What To Expect As a Chiropractic Patient

CONSULTATION and HEALTH HISTORY

Before we ever perform any treatment, we always perform a consultation and health history.  This is the patient's opportunity to explain what has brought them to this office, as well as provide a history of the present condition(s), and any other condition, including any treatment that they have already had.  The patient is also asked to provide an overall history of their health, whether or not related to the present condition.  This allows the doctor to begin to formulate a plan for treatment.  There is never a charge for this procedure, as we feel that every prospective patient, if unsure of what to do or whom to be treated by, should have the opportunity to get a sense of whether the Family Chiropractic Center of Santa Fe is the place for them.  A prospective patient should always feel free to call and request a consultation only.

EXAMINATION

An examination at Family Chiropractic Center of Santa Fe is designed to determine if and where dysfunction exists in the neuromusculoskeletal system.  That means that we will be palpating (touching) muscles and other soft tissues and moving the spine and other joints in the body in order to discover where your nervous system may be interfering with full functioning of the muscles and joints.  We may feel that x-rays are necessary to see into the body to further illuminate the problem.  This office has on-site digital x-ray and can take and explain x-rays usually on the same visit.  If MRI services become necessary, we can refer you to the proper facility, including one that does not have the common claustrophobic tubing.  We also provide foot scanning services, if appropriate for your condition, to provide a view of the pressure distribution of your stance, which will give us the information necessary to have custom shoe inserts, called orthotics,  made for you.  If your problem appears to be outside the scope of practice of chiropractic, we will certainly refer you to the appropriate doctor for further consultation.

TREATMENT

We are a hands-on chiropractic practice using many chiropractic techniques to produce the desired result.  Adjustments are safe and effective, and are backed by years of positive research.  Although some risk is always inherent in the art and science of manipulation, the risk associated with strokes from adjustments has been calculated to be 1:5,000,000 adjustments.  You have a greater chance of getting hit by lightening in your lifetime than you do of having a stroke associated with chiropractic adjustments.  We also provide ultrasound therapy, which is a deeply penetrating heat that is generated by very high frequency sound waves.  This can be effective in breaking up muscle spasm.  Dr. Perlstein has 30 years of experience adjusting patients of all ages, and always uses light force initially to see what the body needs.  Dr. Perlstein's techniques are always tailored to what the patient needs, and he will always choose which technique will work best for a particular patient's problem.  In addition, Dr. Perlstein is board certified to provide certain prescriptive medications when appropriate, as well as specific injection treatments for pain management.

MASSAGE

Often, massage therapy is used as an adjunctive treatment to chiropractic adjustments.  Many patients reap the benefit of having a massage therapy session followed by their chiropractic treatment.  We find that the combination works better than either one alone.  Read more about massage under its own section.