What to Expect
Laying the Foundation for Total Health
Chiropractic care is like building a house: certain things have to happen in a particular order for everything to stand strong and work correctly. When building a house, if you tried to put up your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually collapse. If you tried to put on your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. The same is true for your body. Your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully. There are three general phases of chiropractic care:
Patient Forms
Upon entering our office, our receptionist will welcome you as a member of our family. We will request that you complete our patient forms before your visit. These forms will be emailed to you, and the instructions are located in the New Patient Center. This paperwork provides us with your health history and information on your condition.
Please complete the new patient paperwork, which will arrive in an email with a link provided. Your password will be the word “password,” all lowercase; it will prompt you to update it to something more secure. If you have any questions, please call or text at (253) 447-8440! We ask that this be completed 24 hours prior to your appointment.
Consultation
Next, you will have a consultation with the doctors to discuss your health-related problems, concerns, and potential treatment options. This initial visit is designed for the doctors to learn more about you, your condition, and your expectations to determine how chiropractic care can meet your goals.
Examination
After your consultation, the doctors will perform a complete chiropractic examination testing your reflexes and flexibility. Other standard neurological, orthopedic, postural, and physical tests will be performed as well. However, nothing will be done in our office without your consent.
X-Ray Studies
Depending on your specific condition, we may take X-rays as well. X-rays help us develop the most effective treatment plan for you and alert us to any serious spinal conditions. Most people are amazed once they see their X-rays up close. In some cases, they can even identify their misalignments and degeneration themselves.
Report of Findings
Once the information is collected and examinations are performed, the doctors will give you a detailed report of all findings and answer any questions, including:
How can you help me? How often do I need to come in? What will my treatment cost?
After reviewing your health history and goals and examining your spine and X-rays, the doctors will discuss recommendations and notify you if your condition requires care with other providers. Dr. Ash, Dr. Lauren, and Dr. Alex will provide the best treatment and wellness program for your needs.
Treatment
At the conclusion of this initial appointment, you can choose to experience your first treatment. This may include spinal adjustments, physical therapy, and/or soft tissue massage. Treatment is interactive, so you can express concerns about the different styles of treatment at any time.
Wellness Program
Prior to leaving, the doctor will suggest a wellness program to incorporate outside of treatment. If you are in pain when you first come into our office, this may include ice or heat application instructions, certain activities or positions to avoid, and at-home exercises and/or stretches. If you desire, our wellness team will work with you to create healthy habits and routines for your lifestyle. Every person is unique; therefore, everyone requires a customized wellness plan. The purpose of our wellness program is for you to achieve good spinal alignment, have a healthy diet, exercise, and maintain a positive mental state.
Thumbs Up to Relief
Many people go to a chiropractor because they are in pain. In this first phase of care, the main goal is to reduce your symptoms. Sometimes, this will require daily visits or two to three visits per week at a time.
Most people are under the assumption that if they don't feel any pain, there is nothing wrong with them – that they are healthy. Unfortunately, pain is a very poor indicator of health. In fact, pain and other symptoms frequently only appear after a disease or other condition has advanced.
For example, consider a cavity in your tooth. Does it hurt when it first develops or only after it has become serious? How about heart disease? Regardless of whether you are talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stress, or problems with the spine, pain is usually the last thing to appear. When you begin chiropractic care, pain is also the first symptom to disappear, even though much of the underlying condition remains.
Teaming Up for Optimal Health
Most chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a person's care. If all that the chiropractor does is to reduce the pain and stop there, the chances of the condition recurring are much greater. In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care even though your symptoms are gone.
During the correction / restorative phase of your care, you will not have to receive adjustments as often as you did during the first phase of care, and, depending on your particular circumstances, you may begin doing exercises and stretches either at the center or at home to help accelerate your healing.
Do not be discouraged if you have mild flare-ups of your symptoms on occasion. This is normal. Flare-ups are bound to occur during this phase because your body has not fully healed. Depending on the severity of your injury or condition and how long you have been suffering from it, this phase of your care may last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.
Maintenance is Key to Healthy Living
Once your body has fully healed, routine chiropractic care can help ensure your physical problems do not return and keep your body in optimal condition. Just like continuing an exercise program and eating well in order to sustain the benefits of exercise and a proper diet, it is necessary to continue chiropractic care to ensure the health of your musculoskeletal system.
When you make routine chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle, you avoid many of the aches and pains that so many people suffer, your joints will last longer, and you will be able to engage in more of the activities you love.
