Your first chiropractic appointment should never cause apprehension. However, we routinely receive questions about what to expect and how to best prepare for a visit. Beyond the standard pre-visit forms, here are five tips to help you feel relaxed and prepared before your first office visit.
Arrive Early for Your First Chiropractic Appointment
As standard for any medical office visit, there is often a little paperwork. If you can, fill out your new patient form (located here) prior to your visit. If you don’t have an opportunity to do this or need clarification on the form, please allow an additional 15-20 minutes prior to your appointment time to complete. As well, you’ll need your insurance card, personal ID card and HSA information. We schedule all appointments so there is little-to-no waiting time for patients. Your prompt (or early) arrival keeps this schedule and maximizes your treatment time.
Dress Comfortably
Your first visit at Financial District Chiropractic is not just a consultation, it’s your first treatment. Please dress appropriately, or bring comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Shorts and a simple t-shirt often work well. Many of our patients wear athletic wear to our office, which works extremely well. The main point is that we will need easy, direct access areas of complaints, as well as surrounding structures.
Show Us What You’ve Got!
No, we’re not talking about your dance moves. We need to see any “aids” you currently use to either support or reduce pain. Please bring these to your first chiropractic appointment. This might be orthotics, braces or special shoes. If you’ve had any recent imagery, such as an MRI, CT scan or X-rays of the symptomatic area, please bring these as well. We want to piece together all of your story so we can explore possible causes of pain. Write down any questions you might have prior to the visit, so we can cover all areas of concern. Finally, let us know if you’ve taken any prescription or over-the-counter pain medication prior to your treatment and the dosage. Some patients take only the amount of pain medication to “take the edge” off prior to appointments, so that it does not obscure our observation and your reactions.
Don’t Mind Us – Go On About Your Day!
While you can possibly experience soreness for up to two days following treatment, most people, depending on the severity of their condition, feel fine (and better when they arrived!) to return to their day following chiropractic treatment. Feel free to go back to work, out to dinner with friends or keep commitments following your visit. In certain cases, we’ll discuss activities you want to avoid immediately following treatment. For example, if you have a repetitive stress injury from a workout, an alternative exercise activity should be found as your body recovers. Again, your doctor will talk about specific activities to avoid short- and long-term during your exam.
Relax!
A certain amount of “white coat syndrome” may make you nervous before any medical appointment, but especially when you’re in pain. Try not to let your anxiety get the best of you. Our offices are easily accessible to public transportation and multiple parking structures. However, you might build in a little time for a walk to nearby Sydney Walton Square park, if your pain allows it. Relax quietly for a few minutes – not looking at your phone – before your first chiropractic appointment. This helps prepare you both mentally and physically for your appointment.
We want you to look forward to your first chiropractic appointment with confidence and anticipation of relief. Our goal is to not only treat your pain or distress while in the office but give you strategies to avoid future periods of pain. Call us today at Financial District Chiropractic to book your first visit. The only thing you have to lose is the pain, while you return to your full, active life.
