What to Expect
Here at North Georgia Spinal Care, we want you to understand chiropractic and what you can expect from our services.
Your first visit
When you schedule your first visit we can send you an email with the new patient paperwork for you to print and fill out ahead of time. Please bring the completed paperwork with you to your visit. If you don’t have access to email and a printer, please arrive 20 minutes before your appointment time to complete the paperwork. Next you will sit down with Dr. Rob and discuss your symptoms, health history, and any questions or concerns you may have. After that, Dr. Rob will perform a physical examination and document the findings. If your symptoms appear to be something chiropractic can help with, Dr. Rob will then take a set of x-rays to help pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and rule out contraindications to care. Next, Dr. Rob will show you each of the x-rays and discuss the x-ray and examination findings with you. He will discuss the risks and benefits of chiropractic care and make recommendations based on your particular diagnosis. If your symptoms don’t appear to be related to a chiropractic condition, Dr. Rob will refer you to the appropriate healthcare provider for further evaluation. Any questions you have about your condition or chiropractic care will be answered at this time. If it is appropriate, you may choose to have your first chiropractic adjustment on this visit.
Estimated time: 60 minutes.
Subsequent visits
You may experience some soreness after the first couple of chiropractic adjustments, similar to how you feel after working out for the first time in awhile- this will be less and less with each visit, and using an ice pack on sore areas can help significantly. There may be ups and downs, but the vast majority of patients see a great to total reduction of symptoms and an improvement in joint mobility. If your symptoms do not respond to the recommended treatment plan as anticipated, you will be referred to another specialist for further evaluation- our goal is to make sure you are getting the care that you need for your symptoms whether it is in our office or elsewhere!
Estimated time: 15-20 minutes.
I'm pain free - now what?
Reducing pain symptoms is the first goal; however, it’s not the end of the journey. Once the acute pain symptoms are relieved, patients progress to a stretching program tailored to their specific condition, and then on to a strengthening program designed to help reduce further episodes of pain. Some patients choose pain relief care and prefer to just come back when something hurts, however patients that participate in corrective or maintenance care tend to experience fewer exacerbations of their conditions and have more active, pain-free days. Dietary and lifestyle adjustments may also be recommended to help you reach your health goals.