First Time? Here’s What Your Patient Journey Looks Like.
Laying the foundation
Chiropractic care is like building a house – certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work correctly. When building a house, if you tried to put up your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually collapse. If you tried to put on your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. The same is true for your body. Your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully.
Your Personalized Chiropractic Care Plan
There are three general phases of chiropractic care:
Phase 1: Relief Care
Most people seek chiropractic care because they’re in pain. The primary goal in this phase is to reduce symptoms and help you feel better. Depending on the severity of your condition, this may require visits two to three times per week—or even daily—for several weeks. It’s important to understand that pain is often a poor indicator of health. Symptoms typically appear only after a condition has progressed, and they are usually the first thing to go once care begins. Even if your pain subsides quickly, the underlying issue often remains.
Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care
Once symptoms have decreased, the focus shifts to correcting the underlying issue and promoting complete healing. This helps prevent future flare-ups and injuries. Care during this phase is less frequent—usually four to eight visits per month—and may include stretches or exercises to support your recovery.
Flare-ups can still occur as your body adapts and heals. The length of this phase varies based on your condition and can last from several months to a couple of years.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
After your body has healed, wellness care helps maintain progress and prevent future issues. Much like a healthy diet or regular exercise, routine chiropractic visits (typically one to four times per month) can keep your spine and joints functioning well.
Incorporating chiropractic care into your lifestyle can reduce everyday aches and pains, support joint health, and help you continue doing the activities you love.
Your First Visit
Upon entering our office our receptionist will greet you and welcome you as a member of our family. We will request you fill out our patient forms located in the New Patient Center (if you haven’t already done so). The paperwork provides us with general information about yourself and your condition.
Next you will have a consultation with one of the doctors to discuss your health-related problems, concerns, as well as potential treatment options. Your first visit is designed for us to learn more about you, your condition and your expectations to determine whether chiropractic care will you meet your goals.
After your consultation, we will perform a complete chiropractic examination testing your reflexes, your ability to turn and bend as well as other standard neurologic, orthopedic, postural, and physical examinations. Nothing will be done in our office without your consent.
Your specific condition may require us to take x-rays to get a full evaluation of the patient. X-rays help us rule out more serious conditions or assist us in developing the most effective treatment plan for you. Most people are amazed once they have their x-rays and can often immediately identify their misalignments and degeneration themselves.
Once all the information and examinations have been performed, we will give you a report of findings to answer the three most popular questions:
- Can you help me?
- What do you recommend that I do to get better?
- How much is it going to cost?
After discussing your history and your goals, examining your spine and reviewing any x-rays or tests, the doctor will discuss recommendations with you. If you have a condition that requires care with other providers, the doctor will tell you. If we believe we can help you, we will recommend treatment and a wellness program.
Treatment
Patients will generally be provided with their first treatment at the conclusion of the appointment. This may include spinal adjustments, physical therapies, and/or soft tissue therapies. Treatment is interactive with you so you can express any concerns you have about the style of adjustment you will be most comfortable with.
Wellness Program
Before leaving, patients receive personalized wellness instructions to follow at home. This may include ice or heat therapy, activity modifications, and stretches. For those pursuing a wellness lifestyle, our team helps develop customized routines focused on posture, spinal alignment, nutrition, supplements, weight management, and stress relief.
At East West Chiropractic in Groton, CT, our expert team is dedicated to helping you live pain-free through personalized chiropractic care with non-invasive therapies. We educate and empower our patients to live healthier and achieve optimal quality of life.
Pain relief and better health is just one call away. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and begin your journey to a more active and fulfilling life.