How to Prepare for a Chiropractic Visit

How to Determine You Need to See a Chiropractor

You might be asking yourself whether you need a chiropractor. Before you take out your phone and type “chiropractor near me,” you should know when it is best to call one. So when should you call a chiropractor? Anytime! Chiropractors provide much-needed relief to individuals who suffer from a wide array of injuries and conditions, which can be typified by any of the following symptoms:

Headaches: If you’re one of the thousands of Marylanders who suffer from migraines, there is a path towards pain-free living: chiropractic care. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of spinal manipulation and professional massage therapy on patients who suffer from this condition. Our chiropractors understand that headaches have trigger points throughout the body and know how effective massage and physical therapy are in reducing their frequency and severity.

You’re an Active Person: If you run every day or play pickup basketball, chiropractic care can help keep your body limber and pain-free, especially if you’re getting older. Visiting Effective Integrative Healthcare careplan can drastically reduce the pain associated with working out and even improve your sleeping habits.

Shoe Soles Wearing Inconsistently: One of the telltale signs that you need a chiropractor in Millersville, MD is unevenly-worn shoe soles. Why? Because a well-aligned, healthy spine would produce even wear-and-tear on the bottom of your shoes. If you notice one seems more well-worn than the other, there’s a good chance you’re out of alignment. The chiropractors at Effective Integrative Healthcare find and correct the misalignment.

You Sit All Day At Work: Chances are, your office chair isn’t doing your back any favors. Many of our clients’ spines are misaligned as a result of sitting in front of a computer eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. If you’re experiencing chronic back pain, you might require a visit to the chiropractor.

Joint or Muscle Pain: We offer dry needling, hydromassage, pulsed cold laser therapy, and massage therapy, all of which effectively augments the positive effects of realignment and effectively treats joint and muscle pain.

Shooting Pain in Your Legs: This kind of pain often indicates Sciatica, a condition that impacts the sciatic nerve, which starts at your lower back and continues down both legs. If you’ve noticed pain that radiates or shoots down either or both of your legs, visit the chiropractors at Effective Integrative Healthcare. We use an array of alignment and treatment tactics, such as massage and physical therapy, to treat Sciatica.

You Were in a Car Accident: Car accidents can have a devastating impact on your spine. Even if your accident wasn’t life-threatening, the pain following a wreck could be unbearable. One of the conditions we frequently treat is whiplash, which often occurs during automotive collisions. Fortunately, chiropractic care is highly-effective at treating whiplash. If you’re in pain following your car accident, give our chiropractors a call.

Your Range of Motion is Limited: Whether due to an injury or a sedentary lifestyle, a reduced range of motion is indicative that something is amiss. If you’ve found you’re unable to complete tasks you once could or move as easily as in the past, consider visiting our chiropractor. Realigning your spine could make a big difference in your range of motion.

You Have Chronic Pain: Patients suffering from constant pain will do almost anything to reduce their pain. Chiropractic care is an excellent way to do so, as it systematically targets trigger points throughout the body. We have many massage and physical therapy techniques available to Millersville, MD patients.

You Had a Recent Injury: Don’t allow a recent injury to turn into something far worse. Misaligned spines cause tremendous pain, so it’s wise to be aggressive from the beginning. If you fell on the job or injured yourself biking, visit the chiropractors at Effective Integrative Healthcare today. We can ensure you don’t suffer from prolonged chronic pain.

You Have Chronic Sinus and Ear Infections: Believe it or not, chiropractors can have a positive impact on people who suffer from chronic sinus and ear infections, including both children and adults. The chiropractors at Effective Integrated Healthcare use their knowledge to resolve sinus drainage problems by realigning the spine.

Steps to Take Before Meeting your Chiropractor

If you’re visiting the chiropractor for the first time, you want to be sure you’re all squared away. While chiropractic care is cut-and-dry, there are some things you should and shouldn’t do, including:

Make sure to wear the right clothing: Be sure to wear comfortable clothes that allow for plenty of movement when you visit the chiropractor. Both men and women can wear jeans, but you’re better off in exercise clothing like yoga pants or gym shorts. Also, avoid wearing layers. Massage therapy and physical therapy are more complicated if the chiropractor has to work through layers of clothing. Finally, leave your jewelry at home.

Come prepared: The more prepared you are, the better Effective Integrative Healthcare can take care of you. For instance, if you have x-rays, MRIs, or CT scans, bring them. Additionally, bring any doctor’s notes relating to your condition. It is also helpful to bring a list of prescription medications and supplements you’re taking. Finally, bring your purse or bookbag. It helps to see what kind of weight you carry around each day.

Explaining Your Pain to a Chiropractor

As noted above, your active participation is critical to our ability to treat your musculoskeletal condition quickly and effectively. In the days leading up to your appointment, we strongly urge you to take careful notes on all aspects of your pain. These notes will help you answer our questions and aid you in explaining the specifics to our chiropractors. Some details to note include:

Location: The next time you feel pain, pay close attention to where it is located. If you do that, you’ll be able to give us a precise location, such as “just inside my right shoulder blade, at the top of my back.”

Severity: Even though each patient’s pain tolerance is difficult, it still helps to be able to describe your pain level. Try to provide context. For instance, if it is worse immediately after leaving work or keeps you awake at night, be sure to notify us.

Specifics: It is helpful if you can find a way to describe the nature of your pain accurately. For instance, rather than using generic terms like “hurt,” or “pain,” use descriptive ones like “throb,” “stab,” or “dull and continuous.”

Frequency: How often you experience acute pain is an important detail. Some patients suffer intermittent pain, such as when they first get out of bed or finish working out. For others, the pain is constant.

Causes: This might be the hardest thing for you to determine, but it is vital. Keep a “pain log,” and try to pay attention to what is happening before, during, and after you feel pain. If you notice a jolt of pain when you bend down to tie your shoes, mark down how severe it is, the location, and how long it lasts.

What to Expect from Your Treatment Plan

Once you and your chiropractor have discussed the nature of your condition and why you’re visiting Effective Integrative Healthcare, they will perform a physical examination. Our chiropractor will start by feeling your spine, investigating how your joints move and testing your muscle strength, reflexes, and range of motion. From there, we’ll discuss a treatment plan with you. While this might include spine realignment, we may suggest other methods as well. After your first visit, we’ll schedule a follow-up massage therapy or physical therapy appointment at our Millersville, MD clinic. You can expect shorter appointment times on subsequent visits.

Request an Appointment at Effective Integrative Healthcare 

We want to hear from you. We believe each person can benefit from the services of a chiropractor, whether they’re in pain or not. To schedule a free consultation with Effective Integrative Healthcare, give our office a call today.