What to expect on your first office visit

You should expect that your first visit to our office will take about an hour.

First, a detailed history is taken. A good history goes further than just the basic question of, “When did the pain start”. It highlights relevant information to establish relationships between your past medical history and current complaints. Any previous injuries from auto crashes or work place accidents or other incidents, the treatments rendered and the benefits derived from such treatments are all highly salient to the way we determine your treatment modality. Work and home environments, dietary habits and family history are all important factors to be considered. It has been said that a good history will give the doctor 80% of the diagnosis. The doctor first has to listen.

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; such as, blood pressure or looking into the eyes to examine the corneas. But some of the other examination procedures might not be so familiar; such as corneal reflex tests, balance tests and muscle testing with a torque curve machine.

These tests, in combination with the standard chiropractic examination, provide Dr. Edwards with a tremendous insight into not just the nature of your symptoms but to the very cause of the pain. This allows for a true treatment not just a 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.

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.

Adjusting Technique : Chiropractic technique involves the use of the doctors' 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 this office.

Gentle or low force techniques are utilized, primarily on the 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.

Often, joints and muscle play an intimate role with the dysfunction or chief complaint. In conjunction with the adjustive techniques described above, muscle techniques are often employed to relax, strengthen or re-educate the muscular system.

Muscle therapies used in the office 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.

Brain Based therapies/exercises include:
Vestibuloccular reflex, optikokinetic strip, hemi-field stimulation, sensory integration, cerebellar based exercises feed-forward/efferent copy and many others.

Other services provided:
Exercise rehabilitation supervised in office (strength, flexibility and endurance training), custom orthotic casting and design, diet design and supplement recommendations.


Massage Therapy

What to expect on
your first visit

Massage Therapy

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According to The American Massage Therapy Association; therapeutic massage increasingly is being prescribed by physicians to complement traditional medical treatment for illness, injury and pain as a growing body of research documents its efficacy. Medical practices are hiring massage therapists on staff or establishing referral relationships to make it easy for patients to find qualified, professional massage therapists.

Massage 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, enhancing medical treatment.

And, health insurance companies, realizing the cost savings of massage, are more and more often covering the therapy when it is a prescribed aspect of treatment.

Therapeutic massage involves manipulation of the soft tissue structures of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm and stress.

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.

Dr. Edwards believes wholeheartedly in the therapeutic benefits of massage. As such, Christy Tharpe plays an integral role in the treatment process.

Christy is a certified medical/clinical massage therapist.  She has specialized training in techniques designed to relieve chronic pain. She specializes in Deep Tissue, Deep Circulatory, Swedish, & Acupressure techniques.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of therapeutic massage.