Why Is an Exam Necessary?
Every patient’s body and condition are different. A thorough exam helps us identify the exact cause of your problem and ensures that chiropractic care is both safe and effective. Skipping this step could mean missing something important, which is why we never begin treatment without it.
When You Arrive
If you didn’t complete your new patient paperwork online ahead of time, you’ll need to fill it out when you arrive. This paperwork covers your medical history and helps us better understand your health background and goals.
What Happens During the Exam?
Your first visit begins with a detailed health history, where we take time to understand your medical background, lifestyle, and current symptoms. This helps us get a full picture of your health and any underlying factors that may be contributing to your condition.
What Does the Exam Include?
Physical Assessment: The doctor will perform a hands-on physical assessment, including chiropractic-specific tests such as palpation (feeling your spine and muscles for tenderness, tightness, or abnormalities) and joint play assessments (checking the movement of your joints to identify restrictions or misalignments).
Postural and Range of Motion Tests: We’ll check your posture and how well your spine and joints move through different ranges of motion.
Neurological and Orthopedic Tests: These help us assess nerve function, muscle strength, reflexes, and any orthopedic concerns.
CLA Insight Scans: Thermography scans are used to detect nerve dysfunction and temperature imbalances along your spine.
Foot Scans: We also assess your foot posture and arch support using digital scans to identify imbalances that might be affecting your whole body.
X-Rays
If the doctor determines that imaging is necessary, we’ll take digital X-rays right in the office. X-rays provide a clear view of your spinal alignment, allowing us to detect misalignments, degeneration, or other hidden issues that contribute to your symptoms.
Why We Don’t Treat on the First Visit
To give you the safest and most effective care possible, the doctor needs time to review your full exam findings, including X-rays and scans. That’s why we typically do not perform any treatment on the first visit—this ensures that when treatment begins, it’s based on a well-thought-out, personalized plan.
Your Report of Findings
At your next appointment, we’ll sit down with you to explain everything we found—your X-rays, scan results, and physical assessment findings. We’ll clearly outline what’s causing your problem and how chiropractic care can help correct it. You’ll receive a customized treatment plan, and we’ll answer all your questions to make sure you feel confident moving forward.