First visit to a Chiropractor

When you first sit down in the chiropractor’s clinic, you will be questioned about your lifestyle, medical history and working conditions. These questions are asked in order for the chiropractor to be able to identify what and where the problem(s) may lie as well as being able to ensure they do not damage any part of the body that has previously been operated on or injured.

The chiropractor will also issue you with a pre-treatment thorough examination. This further helps the chiropractors reach an accurate diagnosis. The general tests performed during an examination include the measurement of blood pressure and pulse, listening to the workings of the heat and lungs and sometimes an X-ray. The X-ray is generally done only on the areas of your body where you are experiencing pain or discomfort. After this, it is not uncommon to be given bone and nerve tests, such as a “knee-jerk” test to check your reflexes.


You should expect your first visit to the chiropractor’s office to last around one hour. This allows enough time for detailed questioning, a good and thorough consultation as well as the examination. You should also be prepared to take off certain articles of clothing for some of the examinations or X-rays. If you are uncomfortable in just your underwear, you can probably request a gown to wear over the top.

After your examination, you will have a discussion with your chiropractor that will have taken all the details of the session into consideration. This allows you and your chiropractor to decide on appropriate treatment. This includes the number and frequency of chiropractic sessions you will undergo. You may also be told about certain techniques that will be used on you. You should take a note of these and research them to ensure you feel safe undergoing such methods.

Examination by a chiropractor

Prior to any physical examination by your chiropractor, you will first be questioned about your lifestyle, diet, medical history and psychological/emotional state. Once the appropriate questions have been asked, you may be required to perform a number of simple tasks. These may be to walk, stand or sit down. As well as this, you chiropractor may use a reflex hammer to observe your reflexes so they can carry out a more tailored treatment to you. Sometimes the chiropractor will suggest that you have an x-ray and this may help them reach a conclusive diagnosis.

Consultation

Before undergoing any chiropractic treatment, you must attend a consultation with the chiropractor that will be carrying out your procedure. This, along with your first treatment, should take somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour. This is longer than any subsequent treatments you may have, because time must be allowed for a detailed background information questionnaire to be carried out and well as some consideration and deliberation over how many treatments you may require and how often these should be carried out.

Chiropractic Treatment

You are normally required to lie down while the chiropractor carries out the treatment. You may be manoeuvred into various positions so the chiropractor can best carry out certain techniques to you back and pelvic area. The methods often used here are quick but forceful movements (called dynamic thrusts), which have been developed to try and realign the spine and give it back its optimum mobility. A distinct popping or clicking sound can often identify the dynamic thrusts.

After chiropractic treatment

Normally after the treatment you should be well enough to return back to your day-to-day routine. However, some chiropractors will have a short discussion with you. During this, they may offer advice on exercise programmes for you to undertake that will help in the rehabilitation process. These exercise programmes are individually tailored to you and are designed to help you stay fit and reduce the symptoms you are having chiropractic treatment for. It is greatly believed by numerous chiropractors that this extra exercise will reduce the possibility of the back/neck pain reoccurring as well as decreasing the risk of disability in the future.

As well as recommending exercises to help get the most benefits out of you chiropractic treatment, you chiropractor may also discuss any other problems they may have come across. These conditions may be unrelated to their field of practise or they may just have noticed that chiropractic treatment is not helping relieve symptoms. In these cases, you will probably be referred to a trained medical professional, such as your GP.

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