Preparing for Your First Visit
Once you have booked an appointment for an initial assessment, you should receive a ‘welcome’ email to gather some information and another email with the clinic’s new patient intake form. This intake form contains questions that are relevant to what brings you in and your overall health. Please take the time to complete it prior to your scheduled appointment so that Dr. Petropolis can review it before meeting you in person.
For each appointment, please wear comfortable clothes that you are able to move well in. If necessary, please bring a change of clothes (such as a tank top, t-shirt, or shorts) so that Dr. Petropolis can best assess your complaint(s) and perform an examination.
If you have an x-ray, imaging reports or other test results pertaining to your concern, please bring them with you to your appointment. If you have imaging or test results but do not have copies of them yourself, Dr. Petropolis can request them if needed.
Clinical History, Examination & Diagnosis
During your first visit with the chiropractor, an initial assessment will be performed. You will be asked questions about what brought you into the clinic, and your overall health. Dr. Petropolis will perform some tests to better understand your current health and examine your spine, muscles, joints, nervous system, range of motion, and movement patterns.
Using the best available evidence and clinical expertise, Dr. Petropolis will be able to assess and diagnose the issue(s) affecting your body’s movement. Once a diagnosis has been given, a discussion will follow, outlining recommendations for your treatment plan. This is an interactive discussion between you and your chiropractor, and an opportunity to address any questions or concerns. To conclude your assessment, Dr. Petropolis will obtain your written informed consent prior to beginning any treatment.
Treatment
Treatment on the day of initial assessment is often performed and can include education, advice, rehabilitation exercises, and manual therapy techniques. However, please note that treatment on your first visit is not guaranteed to take place, as something may come up during the clinical history or physical examination that indicates a referral for further medical investigation from a doctor or nurse practitioner is required. The chiropractor may also determine that further assessment with x-ray is required, and they can directly refer you for this in Nova Scotia.
Examples of various chiropractic treatments that your plan may involve include:
Manual “hands-on” soft tissue therapy techniques;
Joint techniques such as adjustments or mobilization;
Individual therapeutic exercises focusing on mobility, stretching, strengthening;
Self-management strategies such as positions of relief, physical activity or pain management strategies;
Neurofunctional acupuncture or electroacupuncture;
Electronic soft tissue modalities such as vibration percussion massage (often applied for intra-oral jaw muscles, nerve issues, muscle tightness);
Instrument-assisted soft tissue or instrument-assisted joint techniques;
Education and advice;
Additional advice on seeking further lifestyle, nutrition, or exercise interventions.