Preparing For The First Visit
Living with pain is uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. So when experiencing back or neck pain that needs immediate relief, look for a professional chiropractor with a gentle hand and personal touch. It can be normal to experience feelings of apprehension and uncertainty on your first visit to any new practitioner, including the first visit to a chiropractor. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Preparing for your appointment by researching what to expect from treatment can go a long way toward relieving fears. It is important to note that the first visit to a healthcare professional may not result in the start of treatment. The first visit is sometimes used as more of an initial consultation, where the doctor gathers essential medical information in order to form a satisfactory diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan. The first visit is a good opportunity to gauge whether or not the professional relationship is one that fits your needs. So here are some general things to do to prepare for visiting a new chiropractor or other healthcare professional.
Ask and Answer Many Questions
Chiropractors are as much artists as they are scientists. Each practice is different, utilizing techniques that are based on the science of chiropractic in unique ways based on the each practitioner’s philosophies. When seeking chiropractor treatment in Colorado Springs, interviewing a prospective doctor is a vital part of the treatment process.
After your initial visit or consultation, there should be a level of comfort present that makes moving forward with treatment something to look forward to, not fear. There is a great deal of both information and misinformation about chiropractic practices that can be as enlightening as it is confusing. It’s a good idea to bring up any concerns or points of curiosity in order to dispel or clarify any preconceived notions of treatment. It is better to go into a new type of health procedure armed with as much information as possible in order to be able to relax before treatment begins.
Besides the questions you may have for the chiropractor, come prepared to answer questions about your general health history and family history as well. The more the doctor knows about your health history the better able they are to help you make informed decisions about your care. Often you may be able to fill out needed paperwork ahead of time that will give much of the needed information.
Be as Clear About Symptoms as Possible
Being able to pinpoint areas of pain and communicating when and how it started is extremely helpful to allow the doctor to come to the right conclusion about the problem and create a treatment plan that will work. The doctor is better able to work through various issues to alleviate discomfort successfully when he or she is armed with as much information as possible. Before the appointment, it’s wise to write down anything that can be remembered about the onset of the pain, its location, and its pattern. Take the notes to the appointment to share with the chiropractor so he or she can figure out the best way to address your specific health issues.
Communicate and Relax
After the consultation and health history, there is an initial diagnostic exam to determine how to proceed. Some parts of the exam are similar to what a medical doctor would do while other parts may include looking at posture, checking ranges of motion, feeling the back for tight areas and the source of pain, and more. At many chiropractors this examination often can be done without you needing to get undressed or in a medical gown. Tell the chiropractor about any pain that is experienced while he or she is conducting the examination. Not only does this assist the doctor with pinpointing the exact problem and developing an effective treatment, but it also opens the door for conversation that can help you understand what is going on. Ask about what the doctor is doing if he or she hasn’t already explained what they are checking for. Knowing what is happening can help relax tense muscles making the exam and treatment go easier and it also strengthens the doctor-patient relationship. Building a rapport with your healthcare provider goes a long way towards feeling comfortable when embarking on a new way of healing. By learning how to express feelings and needs adequately and appropriately, it becomes easy to obtain the right chiropractor treatment in Colorado Springs.
