The chiropractic treatment & services offered vary according to the needs of the patient. Each consultation is tailored according to the ailment presented. Too many conditions to name but a summary of services are:
We want to help you with all aspects of health. The body, mind (managing stress and how it manifests into illness), pain whether it be back pain, middle back pain, neck pain, muscle pain (conditions like fibromyalgia) and all joints of the body are treated. Our front desk will help you in any way they can from assisting you with filling out your new patient form with all your medical information on, to questions you may need help answering, most of all feeling welcome and supported in the clinic.
A thorough history of the your complaint, looking at images (X-Ray, CT or MRI scans) which you will need to bring in with you to the appointment, a postural exam (certain body shapes predict certain conditions or symptoms), neurological exam (tests that all the nerves are working and conducting electricity and supplying all parts as per normal) and a biomechanical exam including joint movements (ranges that the joints move, are any stuck ‘subluxated’, what is the impact of these stuck ‘subluxated’ joints). Testing for muscle imbalances, muscle, tendon and ligament injury.
Once we know what is wrong we will talk about how to treat you, how long it takes and your roles in the treatment plan.
The questions you were answered in the new patient form is used extensively to guide the examination. Further questions will be asked pertaining to the main complaint you filled in on the form. This will also streamline the examinations of the brain, nervous system, spine, ligaments and muscles. The more accurate you are, the more it helps us help you. Depending on the diagnosis, we will try and treat you after the first appointment, however if imaging (x-ray, ultrasound, blood tests) are required then treatment will only take place after the results and treatment plan are finalized.
In the second visit we will educate you on what is wrong, how to fix the injury/problem, what your rehabilitation is in the form of an exercise program, body weight exercises, strength training etc.
Each subsequent visit will take you from strength to strength, through the healing phases and progress towards a full recovery or optimum health.
Referral for x-ray, ultrasound, blood tests done when and if necessary. Specialised imaging such as MRI and CT scans are done through an orthopaedic surgeon and or neurologist/neurosurgeon.
Most patients coming into the chiropractic practice do not know what is wrong with them, even if they have been to another health care practitioner. We will ensure you understand your condition through discussion, showing you images and videos to aid full comprehension.
The purpose of this report is to inform you about your particular problem. We believe that this knowledge will give you a platform from which to take corrective steps to improve your health. Several of the most common questions, asked by our patients, will be answered, including:
This is the most important aspect to determine or we will not know what we are treating.
You may be doing many things which slow your healing, aggravate your condition or even make it worse. We need to all be doing everything we can to make you better and also get you to be responsible and accountable for your health condition.
Nearly all conditions benefit from exercise; your physical body produces cells to heal your injury at the site of trauma, while the brain regulates hormones and relaxes the mind psychologically. Exercise for back pain is proven to be one for the best forms of treatment and exercises for lower back pain are either prescribed or you will be referred to the appropriate medical person to do so.
Our body position has a major accumulative impact and detrimental effect on our health. Sitting has recently been proven to be the leading cause of lower back and lower back pain as a condition is the number one cause of disability according to the world health organization.
On the subject of posture, other questions arise like:
Short answer is NO. The long answer is that back braces are good for acute injuries where the spinal tissues are inflamed, full of muscle spasm and painful. The brace reduces all of the above in the initial stages but decreases neural activity and feedback loops, spinal fluid circulation in the spine and causes further muscle weakness.
Standing is the best way to spend most of your day, actually standing and moving is a recipe for superior health.
Sit-stand devices, standing work stations, ergonomic software reminding us to take breaks, do stretches and be active all have their place to help and correct our posture. Take a read of this article if you want extra evidence of what we have been saying in this posture section of the website Contact me to order ergonomic and other devices such as cushions, pillows and back supports so the right product can be prescribed for your problem. Click on the Ergotherapy Solutions webpage to view the products available.
What kind of exercises will I perform to correct my posture? Specific exercise programmes are given for your spine
This purely depends on the degree of spinal abnormality found, each patient is different.
My team and I will advise you when you have achieved correction and how to stay corrected, the key is consistency in posture, lifestyle, and treatment.
