What Should You Expect On Your First Visit With Us?

At Serenity Family Chiropractic, our examinations procedures are geared toward detection and correction of the vertebral subluxation. The procedures we use are therefore specifically selected for your spine and nervous system health.  This initial visit may take up to an hour so we ask that you plan accordingly.

Payment

If you have the benefit of insurance, we recommend you call your insurance carrier to verify your chiropractic benefits prior to your visit.  While we offer to call and verify your benefits here in the office, your carrier may not give us all the applicable information.  On your first visit please bring any insurance cards or Medicare card (if applicable), and your personal identification (ie. driver’s license, state identification).

Payment is expected at time of service.  We accept personal checks, cash, Visa, and Mastercard along with any insurance benefits.  Plan to pay any co-pays or fees not covered by your insurance.

Tour 

Once you have checked in at the front desk, you will be given a tour of the office.  We will highlight the features of our office and answer any questions you may have about our office.

Consultation

You will then be taken into our examination room for the consultation with Dr. Palmer.  This is the most important part of your visit because this is when the doctor will determine if chiropractic si right for you and your health concerns.  During the consultation, Dr. Palmer will ask questions about your current health challenges as well as any you have experienced in the past including past auto accidents, sports injuries and/or surgeries.  Please bring a current list of medications you may be taking, if any.

Examination

A physical and neurological examination will follow your consultation.  Dr. Palmer will use varying orthopedic tests related to your health concern as well as palpation of your spine.  Palpation essentially is checking your spine by hand.  Through palpation, Dr. Palmer can determine spinal position or curvature, the individual motion each vertebra, and muscle tone.

This examination will help Dr. Palmer to rule out any conditions that require an immediate medical referral and to determine the right course of treatment(s) for you.  This examination may or may not lead to other diagnostic testing. 

The importance of your examination findings will be explained to you at your Report of Findings. However, it is important to note that this examination helps scientifically understand the subluxation processes going on in your spine. It also gives us a baseline for future tests so we can accurately measure your progress to see how your spine is changing and your nervous system is functioning.

Xrays

Spinal X-rays may be taken depending on your age, and situation. There are many reasons why we would not take x-rays on certain patients including pregnancy, most children, more recent spinal x-rays from another health care provider.  Aside from these situations, x-rays are a common part of the examination process when looking for vertebral subluxations. X-rays give us important information including the position of the spinal bones, and the quality of the spine and safety of adjusting your spine.  X-rays also tell us the relative length of time subluxations may have been involved in your spine.

With this important information we can make a more accurate determination of the type of adjustments your spine needs as well as the ongoing frequency of your care. Your x-rays will be explained to you and covered in detail at your Report of Findings. You will be scheduled for your Report of Findings within a few days of your initial visit. This visit is your most important visit and may take up to 30 minutes.  It is at your Report of Findings that we will give you a care plan and go over any special instructions you will need to obtain your health goals.