If you’ve never seen a chiropractor, or if you’re visiting one for the first time after an auto accident, it’s normal to feel a bit apprehensive. What will they do? Will it hurt?
We want to demystify the process. Your first visit to Portland Whiplash & Spine is all about one thing: getting an accurate diagnosis. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what you can expect.
Step 1: The Detailed History (We Listen)
This is the most important part of your visit. We can’t treat you effectively if we don’t know your story. We will sit down with you and listen. Be prepared to answer questions like:
- About the accident: When did it happen? What direction were you hit from (rear-ended, t-bone)? Were you the driver or passenger?
- About your symptoms: What hurts? When did the pain start? What does it feel like (sharp, dull, burning, tingling)? What activities make it better or worse?
- About your history: Have you had previous neck or back injuries? Do you have any other medical conditions?
This detailed history gives us crucial clues about the nature of your injury.
Step 2: The Physical Examination
Next, our doctor will perform a comprehensive physical exam. This is a hands-on process to find the exact source of your pain. This may include:
- Palpation: Gently feeling your neck, back, and shoulders to identify areas of muscle tightness, swelling, or joint tenderness.
- Range of Motion Tests: Asking you to slowly move your head and neck (up, down, side-to-side) to see how far you can move before feeling pain or stiffness. The measurement is measured to look for abnormalities and to track progress in your recovery.
- Neurological Tests: Checking your reflexes, muscle strength, and sensation in your arms and hands. This helps us determine if any nerves are being pinched or irritated. If appropriate, other neurological tests may be performed to assess nerves that may be involved in brain (or brainstem) injury such as a concussion.
- Orthopedic Tests: Performing specific movements to test the ligaments, joints, and muscles in your spine, arms, or legs.
Step 3: Diagnostic Imaging (If Necessary)
In some cases, a thorough history and physical exam are enough to make a diagnosis. However, if we suspect a more serious injury (like a fracture or damage to discs or ligaments), further assessment can be done through our state of the art dynamic digital x-ray equipment (DDR) or refer you for MRIs or other appropriate imaging. You deserve to know what was injured, and the severity of those injuries, and this is the foundation for creating a plan for your recovery.
Step 4: Your Diagnosis and Report of Findings
Once we have all the information, our doctor will explain your diagnosis in plain English. We’ll show you what we found and how it relates to the pain you’re feeling. This is your time to ask questions. We believe a patient who understands their injury is better equipped to participate in their recovery.
Step 5: Your Personalized Treatment Plan
Finally, we will propose a treatment plan tailored specifically to you. This plan will outline:
- What treatments we recommend: This may include gentle chiropractic adjustments to restore joint motion, massage therapy to relieve muscle spasms, and specific exercises to stabilize the area.
- How often you’ll need to come in.
- Specialist referrals.
- Your recovery goals and the expected timeline.
In many cases, we can begin your first gentle treatment on the very same day to start providing relief.
Your recovery is our top priority. Our team is here to guide you through every step, from diagnosis to becoming pain-free. If you’re ready to take control of your recovery, call us at 503-774-3778.
