What happens when you first visit a chiropractor?
When you first visit a chiropractor, a case history will be taken.
Details of your complaint are taken, but also questions will be asked about your general medical history to check whether you have any other problems which may affect your condition and subsequent treatment.
Your chiropractor will then examine you, paying particular attention to your neuromusculoskeletal system (nerves, muscles and joints).
Other areas may also be examined to rule out other causes (such as the abdomen, your blood pressure etc): this thorough check-up is a normal procedure in a chiropractic clinic.
After this examination, it may be possible to proceed with treatment immediately.
Treatment
Your chiropractor may use a combination of other treatments such as massage, stretching, exercises or other procedures such as strapping or ultrasound. The important thing is that your treatment is individually tailored to your needs, based on your condition, your physique, and your medical history.
If manipulation is used, this is done to free joints in the spine or other areas which are not moving properly. Usually, this involves a short thrust to the joint which may result in an audible ‘click’, which is the sound of gas bubbles popping in the joint fluid as the pressure is released. There is, however, no instant cure and some patients may experience temporary soreness due to inflammation in the early stages of treatment.
As your care continues, your condition should improve and stabilise, and you will be advised of life-style changes and/or exercise to maintain this.