What to expect on your first visit?
The initial in-office clinical exam generally includes the following 3 areas:
1. Patient History and Symptoms
In preparation for the chiropractic consultation, the patient will be asked to fill out forms that provide background information about their symptoms and condition. Typical questions include:
- When and how did the pain start?
- Where is the pain felt?
- Describe the pain—is it sharp, dull, searing/burning, or throbbing? Does it come and go, or is it continual?
- Did the pain start as a result of an injury?
- What activities/circumstances make it better or worse?
Should you have chiropractic adjustment?
Patients are usually asked to provide information on family medical history, any pre-existing medical conditions or prior injuries, and previous and current treatments provided by other health professionals.
2. The Chiropractic Exam
A thorough chiropractic exam includes general tests, such as:
- Specific orthopedic and neurological tests – Range of motion of the affected body part(s)
- Muscle tone
- Muscle strength
- Reflexes
- Neurological integrity
Further chiropractic tests may be necessary to assess the affected area, such as having the patient move in a specific manner, posture analysis, or assess motion of the affected body part.
3. Diagnostic Studies
Based on the results of the patient’s history and chiropractic exam, diagnostic studies may be helpful in revealing pathologies and identifying structural abnormalities to more accurately diagnose a condition. An x-ray is the most common diagnostic study used during an initial chiropractic exam; an x-ray is used in the chiropractic setting to help:
- Get specific angles of the spine, in order to give a precise adjustment.
- Diagnose a recent trauma.
- Diagnose spondyloarthritis.
- Study a spinal deformity that might progress, such as scoliosis.
While an x-ray can help view the bones, it is not useful for studying the soft tissues. When soft tissue damage is suspected, such as a problem with a disc, torn muscle, or nerve compression, an MRI scan is likely to be recommended.
We can perform x-rays, but an MRI scan and more extensive imaging studies will be referred to an outside center.
Patient Diagnosis after the Chiropractic Exam
Findings from the patient’s history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests will help us to arrive at a specific diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is established, the chiropractor can determine if the condition will respond to chiropractic care, because certain conditions–such as fractures, tumors, or infections–may not be treated with chiropractic methods and typically require a specialist physician’s treatment.
At the end of the patient’s initial visit, the Doctor will typically give at home instructions for spinal support stretches, also if any further studies are required, such as an MRI. And most importantly you will find out if you qualify for treatment or not.
