People suffering from backache are usually in great pain and try out various methods to relieve this pain. Among other methods there is also chiropractic treatment but they don~t approach it first most thinking that they would have to undergo further pain to relieve their backache. But when other methods give no results people finally turn to chiropractic treatment and finds themselves pleasantly surprised with a treatment that is not as painful as they thought. In chiropractic treatment the chiropractor tackles your whole body rather than just the spinal cord.
Usually the first visit is replete with questions he has to ask to ascertain the best mode of treatment, medical conditions, symptoms etc. As is normal, there are forms to fill here too. While the doctor generally reviews the forms prior to your meeting him, there may be additional questions to establish the current medical problem. Some of these may be:
When did your pain start?
Where is the pain located?
What induces and what reduces the pain?
Is it the result of an injury?
Etc.
After these preliminary questions, the doctor would examine you initially in a fashion quite similar to a regular physician. This commences with blood pressure, pulse and temperature readings, and develops to include neurological and orthopedic examinations of the spine and neck. He may further examine the part of the body where you have pain.
The examinations include testing the range of motion of the affected part, assessing the muscle tone and strength. Akin to a regular examination, this too may require additional chiropractic tests so as to zero in on the correct diagnosis and treatment.
Having analyzed the ailment, the chiropractor will assess if the condition will respond to chiropractic care. The condition, the treatment plan, the frequency and the expected time duration shall all be explained to you. The frequency of visits varies and depends upon your condition, the amount of pain you are in and the extent your routine activities are affected. The frequency varies from 2 or 3 times per week over a period of weeks or even months to even daily in some cases. The chiropractor aims to enable you to undertake your regular routine by stabilizing the problem and lessening the pain.
At your first instance of chiropractic treatment you may require an adjustment to be made to your vertebrae to regularize movement or induce movement. In this adjustment, pressure is applied to your spine either through hands or through a device. This process has very little or almost no pain associated with it. But there are chances of discomfort for a few seconds.
If you have had X-rays you should bring them with you, so the doctor will have a clear picture of your problem. If not,the chiropractor may want the ER to take an X-ray or have an MRI in order to provide you with the best chiropractic care.
Also make sure that you check out whether your chiropractic treatment is covered by your insurance company or not.
Usually insurance companies do cover chiropractic treatment but still it always better to be sure.
Once you have tried chiropractic treatment and achieved a degree of comfort with it there are chances that you will take to this treatment next time first and foremost when you have a problem.
Greg C. Molis has been a Chiropractor since 1979. He keeps up on all of the latest techniques. He even adjusts kids; babies too. For questions or comments about this article, please visit http://www.saltlakechiropractor.com
