If you’re like most people, your first visit to Onsite Chiropractic will also be your first chiropractic visit. If so, there’s no need to be nervous about your appointment. While we can’t promise to make you feel 100-percent better after your first time here, we can promise you’ll feel comfortable and well-treated through your entire visit.

YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT: NEW PATIENT EXAMINATION AND HISTORY

At your first visit we will take an extensive health history and perform a thorough examination including Range of Motion (ROM), orthopedic and neurological tests. These objective measures of your spine, joints, nerves and muscles will be used to better assess your condition and help determine the cause of your symptoms.

If necessary, x-rays will be taken. You will also receive chiropractic treatment, massage and moist heat or ice, whichever is appropriate.

Physical, emotional or chemical stressors produce a defensive posture causing your muscles to tighten, joints to be fixated or jammed, ill health and pain. Pain is a sign that your body isn’t working right. When muscles contract they lock up joints in your spine and irritate surrounding nerves. A decrease in nervous system integrity sets the stage for ill health and pain. A chiropractor will examine these joints to locate the fixated areas and adjust them so they will move correctly and the nervous system will start functioning the way it should. The adjustment or un-jamming of the joint will also improve the firing and function of the surrounding muscles attached to these joints. Your brain, spinal cord and all your nerves control how your body works. A thorough examination helps chiropractors find these jammed joints or subluxation. Health usually returns as repeated visits restore nervous system integrity.

Trigger points are small, very sensitive “knots” in a muscle which can often cause pain to be felt distant to where the actual trigger point is located, such as trigger points in neck muscles causing pain to be felt in the head or arms. They can be treated in several ways, one of which is to apply direct pressure to the tight muscles or adhesions in the connective tissue surrounding muscles and joints. These tight areas will buildup lactic acid and become tender to the touch. Massaging these areas through the muscle will help break up the contracture in the muscle.

Chiropractic adjustments are the most essential part of your care. Spinal joints that aren’t moving right can choke or irritate nearby nerves, muscles and discs. Chiropractic adjustments add motion to these stuck joints, reducing nervous system disruption. Studies show that a joint that is fixated will start to breakdown in the form of laying down bone spurs and creating irritation to the disc. This is what is usually called arthritis as we get older. By adjusting the joint it will start moving freely. The Chiropractic adjustment has been proven to increase motion, increase circulation, reduce swelling and pain, and remove nervous irritation. A moving joint is a healthy joint.

Infants, children, seniors with osteoporosis and even back surgery patients can get adjusted. Every patient is a different person and so adjustments are tailored to your size, age and health issues. If there is stress then your body will feel it in different forms whether it’s pain or malfunction of the body. These are typically types of stress that will create physical problems.

Physical Stress

Repetitive motions (mousing, typing, painting the ceiling), postural distortions (slouching, falling asleep with your neck twisted or on the couch) and traumatic injuries from a slip or fall or previous car accidents can knock you “out of whack”.

Mental Stress

Ever faced an impossible deadline at work? Or grieved the loss of a loved one? Notice the posture of someone who is depressed. Frustration or a sense of powerlessness at work or in a relationship are common forms of emotional stress.

Chemical Stress

Today’s environment constantly assaults us with chemicals. Drugs, preservatives, tobacco, alcohol, vaccinations, pollen and a host of other substances can affect our nervous system and muscle tone. When your body reacts by “tripping a circuit breaker” and causing a subluxation or jamming affect on your joints, chiropractic care can help.

Stress can’t be fully eliminated, but identifying the stressor or load on the body is half the battle. Regular chiropractic care can help you better accommodate and adapt to it. We can help you identify the problem and correct it along with helping your body regain it’s normal function.

Chiropractic is now covered by many insurance policies from the very first visit. We are providers for most major insurances:

• BlueCross BlueShield
• United Healthcare
• Great West
• Aetna
• Cigna
• Humana

Our staff will prepare all of the necessary forms for this important benefit as a courtesy to our patients. The cost depends on your policy deductible and co-pay.

No. Many people feel a pleasant sense of ease or well-being after an adjustment. Some feel like their senses were turned back on, more alert and connected. Some feel that they function better. This is how normal feels! As we get go about our lives there is a load or burden that accumulates and makes us more sluggish or jammed up. Chiropractic adjustments help remove these loads. It’s not addictive just like brushing your teeth everyday is not addictive we just know it helps maintain your mouth healthy and prevents complications down the road!

That question depends on your goals.  If you’re just wanting to get out of pain then you should get out of pain pretty quickly.  If your goal is to stay functioning well then you may want to maintain a level of frequency that correlates with your lifestyle.  The more stressors you have the more load your system takes on and ideally you want to avoid that load accumulation that can lead to strain or pain.

No. Some people can make their joints “pop,” but that’s not an adjustment! Worse, damage can occur by mobilizing a joint with weakened muscles and ligaments. Adjustments are specific and take years to master. Even your chiropractic doctor must consult a colleague to benefit from chiropractic care. Popping your joints usually turns into a habit that creates instability because they are then hyper-mobile. The ones above and below that area gets tighter and more jammed and become hypo-mobile so an imbalance occurs that makes you feel like you can’t get any relief from popping it yourself anymore.

No. Only the spinal joints that are “locked up” receive adjustments. This allows weakened muscles and ligaments to stabilize and heal.

Lubricating fluids separate the bones of each spinal joint. Some adjusting methods can produce a sound when the gas and fluids in the joint shift. It’s much like opening a bottle of champagne or removing a suction cup. The sound is interesting, but it isn’t a guide to the quality or value of the adjustment.

Getting you well as fast as possible is what we’re all about. Time-wise, your recovery depends on several factors, including your condition, your age, the length of time you’ve had this condition, how closely you follow your treatment plan and any complicating factors. We’re proud of our success rate and we will try to get you back on track as fast as possible.

No. A Doctor of Chiropractic is a primary health care provider, and you need no referral for care. Occasionally insurance plans may require a preauthorization to see any doctor, not just a chiropractor.

Not everyone will need x-rays. They show a lot of useful information that may be missed on a routine exam. Typically repeated trauma or a significant history will prompt a Chiropractor for more information by taking x-rays. Here are some reasons.

• Confirm other examination findings
• Provide a structural record of your spine
• Locate fractures or other signs of trauma
• Identify evidence of long term spinal decay
• Rule out cancer, disease or other pathologies

Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) are trained in a science based curriculum from the 3-4 years before entering Chiropractic school thru the 3-5 years while in Chiropractic school. This training includes anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, clinical sciences, differential diagnosis, x-ray interpretation, nutrition, physiotherapies. 1 1/2 years of internship is also required for a portion of clinical experience. Before receiving a doctorate in Chiropractic you must pass a State Board exam and 4 National Board exams.

Custom-cast orthotics (inserts), can be constructed specifically to correct your foot mechanics. Orthotics can relieve arch and heel pain while properly aligning your body from the feet up. Feet are the foundation to your body and if they are not wearing evenly or supporting you properly stressors will occur in ankles, knees, hips back and/or neck.

Yes. A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are “remarkably safe.” By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record.