What can I expect during my first visit?
You should plan on about an hour for your first visit. A detailed medical history will be taken that goes much further than the basic question “When did the pain start”? It has been said that a good history will give the doctor 80% of the diagnosis.
Dr. Edwards will go over your medical history to determine how it relates to your current complaints. Any previous injuries from auto collisions, for example, workplace accidents, or other major health events will be reviewed, along with the treatments and benefits received.
A thorough medical history allows the doctor to recommend and prescribe your treatment modality. Your work and home environments, dietary habits and family history are also important factors to be considered.
Will I receive a complete exam on my first visit?
Yes. The initial examination consists of orthopedic and neurologic tests, followed by chiropractic palpatory findings ranging from sophisticated range of motion measurements to functional neurological evaluation. Some of the examination procedures will be familiar to you, like blood pressure or looking into your eyes to examine the corneas. Other procedures may not be, such as corneal reflex tests, balance tests and muscle testing with a torque curve machine.
X-rays and imaging studies are not routinely performed on every new patient. The history and physical examination will determine the need for imaging studies or other studies such as nerve testing or ultrasound.
What does the chiropractic evaluation include?
These tests, combined with the standard chiropractic examination, provide Dr. Edwards with tremendous insight into the nature of your symptoms and, more importantly, the cause of the pain. This treatment procedure goes far beyond the “masking of symptoms.”
The chiropractic evaluation looks at the spinal function or extremity function, noting such things as tightness, trigger points or swelling and resistance to motion, among others
What if I just want an "adjustment"?
Dr. Edwards' exam and evaluation will determine if an adjustment is called for.
What other techniques are involved in treatments?
Chiropractic technique involves the use of the doctor’s hands to place a direct, controlled force to spinal and extremity joints. A “popping” sound is often associated with this but not always. The adjustment will increase range of motion, alter the neuro-motor functioning of the body and reduce pain.
Diversified, Coupled Motion and Mulligan are the three most common chiropractic adjustment techniques practiced in our office.
Gentle or low-force techniques are used, primarily on pregnant women, children, the elderly, or when clinically indicated. Despite the gentleness of this approach, patients can expect to receive the same levels of success as those patients able to handle intense treatments.
When low-force techniques are called for, activator and pelvic blocking are the two most often used by Dr. Edwards.
What if my muscles and joints are causing pain?
Frequently, joints and muscles play an intimate role with the dysfunction or chief complaint. Along with the adjusting techniques described above, muscle techniques are regularly used to relax, strengthen or re-educate the muscular system.
Dr. Edwards muscle therapies commonly include: Neuromuscular re-education, trigger point therapy, myofascial release and fast stretch. To block pain and reduce inflammation, physiological therapeutics are employed and, when indicated, electrical muscle stimulation and ultrasound are also used.
Do you offer physical rehab?
Exercise rehabilitation is supervised in our office (strength, flexibility and endurance training), custom orthotic casting and design, diet design and supplement recommendations.
What is chiropractic neurology or brain-based treatments?
These have to do with Dr. Edwards' specialty in chiropractic neurology. Some of the therapies or exercises will include vestibuloccular reflex, optikokinetic strip, hemi-field stimulation, sensory integration, cerebellum-based exercises feed-forward/efferent copy, and many others. What is Chiropractic Neurology.
See also the information below about Interactive Metronome (IM), a neuro-motor therapy that is also offered in my office. IM is an assessment and treatment tool used to improve the neurological processes. Read on to learn more about this innovative, neurological-based therapy.
What other treatments can be provided for neurological conditions?
Interactive Metronome (IM) Therapy
Interactive Metronome (IM) is a neuro-motor therapy that has changed clinical expectations by assisting patients in reaching greater functional gains in a shorter period of time. Dr. Edwards is trained in this specialized neurological-based therapy, and offers IM treatments in his office.
IM is an assessment and treatment tool by trained chiropractic care professionals, such as Dr. Edwards, but because it helps to improve the neurological processes of motor planning, sequencing and processing, it is also successfully used by:
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech Language Pathologists
- Physical Therapists
- Educators
- Athletic Trainers
- Licensed Rehabilitation Medical and Mental Health Professionals
- Neurologists, Psychiatrists and Psychologists
- Developmental/Behavioral Optometrists
- Music Therapist
How IM works
The IM program provides a structured, goal-oriented process that challenges the patient to synchronize a range of hand and foot exercises to a precise computer-generated reference tone heard through headphones. The patient attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor actions. A patented auditory-visual guidance system provides immediate feedback measured in milliseconds, and a score is provided.
Over the course of the treatment, patients learn to:
- Focus and attend for longer periods of time
- Increase physical endurance and stamina
- Filter out internal and external distractions
- Improve ability to monitor mental and physical actions as they are occurring
- Progressively improve coordinated performance.
Who IM can help
IM patients can include:
- Sensory Integration Disorder
- ADD/ADHD
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Non-verbal Learning Disorder
- Balance Disorders
- Limb Amputation
- Parkinson's Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Laser Therapy
Dr. Edwards uses the K-Laser for many clinical problems. The K-Laser is an FDA-approved Class IV laser. Early Class III therapeutic lasers are effective, but literally thousands of times less powerful than today's new technology. Class III lasers are capable of penetration of only a few millimeters, while Class IV lasers can penetrate over seven inches into the deep musculoskeletal tissue.
The new lasers have been researched in European countries for several years, and it has been discovered that specific wattage and modulation are now used for specific conditions, which were never before available until now. The perfect blend of chiropractic and laser therapy produces phenomenal results in extremely short periods of time.
The number of treatments required depends on the nature of the problem and the length of time the patient has been affected by it. We have seen total resolution of some problems with as little as one treatment. Chronic and/or deep-seated conditions may take as many as 10 treatments and perhaps more with extreme cases.
What health problems have shown benefits from Laser Therapy?
Soft Tissue Injuries
- Tendinopathies
- Back and Neck Pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Myofascical Trigger Points
- Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
- Sprains, Strains
- Repetitive Strain Injuries
- Chondromalacia Patellae
- Planter Fascitis
Degenerative Joint Conditions
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
Neurogenic Pain
- Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
- RSD/CRPS
- Post-traumatic Injury
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Fibromyalgia
- Diabetic Neuropathy
Chronic Non-Healing Wounds
- Venous Ulcers
- Amputee Stumps
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Burns
What does laser research demonstrate?
Injuries treated with laser therapy heal faster. Laser Therapy has a strengthening effect on tissue repair Laser Therapy improves blood flow & lymphatic drainage. It is an effective means of relief for many pain syndromes. It can improve immune response
Is massage therapy all that it's cracked up to be?
Massage Therapy
According to The American Massage Therapy Association, physicians are increasingly prescribing therapeutic massage to complement traditional medical treatment for illness, injury and pain; in fact, more and more medical research indicates its effectiveness as a healing modality. Medical doctors are hiring massage therapists on staff or establishing referral relationships to make it easy for patients to find qualified, professional massage therapists.
Therapeutic massage involves manipulation of the soft tissue structures of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm and stress. It doesn't just feel good; it reduces the heart rate and blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion and increases serotonin and endorphins. It also improves functioning of the circulatory, lymphatic and nervous systems, and may improve the rate at which the body recovers from injury and illness.