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By William L. Hill, D.C.
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The following articles are brought to you as a community service by Hill Chiropractic. |
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THE FIRST VISIT
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You’ve never visited a chiropractor? Here’s what you can expect on your first visit: Although a chiropractic adjustment will vary in length, your first visit will most likely last an hour or so. This is because the chiropractor will want to talk to you about your general health history and, if you’re coming in with a specific aliment, diagnose your problem and come up with a treatment plan.
The chiropractor may take one or more X-rays and give you a number of tests or examinations. The doctor will look closely at your posture to see if you’re standing straight or slouching, or favoring one leg over the other. Neurological testing may include reflex evaluation, in which the doctor taps you knee or elbow with a small hammer, or check your skin to measure sensitivity or numbness. Orthopedic testing may involve the doctor having you bend and turn to check your range of motion. It may focus on a particular joint.
The testing you receive will depend both on your specific condition and on the techniques of the doctor. But most will use a combination of neurological and orthopedic tests to determine the best course of action for you.
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CHIROPRACTIC JUDGES HEALTH THROUGH YOUR POSTURE
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Chiropractors warn their patients that incorrect posture can cause problems such as back and neck aches. How is your posture? The Doctor of Chiropractic can answer this question with a thorough examination.
If you look at the frontal view of a person with normal spinal alignment, the spine is straight. The head, shoulders, hips and feet line up. When looking at a person from the side, the ears are back over the shoulders, and the shoulders are back over the pelvis. However, the posture and spine are abnormal if:
o The head is visibly tilted, shifted or rotated in one direction.
o The head juts out in front of the chest and shoulders.
o One hip is higher than the other, turned in one direction, or shifted to one side.
o One shoulder is higher than the other or turned in one direction, or the whole upper body is shifted to one side.
Abnormal posture may cause damage to your central nervous system. A chiropractor needs to make spinal adjustments to reorient the body and eliminate musculoskeletal problems
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WOMEN SEE DOCTORS OF CHIROPRACTIC FOR MENSTRUAL PAINS
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A number of women who suffer from neck or back pain may have monthly cramps as well. This is why many of them who visit a chiropractor for other reasons also experience relief from menstrual pain and other gynecological problems.
Results from studies show that many patients experience a variety of musculoskeletal problems that arte different from their original reason for visiting the doctor. They are focused on a problem that brings them to the chiropractor, but find that other parts of their body also feel much better after treatment.
Such situations do not surprise doctors of chiropractic. They have learned through their years of experience that the spine affects all aspects of the body’s health and well being. While alleviating symptoms in one part of the body with gentle adjustments your chiropractor can bring relief to other parts of the body as well.
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