Getting regular chiropractic care will help your body get a full system recovery, and will immensely improve your life. But before you become a patient, you must have your first visit to determine what the cause of your health condition is. Chiropractic treats the cause of the condition and to find the cause we start with an examination.  All great journeys start with that one little step.

It’s always better to wear comfortable clothes, so as to avoid unnecessary discomfort for you during your physical tests and examination. Many times as a new patient we will have you change into a gown to better evaluate your spine and or extremities.  If this is necessary which makes the above not an issue, but you might feel uncomfortable in a patient gown if you happen to not be wearing any undergarments. so plan accordingly.  If you do not wish to change you may bring shorts and or a t-shirt to change into. This may be a good idea because for instance, if you have a knee or leg injury, don’t wear a mini-skirt, because you will have to raise and/or bend your knees or legs. Don’t give yourself any reason to feel awkward during your examination, because it might interfere with the chiropractor being able to do a proper examination.

You will be asked to fill out your personal and insurance information on the patient intake forms. You will be asked about the nature of your visit, and your health history, including the doctors you have seen for your current condition prior to your visit. You will also have to fill out a survey type form, asking more specific questions about your condition, as well as your daily activities, and your home and occupational settings.

This information about your current and past conditions will better enable the chiropractic doctor to evaluate and determine the possible cause of your condition, thus arriving at a better selection of what chiropractic method to use. We will email you a link to download the forms or you can download them here on the forms tab of the website.

The physical exam is a thorough process wherein your vital signs, such as height, weight, pulse, blood pressure, etc., will be checked. Your reflexes will be evaluated. Orthopedic and neurological tests will be conducted. The muscle tone, strength, and range of motion of the affected area will be tested. You might also be asked to execute specific movements to determine how well your body performs as it related to flexibility and strength.  We will do a wellness workup and posture photo evaluation as well.

When all the gathered information, including your physical exam, has been evaluated, your doctor will discuss with you her/his diagnosis of your condition and treatment recommendations.  Depending on the examination, you may need to undergo an x-ray exam, MRI, and/or some laboratory tests. You may be recommended to make a follow-up appointment. The severity of your condition and the selected chiropractic method will determine the number of visits you may have to make. Depending on your condition, you may also be recommended to have chiropractic care or another therapy such as massage, acupuncture, laser therapy, rehab exercises, diet and nutritional changes  The doctor will make these recommendations if she thinks it will lead to a faster recovery or allow your body to heal itself better or more completely. Your first visit will be a factor of how long the examination and tests will take. Most patients’ first visits to a chiropractor will usually be about 30 minutes.