What to Expect First Patient Visit :: Second Visit :: Treatments :: Stages Of Care Patient Forms Upon entering our office our receptionist will greet you and welcome you as a member of our family. If you haven't already downloaded and filled out the new patient forms, we will request you fill out our patient forms within our reception area. The paperwork provides us with general information about yourself and your condition. Consultation All of our patients will have a consultation with either Dr. Smith or Dr. Kallis. Your doctor will discuss your health related problems and concerns as well as potential treatment options. Your first visit is designed for the doctor or to learn more about you, your condition and your expectations to determine the most effective treatment plan for your needs. Subsequent consultations may be set up with another practitioner such as a massage therapist, nutritionist, or orthopedist. These consultations will depend on your condition and the way you progress throughout your prescribed treatment plan. Examination During the examination an extensive neurologic, neuromuscular, orthopedic, postural and physical examinations are performed in order to fully assess your condition, identify the cause of that condition, and then develop a complete treatment plan to correct the condition. These series of tests will allow us to assess the structure, function and balance of your body. Subluxation Station After our extensive orthopedic, neurological and sensory testing, we use the Insight Millennium Subluxation Station. It is state of the art diagnostic equipment Utilizing three different technologies designed to clearly demonstrate: • Nerve interference • Thermal changes due to inflammatory changes • Decreased Range of motion Every patient will be given a copy of their results, and will be re-scanned later in the treatment plan to asses the patient's progress. X-rays Here at Natural Health Chiropractic, we have state of the art digital x-ray technology. This provides us the opportunity to take better x-rays in less time. We will be able to see your x-rays in a matter of seconds and decide if we have what we need to make a diagnosis and start you on your way to better health. Other Benefits of digital x-ray systems include: • Digital x-ray images can be enhanced and manipulated with computers and send to other doctors of your wish to assist in the diagnosis and keep them up to date with your progress. • Digital images may be retrieved from an electronic archive for future reference • Sharper and Cleaner Image _________________________________________________________________________ Second Visit: Once your doctor has had time to examine your x-rays and review the results of your initial visit, it will now be time to develop a treatment plan and to schedule your second visit and first treatment. Report of Findings Once all the information and examinations have been performed, the doctor will give you a report of findings to answer the three most popular questions: 1. What's the Problem? Can Chiropractic help me? 2. How long will it take? 3. How much is it going to cost? After discussing with you; your history and your goals; examining your spine and reviewing your scan, the doctor will discuss recommendations with you. If you have a condition that requires care with other providers, the doctor will tell you and refer you to the proper practitioner. If Dr. Smith and Dr. Kallis believe we can help you, we will recommend treatment and a wellness program. BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE^ _________________________________________________________________________ Treatments Chiropractic Patients will generally be provided with their first chiropractic treatment at the conclusion of the report or findings with their chiropractor. This may include spinal adjustments, physical therapies, and or soft tissue therapies such as ice/heat, ultrasound, or Graston therapy. Treatment is always interactive with you, so you can express any concerns you have about the style of adjustment you will be most comfortable with. Exercise Therapy Corrective exercise treatment plans are developed from initial diagnostic findings and progression of care and wellness programming. Once a coordinated treatment is developed, the practitioner may coach you through soft tissue release, muscle activation, flexibility and strength training and core stabilization with the goal being to restore muscle balance, reduce joint stress, and retrain the body to function as is should, thereby reducing pain and dysfunction. Soft Tissue Therapy Soft tissue therapy treatment plans are developed from initial diagnostic findings, progression of care and wellness programming. We focus on the release and activation of the overactive and underactive muscles around an affected joint focusing on resorting muscle balance and joint coordination. This is done through trigger point release, active release techniques, myofascial release, neuromuscular reeducation, inter-segmental traction, and Graston technique. To learn more about these techniques please see Services Page. Nutritional/Supplementation Programming Nutritional and supplementation programming is developed from a number of areas ranging from lifestyle analysis such as food journals, shopping lists, and eating behaviors to clinical panels such as blood, urine, saliva. Once the strengths and weaknesses of your diet are assessed, our nutritionists and chiropractors can begin to develop a plan to address conditions ranging from weight loss to fatigue to blood sugar regulation to metabolic syndrome. BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE^ _________________________________________________________________________ Stages of Care It is important to understand the stages of chiropractic care because they are unique relative to those of other health-care disciplines. Because chiropractic addresses core physiological and biomechanical aspects of the body, the process to correct problems without drugs or surgery can take some time. Some conditions can be treated in a few visits, while others may take longer. The following is a brief summary of the three major phases of chiropractic care. Relief Care The majority of patients consult a chiropractor because they have an ache or pain. In the first phase of care, the main objective is to eliminate or reduce your discomfort and stabilize your condition in the shortest amount of time. During this phase, progress is usually rapid. Treatments focus on those techniques and therapies which most quickly and effectively reduce pain and other discomforts. This will allow the majority of individuals to continue their activities of daily living. Patients are generally recommended to "take it easy" but are encouraged to stay mobile and functional so long as there is not a risk of further injury or tissue damage. Therapies that reduce inflammation and muscle spasm are also used during this stage when present. The number of times you visit a chiropractor during this phase of care varies and is dependent upon your specific condition. It's hard to say how long it will be until you see relief- it could be as short as a week or up to a month. If you are not responding to chiropractic care during this phase, you may be referred to another health-care provider. Corrective or Rehabilitative Care Once your condition has stabilized, you enter the second phase of care, where the objective is to correct any underlying injury or cause of discomfort, strengthen the muscles, healing and rehabilitating the injured tissues and improve neuromusculoskeletal function. Care may be supplemented by rehabilitation exercises, nutrition, and modification of daily habits. It is important to remember that many of the conditions for which people seek care have developed over many years; therefore, correcting these problems is a true rehabilitative process. It helps to understand that it takes time to correct these conditions. Once your discomfort has subsided, you may think all is well and choose to abandon your efforts. However, if you end your care before fully healing the muscles and soft tissues, you can invite a relapse. This is a mistake many people make, and it sets them up for recurring health issues. It's hard to believe that, after all the time, effort, energy, and money put into correcting a problem, a patient would choose to forgo this relatively easy phase of care! As much as we'd love to see you in our office, we'd much rather assist you in maintaining your health rather than relieving your pain. Wellness Care You then "graduate" to the wellness phase, which is designed to maintain your improved health, encourage normal spinal function, prevent the return of the original condition, and catch small problems before they become serious. A personal wellness care program will be designed specifically for you where we teach you how to incorporate good nutrition and exercise habits into your everyday life, thereby promoting vitality, endurance, and the ability to enjoy life at its fullest. A good way to look at chiropractic is to relate it to dentistry. We all know it takes a long time to develop tooth decay, but with regular maintenance and check-ups, the plaque doesn't have a chance. Similarly, it often takes a long time to develop a spinal misalignment. But with regular maintenance, the bones will not have a chance to get out of line. Few things as complicated as your body can be "fixed" and then ignored. Think of your car, your teeth, or your relationships. They take time and effort to maintain, but you know it's worth it in the long run. That's why we recommend a regular schedule of chiropractic check-ups. When you Invest in Health, you Invest in Yourself!! BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE^ Return to our home page. |
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