What To Expect
Your First Visit
Patient Forms
Upon entering our office, our receptionist will welcome you as a member of our family. We will request that you complete our patient forms located in the New Patient Center. This paperwork provides us with your health history and information on your condition.
Consultation
Next, you will have a consultation with Dr. Suhill Samji to discuss your health-related problems, concerns, and potential treatment options. This initial visit is designed for Dr. Suhill Samji to learn more about you, your condition, and expectations to determine how chiropractic care can meet your goals.
Examination
After your consultation, Dr. Suhill Samji will perform a complete chiropractic examination testing your reflexes and flexibility. Other standard neurological, orthopedic, postural, and physical tests will be performed as well. However, nothing will be done in our office without your consent.
X-Ray Studies
Depending on your specific condition, we may take X-rays as well. X-rays help us develop the most effective treatment plan for you, and alert us of any serious spinal conditions. Most people are amazed once they see their X-rays up close. In some cases, they can even identify their misalignments and degeneration themselves.
Report of Findings
Once the information is collected and examinations are performed, Dr. Suhill Samji will give you a detailed report of all findings and answer any questions including:
- How can you help me?
- How often do I need to come in?
- What will my treatment cost?
After reviewing your health history, goals, and examining your spine and X-rays, Dr. Suhill Samji or one of our other chiropractors or physiotherapists will discuss recommendations and notify you if your condition requires care with other providers. We will provide the best treatment and wellness program for your needs.
Treatment
At the conclusion of this initial appointment, you can choose to experience your first treatment. This may include spinal adjustments, physiotherapy, and/or soft tissue massage. Treatment is interactive, so you can express concerns about the different styles of treatment anytime.
Wellness Program
Prior to leaving, the doctor will suggest a wellness program to incorporate outside of treatment. If you are in pain when you first come into our office this may include: ice or heat application instructions, certain activities or positions to avoid, and at home exercises and/or stretches. If you desire, our wellness team will work with you also to create healthy habits and routines for your lifestyle. Every person is unique, therefore everyone requires a customized wellness plan. The purpose of our wellness program is for you to achieve good spinal alignment, have a healthy diet, exercise, and maintain a positive mental state.
Phase 1 : Relief Care
Thumbs Up to Relief Care
Many people go to a chiropractor because they are in pain. In this first phase of care, relief care, the main goal is to reduce your symptoms. Sometimes this will require daily visits or two to three visits per week for a time.
Most people are under the assumption that if they don’t feel any pain that there is nothing wrong with them – that they are healthy. Unfortunately, pain is a very poor indicator of health. In fact, pain and other symptoms frequently only appear after a disease or another condition has become advanced.
For example, consider a cavity in your tooth. Does it hurt when it first develops or only after it has become serious? How about heart disease? Regardless of whether you are talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stress or problems with the spine, pain is usually the last thing to appear. When you begin chiropractic care, pain is also the first symptom to disappear, even though much of the underlying condition remains.
Phase 2: Corrective Care
Teaming Up for Optimal Health: Corrective Care
Most chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a person’s care. If all that the chiropractor does is to reduce the pain and stop there, the chances of the condition recurring are much greater. In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care even though your symptoms are gone with the corrective care phase.
During the corrective care phase, you will not have to receive adjustments as often as you did during the first phase of care and, depending on your particular circumstances, you may begin doing exercises and stretches either at the center or at home to help accelerate your healing.
Do not be discouraged if you have mild flare-ups in your symptoms on occasion. This is normal. Flare-ups are bound to occur during this phase because your body has not fully healed. Depending on the severity of your injury or condition and how long you have been suffering from it, this phase of your care may last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Maintenance is Key to Healthy Living: Wellness Care
Once your body has fully healed, routine chiropractic care can help ensure that your physical problems do not return, and keep your body in optimal condition with our wellness care. Just like continuing an exercise program and eating well in order to sustain the benefits of exercise and proper diet, it is necessary to continue chiropractic care to ensure the health of your musculoskeletal system.
When you make routine chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle, you avoid many of the aches and pains that so many people suffer through, your joints will last longer and you will be able to engage in more of the activities you love.