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What to Expect at an Initial Consultation With a Chiropractor

A Chiropractor is a healthcare professional whose focus is to diagnose and treat neuromuscular disorders through manual adjustment and the manipulation of patients' spines. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions regarding the effectiveness of chiropractic care in today's society. Part of the reason these misconceptions persist is due to a lack of understanding of Chiropractic health.

How it Works

Chiropractors work with their patients to relieve chronic pain through manual manipulation, providing patients with a convenient and effective alternative to dangerous pharmaceutical painkillers. Some chiropractors are also trained as functional medicine doctors, allowing these professionals to offer patients a wider variety of treatment options. The majority of these options are focused on a holistic approach to healing and pain management, which is perfect for patients who are looking for safe and effective ways to manage their long-term chronic pain.

Focus on Spine Alignment

The majority of patients who choose to visit a Chiropractic center are looking for relief from chronic back and neck pain. These conditions are often due, in part, to poor posture and issues with spinal alignment, known within the field as vertebral subluxation or mechanical compression of spinal joints and nerves. Heading to a Chiropractor for treatment allows patients to address the underlying issues causing their pain instead of treating the pain as a symptom.

Initial Classification

The first thing chiropractors do when seeing new patients is to evaluate their overall health and classify their conditions based on underlying causes and how serious they are. Serious conditions, like tumors and infections, must be ruled out before proceeding with treatment in that particular area.
Patients who are having difficulties due to pinched or compressed nerves caused by spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or lumbar herniated discs are generally classified as having nerve problems or sciatica, while patients suffering from symptoms of mechanical back pain without any apparent underlying cause are classified as having non-specific back pain.
Once this evaluation is completed, chiropractors can begin to determine the best course of treatment for their patients. Those who are considered to have potentially serious injuries may be referred to other relevant medical specialists who can help to co-manage these patients' care along with the chiropractors themselves. These patients may choose to visit chiropractors who also have dedicated functional medical experience to simplify their treatment.

Specific Diagnosis

After a patient's condition has been classified according to its cause and severity, he or she will be further evaluated to determine a specific diagnosis. This evaluation might involve the examination of the patient's spinal structure in addition to a general exam similar to those administered by all doctors. The most common diagnosis for patients is one of non-specific back pain.

 

What to Expect

During the initial consultation, patients will be expected to provide a brief synopsis of their symptoms including their frequency and duration, the areas affected, and what external factors improve or worsen their pain. When considering overall patient health, specialists will need to learn about the patient's family history, personal dietary habits, occupational and psychosocial history, as well as any past treatment he or she has received. Patients can expect their initial consultations to be fairly extensive office visits.

The physical exams performed by chiropractors can involve anything from static and motion palpation techniques designed to determine whether any spinal segments are motion restricted or fixated. The results of this initial physical evaluation will allow the health providers to determine whether or not further diagnostic testing will be required to find the location of any subluxations or detect variations in skin temperature indicative of the need for localized manual manipulation.

Common Treatments

Manual manipulation, also known as spinal manipulation, involves the application of pressure to abnormally functioning vertebrae. The objective of this treatment is the reduction of subluxation, which should directly result in reduced pain and nerve irritability, an increased range of motion, and improvements in daily quality of living. Patients undergoing these adjustments sometimes report minor discomfort in the affected areas, but the vast majority of them also report an almost immediate relief of pain and associated symptoms.

It should be noted that, if the patient is not adequately relaxed or is suffering from significant muscle splinting, his or her care provider might also have to utilize other techniques such as massage, applying ice, or electrical stimulation prior to being able to attempt an adjustment. These manual manipulations are often accompanied by nutritional counseling and physical rehabilitation plans designed to teach patients exercises, stretches, and other techniques for further restoring function and preventing future injury.

 

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Looking for a Chiropractor Madison WI patients can entrust with providing comprehensive care? Be sure to inquire about other relevant experience in the medical field prior to scheduling an initial evaluation. Anyone interested can find more information about one local medical professional with extensive experience treating a wide variety of conditions using both traditional medicine and holistic approaches to care.

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Testimonials

  • "...Our son is a high functioning autistic child with various sensory issues as well. Dr. Eric has helped us find solutions for some of our son's behavior issues through natural supplements and diet control..."

    David Wells

  • "...was told by other chiropractors that I would need to see them 3 times a week for two months to help fix my upper neck pain. I had two appointments with Dr. Eric and I have been pain free ever since..."

    Preslee Steiner

  • "...It's refreshing to have a Chiropractor that is interested in helping me solve my problems instead of getting me back in the office in a few days so they can charge me another fee for 5 minutes of treatment."

    Randy Schmidt

  • "...He [Dr. Eric] is very competent and caring and I feel he is on the cutting edge of wellness and all of its components. I consider myself fortunate to have found him."

    Robert Holmes

  • "...Dr. Johnson was able to address the structural and muscular issues that have contributed to the pain, and with chiropractic adjustments, specific stretches and exercises along with myofascial release therapy by someone recommended by Dr. Johnson, I feel my pain has been reduced by almost 90 percent...."

    Lois Neis

  • "...I felt very comfortable and only saw him 3 times before almost all my pain was gone..."

    Katie Steele

  • "...He really knows what it takes to help feel better and live life to the fullest!"

    Annamaria Bliven

  • "...I was referred to Dr. Eric and after my first visit I had full motion back in my shoulder, after the 2nd visit I had no pain and could throw a golf ball. I highly recommend Dr. Eric..."

    Paul Brooks

  • "...My experience has been nothing short of amazing as I have begun to roll back the effects of 10+ years with a connective tissue autoimmune disorder..."

    Kathleen Harwood

  • "...Just after a few adjustments, I had noticed a huge difference from the way I was feeling. He is truly a caring man and is all about getting the patient better..."

    Lilly Blumer

  • "...He helped me get through a hip injury during my Ironman training and also gave me a list of stretches and exercises to do to prevent it from happening again..."

    Kenny Haferkorn

  • "...I have recommended Dr. Eric to family and friends. I can't thank him enough for his compassion and desire to see that I have the quality of life that I have always wanted."

    Karie Nafzger

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Suite 215
Madison, WI 53719

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