You may not receive treatment from your chiropractor on your first visit. He or she will take the time necessary to gather all pertinent information needed to come to a diagnosis. You may be treated on the same day or one or two days later. So the day has arrived and you’re actually going to find out what all the excitement is about.
The treatment room may contain a flat padded table on which to lie or a table that raises and lowers to make getting on and off easier. You see, we treat a lot of people who don’t get around so well. Most chiropractic treatment is done with the patient lying down, although some procedures are done on the neck with the patient in a seated position. Traditional chiropractic is about moving bones and joints. There are some techniques that involve manipulation of soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. The doctor will have you lie face up or down or on your side. Chiropractic adjustments usually involve a quick thrust that helps add motion to spinal joints that aren’t moving right. Some methods use the doctor’s hands, an instrument, a special table or the force of gravity. Are you starting to see that there can be a variety of ways to adjust the spine?
Chiropractic is physical and you will know that the joints that are receiving attention have gone through a change. You’ll definately feel joint movement and you will probably hear it. Some offices will perform physical therapy modalities, such as electrical stim or hot or cold treatments if it is felt they will compliment the adjustment of the spine. Don’t be surprised if you are given exercises at some point in your care. Maintaining flexibility and muscle tone are important to the health of the spine and aid in your recovery.
The number of adjustments varies with each patient and his or her individual health goals. Many patients sense progress within a week or two of frequent visits. Visits become less often as your spine stabilizes. In chronic cases, complete healing can take months or even years.
That’s really all there is to it. It’s conservative, It dosen’t hurt and you’ll start feeling better.
