First Visit

The first thing we will do is ask you about the health complaints about which you are chiefly concerned. We would like to get to know you, and understand a few things about you:

• your family history
• dietary habits
• other care you may have had (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical, etc.)
• your job
• and other questions to help understand what you are concerned about and the best way to go about treating the problem.

A physical examination will be performed by Dr. Nicole, which may include x-rays, laboratory analysis and other diagnostic procedures. In addition, a careful spinal examination and analysis will be performed to detect any structural abnormalities which may be affecting or causing your condition. All of these elements are important components of your total health profile, and vital to the doctor of chiropractic in evaluating your problem.

Doctors of chiropractic spend years learning motion palpation – the art of examining by movement or touch.

An “adjustment,” as doctors of chiropractic use the term, means the specific manipulation of vertebrae which have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally. Doctors of chiropractic spend years learning motion palpation (the art of examining by movement or touch) and other forms of spinal examining procedures, so that they can administer specific and appropriate spinal adjustments.

Once the DC has identified the problem, she will begin care by way of these adjustments or “manipulations.” Particular attention will be paid to that area of your spine where a spinal derangement or “subluxation” has been detected. The adjustment is usually given by hand or “activator” type instruments, and consists of applying pressure to the areas of the spine that are out of alignment or that do not move properly within their normal range of motion.

Our adjustments don’t hurt! The patient may experience a minor amount of discomfort during the adjustment which lasts only seconds. Adjustments or manipulations are extremely safe.