Navigating your first Chiropractic experience
Considering chiropractic care? It can be a great choice for many, but that first appointment can feel daunting. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to navigate your initial chiropractic experience with confidence.
Introduction to care
Chiropractic care focuses on the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine. Chiropractors’ key aim is to get you functioning at your best and we do this by detecting and adjusting vertebral subluxations. These subluxations are areas of the spine, or extremities, that are not moving and interacting with the rest of the spine as they should be. This creates pressure on the nerves that exit the spinal column and can manifest as an array of health concerns. Chiropractic is a gentle, safe and effective treatment option for those wishing to improve their health and function.
Preparing for your first visit
- Gather Information: search for Chiropractors in your area and read patient It is important to find a Chiropractor that you think you will gel well with and a clinic that is reputable.
- Schedule a Consultation: This initial visit typically lasts longer than an adjustment Set aside 30 to 45 mins for the first consultation
- Prepare Questions: Write down any questions you have about chiropractic care, your specific
- Gather Medical History: Make a note of any medical history, previous diagnoses, past injuries, surgeries, and medications or supplements you’re currently
The Chiropractic adjustment process
The consultation
During the initial consultation, the Chiropractor will ask you a range of questions surrounding your current state of function. These questions could include things around pain type or quality, mechanism of injury, alleviating factors and aggravating factors. The Chiropractor will also ask questions surrounding your general health, such as sleep, stress and diet. This is to gain as much information as possible so a sound working diagnosis can be made and we can help you function better in as many ways as possible.
Understanding the adjustment
Chiropractors believe that misalignments in the spine, called subluxations, can contribute to various health problems by placing unnecessary pressure on the nervous system. By applying targeted and specific adjustments to these joints, they aim to restore proper function, improve range of motion and alleviate pain.
Chiropractic adjustments take many forms, and here at the clinic we have multiple tools in our toolkit. These include manual high-velocity-low-amplitude adjustments, drop piece adjustments, arthrostim and activator adjustments, blocking and flexion-distraction techniques. By having a range of options, we are able to specifically
Addressing common concerns
Your first adjustment: what to expect?
During your first adjustment, you can expect that the Chiropractor explains what they are doing and that you feel comfortable for the duration of the appointment. The position that you lay on the table to begin with will depend on your key concern and the type of Chiropractor that you see. Different Chiropractors utilse different techniques and tables, but rest assured that all of them will be comfortable for you.
Sensations during/post the adjustment
During the adjustment you may hear popping/cracking noises. This is not the sound of your bones popping or breaking, rather the sound of gas being released from joints. This sound is nothing to be alarmed about, but it is also not the sound to rely on for the adjustment to have created change, as it is simply a byproduct of movement.
Post adjustment self care
You can sometimes feel a little uncomfortable post adjustment. This is because the adjustment has created change within the body and the body is in a state that is unusual, but this is normally nothing to be alarmed about as it should ease within 12-24 hours. We recommend making sure you are well hydrated post adjustment and go for a 10 min walk after your adjustment before sitting in your car again. The walk is to help solidify the change made by the adjustment and help the blood flow throughout the body.