When you start talking to your friends about a recent trip to the chiropractor, you may begin to think all patients are adjusted in the same way. While some maneuvers are similar, they’re not exactly the same for every patient. Chiropractic care is an individual type of treatment, and your chiropractor, like a back pain doctor will work to understand your exact situation before performing any manipulations. The following are some things he or she might do.
Looking Over Your Medical History
Your medical history is important for a chiropractor to learn more about the condition you’re suffering from. It’s possible your family has experienced something for generations, but nobody actually knew how to deal with it. It’s also possible you have something that requires medical treatment your chiropractor can’t provide. Before performing any adjustments, your chiropractor will learn all he or she can about your family medical history.
A Physical Examination
After telling and showing your chiropractor what has been bothering you, he or she will probably conduct a short physical exam to see if there is anything obvious that should be more seriously dealt with. Sometimes chiropractors find tumors that weren’t previously identified. Other times they determine issues with the heart or the digestive system.
Learning about your physical wellbeing also helps a chiropractor determine a course of action. He or she may have you move your extremities in a certain way, sit or stand, or perform other movements that will be telling about your condition. It’s possible chronic headache relief will come from your upper back. It’s also possible lower back pain relief will come from your neck, and your chiropractor will need to determine that.
Conducting Tests
If during your physical exam or the discussion of your medical history, your chiropractor finds a reason to conduct some tests, it’s possible you will be asked to undergo some diagnostic studies. These often help the chiropractor determine a course of care, but can also confirm suspicions about more serious health problems that need to be addressed. Some tests a patient may require include MRIs, X-rays and other similar studies.
Learning More
As you can see, all of the abovementioned steps are quite personal and unique to the individual. Your course of action and set of adjustments will be different than every other patient your chiropractor sees. While they could resemble another’s, your medical history and physical wellbeing will help to determine how a chiropractor will adjust you.
To learn more, contact a chiropractor. With so many options available, and with so many insurance plans now including chiropractic care, there’s no excuse not to receive the help you need. Call today!
