If you’ve never been to a chiropractor’s office before, part of the reluctance to make your first visit may simply be the fact that you don’t have a clear idea of what to expect. This piece will shed some light on that, and help to demystify the process.
Your first visit is actually going to be quite similar to the initial visit to any doctor’s office. There are a few forms to fill out, including some data sheets that ask questions about your medical history, and any complaints you may be having now. Are you in pain now? If so, where? With charts and diagrams so you can point to the impacted areas and trouble spots, and augment that with written descriptions.
Once the paperwork is attended to, then comes the physical examination. Here, things begin to veer a bit from what you would see at a “regular” doctor’s office, because this exam will be centered on your spin and the overall alignment of your musculoskeletal system. X-rays will probably be taken, as these will enable the chiropractor and their staff to get an inside look at the soft tissue and the exact configuration (and potential damage) to your bones. For instance, if you have been in a car accident and are suffering back pain, the X-rays may reveal jagged edges on the discs of your spinal column, which are exacerbating the pain you’re feeling.
Once the initial examination has been completed, the chiropractor can begin custom-designing a treatment plan based on the findings of the exam. There are a variety of treatment options at the chiropractor’s disposal, but the most common are electro-stimulation, low-impact exercises, therapeutic massage, and of course, the “adjustments” that chiropractors are so known for.
That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? The bottom line is that a trip to the chiropractor’s office is a lot like a visit to any doctor’s office, and can be the thing that puts you on the short path to reducing and ultimately eliminating whatever pain you’re suffering from.
