What to expect during and after your first chiropractic appointment

Chiropractic is a natural way to improve your healing and help you live better. Many people see a chiropractor for back pain, neck pain or headaches, but what you may not know is that chiropractors don’t specifically work with these complaints. Rather, chiropractors support the natural healing of your own body to get you back functioning at your best. If you do have back pain or a hernia or any other area of tension in your body, then it goes without saying that your body needs some help healing.

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All our chiropractors received their qualifications with a university education of at least five years. On an ongoing basis, chiropractors are legally required to keep up to date with high standards of professional competency. Even if that was not the case, our chiropractors love to learn, so you know you are getting the best professional care. We are committed to helping you heal and function at an optimal level, so you can get back to doing all the things you love doing without worrying about pain.

If you’ve booked your first appointment with Solar Chiropractic, then you are well on your way to supporting your healing. Here is what you can expect from your first time with us.

Your first visit

You can expect all our staff to really listen to what your needs are. We have created a positive healing space where everyone can be heard, because we know that healing is as emotional as it is physical. We are proud of our service and you will feel well taken care of from the moment you enter through our doors.

You will have already been asked to fill out intake forms, so your chiropractor can get a good understanding of your needs. Our health is a story based on all the things that have happened in our past, and it’s your chiropractor’s job to build a picture of your overall health to work out how best to help you.

You will then undergo a general physical examination and further examinations specific to chiropractic. We ensure that your brain and nervous system are communicating with each other as they should be, we ensure you are well connected. Therefore, many of our examinations will be focused on your brain and nervous system.

After your examination, the chiropractor will outline the findings and if they are able to help you. If no further testing is required, then you will directly receive your first adjustment to improve the health of your nervous system and begin helping you heal better. Your adjustment will be tailored to your individual circumstances, such as body type, health issues, age and any personal preferences. If, for whatever reason, the chiropractor is not able to help you, they will make clear why and what exactly the next necessary step is for your health or diagnosis.

What happens after the adjustment?

Every day we hear people get up from their first adjustment and say they feel lighter, they can move more freely, they feel energy flowing through their body again or they feel more balanced. The funny thing is, only 10% of the nervous system is sending messages to the brain about what we can actually feel. The other 90% are responsible for controlling all our other functions like digestion, immune system, hormonal system, heart, lungs… the list goes on. So, imagine what is happening within the areas of your body controlled by the other 90% of your nervous system!

Chiropractic is not designed to make you instantly feel better, it’s designed to make you instantly heal better. To support your healing after the adjustment, we recommend you do the following;

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1.     Walk

Go for a 15-minute walk to move the spine in a natural way before sitting on the bike or getting in your car. This will send nerve messages to the brain which will help teach the brain better patterns in your body and make healing changes over time. Sitting down is a completely unnatural posture for the human spine, so you will want to avoid doing that immediately after your adjustment.

2.     Water

Drink a big glass of water to keep the brain hydrated. If the brain is only 3% dehydrated then cognitive function will be impaired, so to help you heal, make sure you support the brain with enough water.

3.     Oxygen

Take big, slow breaths into your lungs all the way down to your belly. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth can help your nervous system more into a state of healing. The brain needs oxygen to function well so try to be aware of your breath for a few minutes after your adjustment.

4.     Fuel

Lastly, the brain needs quality nutrition. Eat fresh, organic whole foods that grew on the earth and were not processed in a factory. Avoid alcohol and medications, like painkillers or anti-inflammatories, which will just mask the problem while at the same time putting your body into a state of stress.

Are there any negative effects?

Many people first see a chiropractor only after years and years of tension have been building up in the spine and nervous system. If you are already experiencing pain, chances are the problem has been there for a long time. Like all changes, emotional or physical, it’s possible there will be a bit of resistance at the beginning because the body is not used to this new way of functioning or moving. This resistance has the potential for people to feel the following:

Muscle pain or aching

The soft tissues around the spine will start moving differently and can become fatigued quicker in their new positions, or there may be inflammation. This can result in muscle pain. Keep the body moving with walking or other light activities to help with any inflammation that may be present.

Fatigue or tiredness

The body heals when the parasympathetic nervous system is active. This is the nervous system responsible for activities like rest, digestion and other low intensity functions. If you feel tired, it’s because the brain can be moving your body more into a state of rest to be able to heal efficiently. Take the time to have a good sleep the night of the adjustment.

A cold

The tissues may release toxins that have been static inside the body for a long time. The immune system is going to want to get rid of these toxins, so will activate to circulate these toxins out of the body, and you may feel this activation as a cold or runny nose. Keep up your water levels to help the body drain out any toxins.

Increase in pain

It is infrequent, but some people do feel more pain before they start to feel better. This is normal and a sign the body is unwinding. Change can be difficult; like going to the gym for the first time, there may be some soreness associated with this change.

Whatever you notice in your body, whether it feels great or somewhat uncomfortable, listen to your body and give it time to heal. Stay active, try not to sit for extended periods of time, support your nervous system with the above tips and you will be heading in the right direction. The healing process takes time, and we will be here to answer any questions you may have along the way.