Wondering if your back needs to be better aligned? Not sure about what chiropractic sessions are all about? Nervous about what your first chiropractic session will be like? Our picture story will help you get the feel of what your first chiropractic assessment at IMU Healthcare Chiropractic Centre will feel like. Most people make a chiropractic appointment because they are in pain or discomfort. Chiropractic Professor Peter Diakow, in the Division of Chiropractic at IMU says that 80 percent of the world’s population experience pain in the neck and back, joints, knee and feet. A small percentage of the people who seek chiropractic help come because they want to feel or perform better. Many of them are athletes who seek chiropractic help for performance issues.
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Whatever the issue (or non-issue), your chiropractor will first take your medical history. If there is a present condition that needs to be attended to, that will be the first thing that will be looked at. Whatever the case, you will be asked questions about past injuries, work habits and family history.Once this is covered, the chiropractor will be able to isolate three to four things that he thinks may be causing the pain. An examination will then confirm or rule out some of the differential diagnosis. |
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Your chiropractor will ask to see you walk in your bare (or stockinged) feet. This is called a gait assessment. He will then ask you to go through a range of motions, such as bending forwards and back. |
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Your chiropractor will also ask you to extend your arms with your eyes closed to test for balance. These procedures provide a thorough understanding of how the body is functioning. |
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You will then asked be asked to sit on the examination table where the chiropractor will examine your neck. Your spine is a series of moveable joints that begin at the base of the skull and end at the pelvis. So the chiropractor will begin from the top and work down, looking for clues, and making an assessment on the state of your spine. This is the chiropractor’s expertise. |
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Expect to move your neck in a range of natural motions so that the chiropractor can ascertain the problem areas. |
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Professor Diakow explains that chiropractic is a highly tactile form of treatment. Patients must expect to be touched firmly. Some pressure is exerted by the chiropractor’s fingers and hands, however, this is usually quite comfortable. Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of treatment. The greatest risk from a chiropractic session may be some extra soreness ranging from a few minutes to an hour or so. It is very rare for chiropractors to sprain joints. |
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Muscle reflexes are also tested at the initial consultation. A rubber covered hammer is used to trigger the ‘jerk’ reflex on both elbow and knee. The chiropractor will also ask you to lift your legs to check for pelvis and spine alignment. |
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Once the examination is over, the chiropractor will outline a treatment plan. The first treatment may, in some cases start immediately. Patients receiving treatment will need to undress. A hospital gown is provided for women. Men may wear shorts. Treatment time may range from 30 minutes to an hour. Depending on the level of pain presented, a patient may complete his/her first session with quite a lot of the discomfort relieved. In general, however, it is usual to undergo three to four sessions before any real change is felt, with more definite relief being felt at the ninth or tenth session. While some patients worry that the spinal realignments may cause them to burp or let out gas, Professor Diakow assures that it is highly unlikely. Ticklish people may also worry about their reactions when being treated by a chiropractor, but because the contact is firm there is little chance of a tickling sensation. This article is brought to you by IMU Healthcare. Related article: Diabetes from a Chiropractic Perspective
