Receiving Chiropractic Care
How will I know when I need to see a chiropractor?
Well, there are several reasons why you need chiropractic care. The obvious one is that if you have pain, you're walking in distortion, therefore the body isn't working together as a synchronized whole to create energy-efficient strain-free motion, which means you have a disability somewhere that's physical in nature. Those are the primary reasons why people seek chiropractic care. However, perhaps an even more important reason to see a chiropractor is when you're feeling good, and you want to continue to feel good, and you seek proactive wellness care to identify those things that are invisible in the body that, if not addressed, can ultimately express themselves in some form of physical disability that takes twice as long and twice as much time and effort to get well from than it did if you were involved in a chiropractic wellness program.
How do I find a good chiropractor?
Well, the best way to find a chiropractor that suits your needs is by direct referral. You find someone that's had a similar experience to what you expect and would like to have, and if there is no one that is available to do that, you can also check with the American Chiropractor Association or the International Chiropractor Association. There are also other agencies that you can look into, but by far, a direct referral is the best.
What can I expect on my first visit to a chiropractor?
The general course of events on a first visit is the patient fills out some paper forms, generally dealing with history. The past history of illness, the past history of injury, which are relevant to the chiropractor. The chiropractor then reviews that information. Once he does that the patient and the doctor get together. They have a thurough discussion about the patients history and relevant gaps that were not contained on the forms and are then filled in by the doctor. At that point then a physical examination is done to see where the areas of disability are in the patient and to find those essential details that help give a rational basis for the patients complaint and reason for the patients care. At the end of the examination the doctor may decide to do some special tests such as M.R.I, CAT scan, X-ray or blood tests that would further develop and confirm his diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been made the doctor then creates a treatment of care proposal that he gives to a patient and the reported findings that appoint that the patient and doctor get on with the job of getting the person well and keeping him well.
How will a chiropractor make an assessment of my condition?
The methodology for determining what the treatment regimen will be is determined based upon the history and supported by findings on a physical examination that are then correlated with special tests that may need to be done such as CAT scan, MRI, X-ray or blood tests.And at that point, the doctor has a fairly conclusive grasp of what the nature of the condition is and then he provides the patient with the diagnosis and a report of findings that outlines the course of care that he proposes to the patient.
What is a chiropractic "joint adjustment"?
Chiropractic joint adjustment can be to any joint in the body, but most commonly to the spine. Joint adjustment of the spin is when the hands are placed gently along the spine and gentle pressure is applied. What that does is restore the normal range of motion to the joint, which lessens the muscle tension in the area. Joint adjustment in turn reduces pain and allows the patient to move more freely and with less energy expenditure.
Do chiropractic adjustments ever hurt?
When a chiropractic adjustment is properly administered on a person in good health; chiropractic adjustments never hurt. However, there are rare occasions when a person, as a result of an injury that may not have healed correctly or properly, presents and gets adjusted, there may be some slight soreness associated with return of fibers tissue back to normal which is actually a good thing where there may be some temporary soreness but its certainly not long lasting. It's not considered pathologic, its actually something that needs to happen.
Are all chiropractic procedures safe?
A chiropractor is a highly trained and highly skilled doctor, and when chiropractic care is properly administered, there are no harmful effects and it is safe. When the right history has been done, the right physical examination has been done, the correct diagnosis is achieved and the right treatment options have been chosen, there's virtually no downside risk to chiropractic care.
Does chiropractic treatment only involve in-office procedures?
Chiropractic care involves a variety of different responsibilities. It's the chiropractic doctor's responsibility to do for the patient what they can't do for themselves, and to give the patient the guidelines for the things that the patient has to do for themselves outside of the office. This includes exercise, stretching, regular vacations and changes in lifestyle.
How will I know if my chiropractor is not doing a good job?
The most important aspect of the initial visit is to make sure that the doctor and the patient have thoroughly discussed the nature of the treatment protocols recommended, so there is a pacing and a timeline to get from point A to point B. And if along that timeline, a patient ever feels like things are going a little bit slower than they should, then they should first ask the chiropractor whether or not the chiropractor feels that they're on pace. And if they're not satisfied with the quality of care that they have received, then it's prudent to get a second opinion.
Do chiropractors and medical doctors ever work as a team to heal patients?
There are certain instances where chiropractors and medical doctors work together as a team to be able to accommodate the health care needs of the patient. For example, a patient comes in with a broken leg, they go to the orthopedist, they have the leg set. The chiropractor then takes care of the rest of the body while the leg is healing because anytime you have a leg that isn't moving or an arm that isn't moving, it puts a lot of stress and strain into the body it creates a lot of secondary pain in locations the chiropractor is more than qualified to be able to deal with. Then as the patient gets well, they come out of the cast and the chiropractor can then take over with the rest of the rehabilitation from the broken limb.
What if I feel worse after a trip to the chiropractor?
When chiropractic care is proporly administered, the risk of having pain is virtually non- existant. However, there are those rare occasions where a patient may feel worse with a little bit of soreness which usually just fades within twelve to twenty-four hours. However, if it seems like it's extending out a little bit too long and gets worse, the patient should always call and discuss the condition with their chiropractor.
How can I avoid having to see a chiropractor?
There's a variety of reasons why people come to see a chiropractor. Number one, for pain. Number two, it may be to recover from an injury more quickly. And most importantly, perhaps, for wellness care. The things that a patient can do to minimize the number of visits to a chiropractor is to make sure that they do everything the chiropractor asks them to do at home; including stretching, strengthening, regular exercise, eat a good diet, take your supplements, get enough rest, and take periodic vacations.