Your first visit will last about 30-45 minutes. It would be helpful if you could arrive at the clinic 5 minutes before your appointment time as we need you to fill in a short form covering personal information, such as your name and address and your GP’s name and address, so that your file can be prepared before you meet the chiropractor.
Consultation
Your chiropractor will greet you in the reception area and take you through to the treatment room. The chiropractor will then spend some time asking you about your
pain or complaint, your past medical history, any accidents
you may have had, your posture and work habits, and your lifestyle. The chiropractor must establish an overall health picture to ensure that chiropractic care is
appropriate for you. If chiropractic appears not to be suitable, you will be referred to your GP or relevant specialist.
Your details are confidential. No one else will be allowed to see your notes without your permission.
Once your case history is complete, you will be asked to change into a gown (a changing cubicle
and gowns are provided) for the physical examination. This concentrates on the neuromusculoskeletal system (nerves, muscles and bones) and involves analysis of posture
and movement and palpation of the spine and other joints. It may be necessary to check other things such as your heart, lungs and abdomen, to rule out other causes of your complaint.
Based on these findings the chiropractor can assess whether any additional investigations are needed, such as blood tests or MRI/CT scans, before treatment can progress.
The chiropractors first concern is to find out what is wrong with you and check for signs of any serious underlying disorder for which you would need to be referred to your GP or hospital.
After reviewing all the information gathered in the consultation and examination your chiropractor will be able to give you a diagnosis and prognosis (except when
further investigations are indicated). Your chiropractor will explain to you in detail what is wrong with you, what can be done about it, how much treatment is required. He may also give you advice
on exercises or changes to your working environment or lifestyle that will aid your treatment and help to prevent any recurrence of your complaint. Your chiropractor will be able to advise you on the
chances of your problem coming back and may suggest ongoing chiropractic care. This is not unusual with serious injuries
or long term problems due to wear and tear of the joints.
Treatment involves safe, specific adjustments by hand to free the joints in the spine or elsewhere in the body. Over years of training and practise your chiropractor
has mastered hundreds of techniques and will use the ones most suitable for your age, size, specific problem and any secondary conditions you may have.
Subsequent visits for treatment are made by appointment ,generally allow 10-15 minutes.