you receive will be based on your specific presentation and what the chiropractor found during your examination. Chiropractors are most commonly known for spinal manipulation therapy or chiropractic adjustments where they apply a high velocity low amplitude thrust to a joint to help improve range of motion and help the muscles to relax. There are a number of other tools the chiropractor may use to address joint and soft tissue dysfunction. Each chiropractic technique or procedure will be explained to you and your chiropractor will get you consent and make sure you are happy to receive the treatment.
Our chiropractors are experienced in a number of treatment techniques and are happy to modify their approach to suit your preferences.
After your treatment and at the conclusion of your consultation, your chiropractor will schedule a report of findings with you to discuss your history/examination findings and determine the best course of treatment for your complaint. This will also give the chiropractor the opportunity to get feedback from you on how your initial consultation went and how your body has responded.
For more information check out our “Frequently Asked Questions“
Book An Appointment Today!
At Be Well Chiropractic, your health is our number one priority. If you’re living in pain and are ready to take control of your health, our chiropractors are here to help. You can book a consultation online or call us on (07) 5221 5020.
Happier, Healthier, More Active Lives!
Follow us on our Facebook page.