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I am Dr. Schneider.  I made this page to be able to pass along some information that all my new patients will find informative concerning my family practice.  This section for new patients is for those of you who are new to my clinic and for those of you who are about to come in and see me for the first time.

The first visit will last about an hour. Subsequent visits however may last just a few minutes. 

I will take a complete medical history and identify problem areas to be addressed during treatment. I will want to know about your pain, if any, where it is located, when the pain started, and what activities improve or exacerbate the pain. Your blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and reflexes may be assessed. Depending on your specific situation, I may perform X-rays and/or refer you to have an MRI scan or other diagnostic tests as detailed more further below. The physical examination will generally be performed through light clothing. It may include observation of posture and range of motion and palpation of muscles, joint movement, and soft tissues.

Treatment may cause mild discomfort but should not cause pain. Sometimes due to muscle memory your joints and bones may slip back to their pretreatment position sooner than anticipated.  Tell me immediately if you experience pain!  As I said above subsequent visits after your initial visit and diagnosis may last just a few minutes.  This is because with the passing of  time your body is becoming more used to the way it should be properly aligned.

 

What Is An Adjustment?

Chiropractors are said to perform "adjustments." Adjustments are done by applying a specific force in a certain direction to the body, and the result is a change in the position and motion of spinal bones. Force can be applied with hands only or with a small instrument called an Activator. You may hear a popping noise, resulting from gas and lubricating fluids in the spinal joints shifting. Usually you will receive treatment on a special chiropractic table designed of several parts that can be moved to assist me in performing the adjustment.

Adjustments are done to correct what are called "subluxations." Subluxations occur when the joints of the spine fail to move properly and/or spinal bones move out of alignment, which results in interference with the nerve messages from the brain to the body or vice versa. Muscle balance, organ function, and the body's production of hormones and chemicals can be affected. Subluxations can exist without causing any obvious symptoms, since only about 10 percent of nerves actually perceive pain.

 

Safe Healthcare for the Entire Family

My primary role as a chiropractor is to improve your nervous system function overall, rather than treating a specific disease or symptom per se. Chiropractors can effectively treat patients of all ages, including babies and children and the elderly, with gentle adjustments. Chiropractic care is very safe and is thought to help the body heal itself.

 

Progress Evaluation

Your progress under my care will be carefully monitored.  The subjective improvement as well as the objective findings will be noted, and your treatment plan will be modified to meet your changing condition.  This leads me to my final notes for you here and that is concerning the chiropractic philosophy. 

I am a chiropractor because I promote a lifestyle of wellness and disease prevention.  Chiropractic care utilizes most natural health methods such as exercise, nutrition and diet, and lifestyle modification.  In many but not all cases, natural chiropractic treatment can prevent a patient from needing surgery and other invasive procedures.

Good chiropractors do everything in their power to help relieve their patient’s symptoms as fast as possible with as few treatments as necessary, and also give advice on how to avoid future episodes of chronic back pain, acute back pain or sciatica.

 

Patient History and Symptoms before the Chiropractic Exam

In preparation for the chiropractic consultation, you will be asked to fill out forms that provide background information about the symptoms and condition. Types of questions I might ask include:

• When and how did the pain start?
• Where is it located?
• Is it a result of an injury?
• What activities/circumstances make it better?
• What activities/circumstances make it worse?

Patients are also usually asked to provide information on family medical history, any pre-existing medical conditions or prior injuries, and previous and current health providers and treatments.

 

The Chiropractic Exam

A thorough chiropractic exam at my family clinic includes general tests such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and reflexes, as well as specific orthopedic and neurological tests to assess:

• Range of motion of the affected part
• Muscle tone
• Muscle strength
• Neurological integrity.

Further chiropractic exam tests may be necessary to assess the affected area (such as having the individual move in a specific manner, posture analysis, or chiropractic manipulation of the affected body part).

Watch this special video concerning a common condition known as "Spinal Decompression" and how it may be affecting you. If your symptoms result from spinal decompression we will know about it and move immediately towards correction in your care treatment.

 

Diagnostic Studies to Supplement the Chiropractic Exam

Based upon the results of the history and chiropractic exam, diagnostic studies may be helpful in revealing pathologies and identifying structural abnormalities that I can use to more accurately diagnose your condition. Diagnostic studies are not always necessary during the chiropractic exam.

The most common diagnostic studies during chiropractic exams include:

• X-ray exam
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan
• Other laboratory tests.

My chiropractic clinic can perform standard X-rays, but an MRI scan and more extensive imaging studies may be referred to an outside center.

 

Patient Diagnosis after the Chiropractic Exam

History, physical examination and any diagnostic studies lead to a specific diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is established, I will determine if the condition will respond to my methods of chiropractic care.

I will explain a patient’s:

• Diagnosed condition
• Individualized chiropractic treatment plan (or other treatments)
• Anticipated length of chiropractic care.

You are on your path to recovery and wellness after your diagnosis regardless if you will benefit most from chiropractic treatment or require referral to another specialist, such as a surgeon.  Know you are getting the best care possible starting at Schneider Chiropractic.