Chiropractor Patient Journey
(Full First-Time Visit)

Chiropractor Patient Journey

The first step we take when we have a new patient is to start the chiropractor appointment with a conversation about their objectives and goals, find out why they came in, and determine what would make their experience with us an exceptional one. Many patients have goals related to alleviating pain, restoring range of motion, or improving performance. We always ask a new patient if they have any concerns or fears so that we can address them right away. Colin shared that he was concerned about remaining accountable and doing exercises at home. This helps us provide a better experience for him because it allows us to provide more accountability.

As part of the chiropractor patient journey, you'll be asked what would change in your life as a result of getting the treatment so we understand why you're coming in and what end results you're after. Colin tells Dr. Warren that he wants to become pain-free and be able to be active spontaneously without having to hesitate about his shoulder.

Once we have all of this information, we move onto asking about what is currently happening or causing Colin pain and what his history is with this sort of pain. Asking questions like this helps our chiropractors get a better picture of what's happening right now, what your body is prone to, and what we need to look at in order to determine the best possible treatment plan for you.

The second step in our chiropractor patient journey is an initial cervical spine exam. The cervical spine exam provides us with clues as to where symptoms are coming from. Dr. Warren immediately identifies a few spots that are holding tension. We then examine a patient's range of motion, what movements cause pain, and where the tension lies so we can accurately treat it.

Dr. Warren moves onto palpating the neck to feel tension and restrictions. This allows him to identify exactly where in the cervical spine he needs to focus his treatment. You'll also see Dr. Warren perform tests to measure strength, range of motion, pain, and points of weakness or asymmetry. When you come into the office for your first chiropractic appointment, you'll be taken through these tests too. These tests help us determine where your symptoms are coming from and what we should do to treat them so that we can help you reach your goals and feel better faster.

The third step in our chiropractor-patient journey is to start treatment. For Colin, that meant having dry needling followed by electric stimulation with heat and a chiropractic adjustment. Finally, we take Colin through the exercises he'll need to do while coaching him and correcting him to make sure he's doing them correctly. 

Through the entire treatment process, we educate our patients by explaining why we're doing what we're doing so that every patient understands. It's very important to us that our patients understand why each treatment and each exercise is being done so they have ownership of their own health and their chiropractic patient journey. New chiropractic patients leave understanding exactly what they need to do in order to reach their goals and we encourage them to ask any questions they may have as we implement their treatment plan.

Are you ready to make your chiropractor appointment so you can start feeling better faster? Click here to make an appointment or call us at (410) 296-7700 to set up your appointment!