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When you visit a chiropractor for the first time, you will
be put through a series of tests and activities to help determine the nature of
your issue/injury. This process is
called a chiropractic examination. It is
a vital part of not only the diagnosis, but the treatment plan as well. The information the chiropractor can gather from
the exam allows them to diagnose properly thus helping them formulate an appropriate
plan of action to get you better. At Pro
Chiropractic, our exams are quite thorough.
They include state of the art scans, digital x-rays and hands-on
testing.
The first test that will be done is range of motion. This will allow the chiropractor to see if
there are any visible restrictions during movement. Restrictions can be caused by muscle strain,
muscle tightness, ligament sprain, joint restriction or pain caused by disc
herniation. Once range of motion is
completed, the exam will move on to orthopedic testing. Movement restrictions and/or pain will be
noted by the chiropractor.
The next aspect of the examination is orthopedic
testing. These tests help to determine
what structures are involved in the issue/injury, such as muscle, joint, or
nerve. Each test is designed to rule in
or rule out possible causes of dysfunction.
Every chiropractor has their own set of tests they use during the exam
and will perform them in an order that works for them, so exams vary from
chiropractor to chiropractor. After
completing range of motion and orthopedic tests, the chiropractor will have a
good working diagnosis for what they think the problem is.
The next step in the examination is x-rays. The chiropractor may or may not recommend
x-rays depending on the age of the patient, mechanism of injury or if the
patient is pregnant. X-rays are taken to
either determine if a break or dislocation has occurred or to determine
structural integrity of the spinal region.
The above picture shows a normal cervical (neck) curvature versus an
abnormal curvature. Abnormal curvatures
can be caused by a traumatic incident such as a fall or car accident or can
occur over time due to poor posture.
The chiropractic examination
is important for every patient to help reach the proper working diagnosis
whether the diagnosis is as simple as a segmental dysfuction or as complicated
as a herniated disc. Without the
examination, the chiropractor is essentially “shooting in the dark” when it
comes to treatment which can be harmful
to the patient, not to mention a waste of the patient’s time and money.
If you or someone you know in the Gallatin
Valley area is looking for a chiropractor, please call Dr. Shea Stark with Pro Chiropractic at 406-219-2462
to schedule an appointment in our Belgrade or Bozeman office. Dr. Stark
is a board certified chiropractor and the author of this blog post. To
learn more about Dr. Stark and the many benefits of chiropractic care, please
visit our website: www.prochiromt.com.