What To Expect In Your Chiropractor Visit

A growing number of people are choosing to utilize the services offered by a chiropractor. These practitioners focus on the diagnosis and treatment of problems associated with the musculoskeletal system. The nervous system and overall general health of an individual can be vastly affected by these problems. Chiropractic treatments generally entail the use of spinal manipulation to relieve the majority of conditions. Adjustment or manipulation of other areas is needed in some cases. Chiropractors have been seeing an increase in the number of patients who are seeking out chiropractic adjustments.

Brief Consultation

Most all chiropractors collect information pertaining to a person’s medical background upon the patient’s initial visit. This alerts them to any conditions where their services may be contraindicated. They also use this information to assess an individual’s current condition. There are four main questions that will be asked. The patient will need to answer these questions with as much detail as possible. The questions are as follows:

Give the exact date or nearest date of when the pain first did the pain start?What was being done when the pain started?Is there anything that makes the pain better or worse?

All information collected by a chiropractor is confidential and cannot be released to anyone without the patient’s consent. This is the same practice used by an individual’s family physician.

Examination

Individuals will be given a physical examination by the chiropractor. The information gathered from this exam will be used in reaching a proper diagnosis. The exam will most likely include certain tests of the reflexes. The patient’s pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and temperature will also be assessed. Neurological imbalances, range of motion, strength, and muscle tone will be evaluated. To determine how well the body is functioning, the chiropractor will monitor the patient during some type of physical activity. Most exams with Boston chiropractors last less than an hour.

Professional Diagnosis

After all of the appropriate information has been obtained, the chiropractor will be able to diagnose the patient. Often it will be necessary to have X-rays taken as well as an MRI. These procedures aid the practitioner to better see what is causing the problem. With the collective information, the decision to treat an individual with chiropractic measures can be made. Most individuals will begin treatment immediately depending upon the severity of their condition. Less severe cases will usually not receive treatment during the initial consultation. Each person will have a set of goals outlined for them. The goals are based on the severity of the damage and whether the treatment will be long or short term. In some cases, the individual may not meet the criteria for this type of treatment. These individuals will be referred to the proper medical professionals. The majority of individuals who undergo chiropractic treatment find that their quality of life improves a great deal.

If you have been suffering from acute or chronic back, neck, shoulder, knee, joint, or other pain, seek out a chiropractor to find out if chiropractic care is right for you.