Your First Visit
Patient Forms
Upon entering our office, Jordan, at our front desk, will welcome you as a member of our family. She will give you a tour of the office so that you feel comfortable. She will then have you fill out some paperwork. This paperwork is also 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 Stu Menis to discuss your health-related problems, concerns, and potential treatment options. This initial visit is designed for Stu Menis to learn more about you, your condition, and expectations to determine how chiropractic care can meet your goals.
Examination
After your consultation, Stu Menis 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-Rays
They are not always needed. However, after a thorough review of your case history and a detailed examination, if Dr. Stu feels x-rays would be beneficial he will make arrangements for you to get them.
Report of Findings
You will watch a short 10-minute video based upon your examination before Dr. Stu reviews his findings with you.
In addition, Stu Menis will discuss recommendations and notify you if your condition requires care with other providers. Stu Menis will provide the best treatment and wellness program for your needs.
Treatment
Dr. Stu is well versed in many treatment techniques, including low force techniques. If at any time you feel uncomfortable with anything, please feel free to mention it.
What to Expect
Laying the foundation for total health
In some ways, one could say that chiropractic care is a bit like building a house - certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work together correctly. When building a house, if you tried to build your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually may even collapse. If you tried to build your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. These concepts apply to your body as well, and chiropractic care addresses many common reasons why people experience pain and other health issues. If something is not right with your body's foundation then that needs to be addressed before true health can be achieved. With chiropractic care, your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully. There are three general phases of chiropractic care . . .
Phase 1: Relief Care
If you are in pain when you come into our Eastport chiropractic office, our first objective is to help you reduce pain and start feeling better as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the underlying condition which is causing your pain, it is typical for a patient to need chiropractic care or adjustments 2-3 times per week for 4-12 weeks.
Thumbs Up to Relief
Many people go to a chiropractor because they are in pain. In this first phase of 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 other 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/Restorative Care
During the corrective phase of chiropractic care, muscles and other tissues are allowed to heal more completely, which helps prevent further injury or pain. The goal of corrective or restorative chiropractic care is to help bring your body back to 100% functioning. It is typical to need chiropractic care or adjustments about 4-8 times per month for 6-24 months, depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem.
Teaming Up for Optimal Health
Most chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a person's care. If all that the chiropractor does is 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.
During the correction / restorative phase of your care, 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
Once your body has fully healed and you are no longer experiencing back pain or other pain symptoms, it is important to come in for periodic chiropractic adjustments to avoid further problems in the future. Usually, this phase of chiropractic care only requires a quick visit to the chiropractor 1-4 times per month, based on your lifestyle and goals.
Maintenance is Key to Healthy Living
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. 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.