Did you know that 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives? Back pain can start out as something small and easily ignored. But it can quickly become an impairment in your everyday life. The question becomes, when should you see someone about that small pain that is becoming bigger and bigger? When should you see a chiropractor?
The answer is simple! Anytime is the right time to see a chiropractor, whether you are in perfect health or you’re not able to get out of the bed. As chiropractors, we are neuromuscular skeletal specialists. We treat primarily spinal disorders, but also every kind of pain or injury in the extremities. So, we can help treat the entire body without the use of drugs or surgeries. Regardless if you had an injury already, or you’ve just kind of started to kind of feel an ache or kink, any time is a good time to see a chiropractor!
As practitioners, we try to treat our patients right away. The faster you’re able to kind of get in to see a chiropractor, physiotherapist or massage therapist, the more likely you are to experience quick results and less likely to have chronic injury or pain.
So what can you expect when you come in to see us? Typically, on your first visit, you would come in about 10 to 15 minutes prior to your assessment time to fill out some light paperwork. This would include your personal information and a health history form. Every practitioner likes to have an idea of your past health concerns as well as the problems/complaints that you currently are experiencing. When your assessment begins, each health professional will go over this history in detail to better understand the pain you are experiencing. After that, with your consent, your chiropractor will then start going through the examination.
We will take you through your range of motion, getting you to move around and see how well your joints and muscles are working together. Every person and every body has different capabilities; we need to start with an understanding of what is normal and not normal for YOU! Chiropractors will also look at neurological stops, to better understand how your spine is communicating with your muscles, extremities and joints. Next, they will look at orthopedic tests to look at how your feet, legs, and hips support your upper body.
Now that we have an understanding of how your body works for you, we’ll ask you to recreate the pain you were experiencing. This sounds scary and uncomfortable, but we need to know what movements cause the pain so we can accurately source where it is coming from. Once we know where the pain is coming from and what is causing it, we come up with a plan. Your chiropractor will present you with a report of findings and then an appropriate plan of care. This document will outline what sorts of treatment we recommend, what our goals are for your care, and how many times you’ll need to come in to receive care.
Now that you know what to expect at an assessment, what can you expect for treatment? Treatment starts immediately after your assessment. Now that we know the problem, we are eager to start treating it NOW! What could treatment look like? The main approach that chiropractors use is the manipulation of joints to improve connection, alignment and movement in the joints. We also use soft tissue massage, interferential current machines, ultrasound, and heat/cold therapy.
For lower extremity problems we often consider orthotics. Sometimes, the feet, knees or hips are what’s causing pain into the low back. Chiropractors are extensively trained in how to diagnose and recognize spinal problems, and therefore are extremely knowledgeable in fitting orthotics to correct those problems.
Another form of support for lower extremity problems are compression stockings. Patients that are experiencing tired achy legs, swollen ankles, spider or varicose veins need added support. Additionally, prolonged sitting and standing, long distance travel and pregnancy can cause circulation problems in the lower extremities. At Body Works, all of our staff are trained Sigvaris Compression Stocking fitters. Our staff will correctly fit you for stockings, teach you how to put stockings on and off, and offer tips on how to properly maintain them.
As a chiropractor, we often take additional courses or certificates. One of these common extra certifications is in acupuncture. Chiropractors learn about the several different meridians and how to utilize electricity to help stimulate the muscles or nerves. We use acupuncture to help treat patients with different types of radiculopathy and pain in the extremities.
Next step? All of our chiropractors are prepared and ready to offer you assessment and treatment for your small pains and big problems! Not sure whether your small pain is going to become a big problem? Or unsure of how to tackle the big problem affecting your daily living? Body Works is here to help! You can check out our contact page or you can give us a call at 1-866-7PHYSIO.
