Mountain Valley Chiropractic :: (970) 256-8449
What Should You Expect On Your First Visit With Us?
Mountain Valley Chiropractic gears its procedures toward detection and correction of the "Vertebral Subluxation" (click on this link for more information on subluxations). The procedures we use are therefore specifically selected for your spine and nervous system health. There are a couple of things that you should expect when you have your first visit.
Consultation
The first part of the visit will be a consultation to review your patient paperwork and to discuss your health concerns in detail. This will help direct the exam process to be as efficient and beneficial as possible.
Exam
Our examination consists of a thorough musculo-skeletal and nervous system exam which includes "Palpation". Palpation essentially is checking your spine and other related areas of the body by hand. With this exam, the doctor can feel areas of your spine or other areas of your body that may be involved with subluxations or problems you may be experiencing. Spinal position, curvatures and muscle tone can also be examined as it relates to possible spinal subluxations. Your examination will also include vitals (blood pressure, pulse, respirations) and other orthopaedic/neurological tests to help us reveal the underlying cause of your health issue(s).
The exam process is specifically tailored to each person. Exam procedures are different depending on whether you are an adult, child or infant respectively, as different exam procedures are neccessary to gather important health information.
Chiropractic Adjustment
Once the exam has been performed, the next part of the visit will consist of the Chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment is designed to gently remove or reduce subluxation by restoring proper motion and alignment of bones of the spinal column or extremities such as feet, knees, wrist, shoulders, etc. The adjustment is performed by hand or with a small hand-held instrument called an Activator which delivers a gentle impulse force to the spine or other joint with the goal of restoring motion and function to the targeted spinal vertebra or joint.
Spinal X-rays may be ordered prior to beginning care or during the course of care depending on exam findings and overall situation. Most children, pregnant women, and those who have had recent x-rays for the doctor to view will not be required to take x-rays. Aside from these particular people, x-rays are commonly requested as part of the examination process when looking for vertebral subluxations or detecting abnormal anatomy. X-rays give us important information including the position of the spinal bones and the quality of the spine and safety of adjusting it. X-rays also tell us the relative length of time subluxations may have been involved in your spine. Commonly, most patients receive three spinal x-rays at the beginning of care.
With this important information we can make a more accurate determination as to the type of adjustments your spine needs as well as the ongoing frequency of your care. We consider subluxations to be a serious threat to the quality of your health and that of your family. It is therefore imperative that we utilize the most modern and well established, time-proven procedures to help you. We feel you're worth it!