6 Questions Everyone Should Ask Their Chiropractor
If you've never seen a licensed chiropractor before, you probably have a lot of questions.
There are many misconceptions about chiropractic care, so it's important to have a firm understanding of what chiropractic care actually is before you start your personalized treatment plan.
The best way to get that understanding is to ask your chiropractor. No one will know more about chiropractic care than they will, and they would be glad to answer any questions.
Communication will be critical during your initial consultation and chiropractor visits.
Not only will you have questions for them, but they'll have questions for you.
Your chiropractor will need information about your symptoms and treatment goals to ensure that they the chiropractic services that you require to reach optimal health.
By asking the right questions, you and your chiropractor will be able to work well together to achieve the same goals.
If you're a prospective patient and ready to visit a chiropractic clinic for the first time, here are six essential questions you should ask your chiropractor during the appointment.
Table Of Contents
- Will I Be Treated During My First Visit?
- How Long Will The Treatments Last?
- Do You Teach Prevention?
- How Long Will The Appointment Be?
- What Is An Adjustment?
- Do You Offer Free Consultations?
1. Will I Be Treated During My First Visit?
It's not uncommon for some practices to wait until the second visit to treat a new patient.
This often isn't because of any medical issues, but it allows the doctor to see more patients in a single day.
There are some circumstances when a patient should not be treated with spinal manipulation/adjustments right away, and these are things like a recent accident or cardiovascular issues.
However, even if you have been in a recent accident or have cardiovascular issues, your chiropractor can still use a variety of techniques to help relieve your pain.
Your chiropractor will perform a detailed examination to identify the cause of your pain and develop the best treatment plan for you.
If your pain can be fixed with an adjustment or manipulation, the doctor will proceed with treatment on the first visit to get you better as soon as possible.
Many patients leave their first appointment feeling immediate pain relief.
2. How Long Will My Treatments Last?
The first thing many people ask is how long their treatment will take to fix their back pain.
Chiropractic care is a hands-on process, so patients are encouraged to come in for multiple sessions, sometimes weekly or bi-weekly.
Your chiropractor will perform an exam, and they may take x-rays and go over your medical history to help them decide what treatment options will be best for you.
Not all injuries will show up on X-rays, so it's okay if your chiropractor doesn't take X-rays during your first visit.
Your chiropractor will also suggest things you can do at home to help supplement the pain treatments you receive at the office.
At-home treatments, lifestyle changes, exercises, and nutrition information will all help with musculoskeletal issues and help you progress in your treatments.
3. Do You Teach Prevention?
From a business standpoint, your chiropractor wants you to come in for as many treatments as possible.
From a moral and professional standpoint, your chiropractor should teach you how to keep your symptoms from flaring up so you don't have to keep returning to the office.
That's why it's important to make sure you ask your chiropractor about prevention.
It's often surprising how easy it is to prevent your pain from returning, even without the use of drugs or surgery.
The suggestions you are given will help to prolong the benefits of chiropractic manipulation, as well as prevent re-injury.
Experienced Chiropractors who want satisfied patients will give you an ongoing treatment plan that you can do on your own.
4. How Long Will This Appointment Be?
You want to be sure your chiropractor takes enough time to perform a diagnostic evaluation and treat your current symptoms.
That's why it's important to determine how long your initial evaluation will take.
A 10-15 minute appointment, especially if it's your first, probably isn't going to accomplish much.
You'll want to take your time to develop a healthy doctor-patient relationship.
If your appointments don't last long enough, developing that relationship is impossible.
Before you even start your treatment, it takes more than a few minutes to connect with a person, listen to them, and address their questions and concerns.
Once that is over, you can start with the medical portion of the appointment.
You may be asking how do chiropractors know if your spine is out of alignment?
Some chiropractors will use certain machines to aid with your treatment. This is fine as long as it supplements your comprehensive treatment plan and does not take up your entire appointment.
An initial chiropractor consultation may last 40-60 minutes if done correctly.
Follow-up appointments should last at least 15-20 minutes, and most, if not all, of that time will be spent face-to-face with the chiropractor.
5. What Exactly Is An Adjustment?
Your chiropractic treatment will be made up of manual procedures where your chiropractor will use their hands to manipulate your joints, spinal cord, and soft tissues.
This will restore or enhance the healthy functioning of your joints and spine.
Chiropractic techniques can also reduce inflammation, mobility issues, and physical pain from spinal injuries and neck pain, not just in your back.
In order to return the spine to alignment, the chiropractor will use careful, highly controlled procedures and spinal adjustments with little to no side effects, allowing your body to operate at an optimum level.
6. Do You Offer Free Consultations?
Most chiropractic offices will offer a free consultation to first-time patients.
It's unrealistic for a chiropractor to expect a patient to choose them over all their other options without a chance to visit their office and see if the staff and doctors are a good fit for them.
Along with getting to know the staff and the doctors, you need your free consultation to give you a chance to speak with current patients so you can see how they feel about the practice.
The chiropractors at The Arrowhead Clinic provide a free, no-obligation consultation to determine if they can help you and answer any questions you have regarding your condition or preventative care.
You won't be pressured into scheduling more chiropractic visits if you aren't completely satisfied.
The consultation will provide valuable insights and will help you get to know the staff at the Arrowhead Clinic to see if their services will benefit you and your health needs.
If, after the consultation, you decide that you don't want to proceed with an exam and chiropractic adjustment, you may simply leave, no strings attached.
However, if you decide to proceed with chiropractic appointments, you will proceed with a physical examination and be welcomed into the family.
You might also get your first adjustment that day.
To schedule a free chiropractic consultation, contact the Arrowhead Clinic by clicking the link below.
Next Blog: How do Chiropractors know if your Spine is out of Alignment?
