What to expect on your first visit to the chiropractor

Your first visit will last about 45 minutes. A short form covering personal information, such as your name and address and your GP’s name and address, can be filled in if booking online - or will be sent to you if booking through the receptionist - so that your file can be prepared before you meet the chiropractor.

If you are a member of any private health care system, bring any relevant documents along with you and inform the receptionist so that she can perform the necessary administration whilst you are seeing the chiropractor.

Your chiropractor will greet you in the reception area and take you through to the treatment room. He or she will then spend some time with you asking about your pain or complaint, your past medical history, any accidents you may have had, your posture and work habits, and your lifestyle. The chiropractor must establish an overall health picture to ensure that chiropractic care is appropriate for you. If chiropractic appears not to be suitable, you will be referred to your GP or relevant specialist.

Once your case history is complete, you will be asked to change into a gown (a changing area and gowns are provided) for the physical examination. This concentrates on the neuromusculoskeletal system (nerves, muscles and bones) and involves analysis of posture and movement and palpation of the spine and other joints. It may be necessary to check other things such as your heart, lungs and abdomen, to rule out other causes of your complaint.

Based on these findings the chiropractor can assess whether any additional investigations are needed, such as blood tests, X-rays or MRI/CT scans, before treatment can progress.

The chiropractor's first concern is to find out what is wrong with you and check for signs of any serious underlying disorder for which you would need to be referred to your GP or hospital.

After reviewing all the information gathered in the consultation and examination your chiropractor will be able to give you a diagnosis and prognosis (except when further investigations are indicated). They will explain to you in detail what is wrong with you, what can be done about it, how much treatment is required and how much it will cost. They may also give you advice on exercises or changes to your working environment or lifestyle that will aid your treatment and help to prevent any recurrence of your complaint. Your chiropractor will be able to advise you on the chances of your problem coming back and may suggest ongoing chiropractic care. This is not unusual with serious injuries or long term problems due to wear and tear of the joints.

Over 90% of the time treatment will be given on your first visit to the chiropractor. Mainly this involves safe, specific adjustments by hand to free the joints in the spine or elsewhere in the body. Over years of training and practise your chiropractor has mastered hundreds of techniques and they will use the ones most suitable for your age, size, specific problem and any secondary conditions you may have.

Subsequent treatments are made by appointment and will generally last 15 minutes.

Our Patient Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect from you and why.