If you are heading to a chiropractor for the first time it can be a scary experience. There are so many rumors about bad chiropractors who are out to scam you of your money and do not know what they are doing. However, if you head into your first chiropractic exam and know what to expect you will reduce your risk for falling victim to bad chiropractors. Here is a look at what to expect when you head to your first chiropractic visit.

Medical Papers. Just like all regular doctors your chiropractor will require you to fill out hundreds of papers that document your medical history as well as treatments you have undergone. Even though chiropractic medicine is viewed as alternative medicine it still needs to work with your regular doctors.

First Talk. After filling out the papers you will be taken into the back into an exam room. A chiropractic assistant will ask you various questions such as what symptoms you have, what brings you to a chiropractor and other questions that will allow them to give the chiropractor a better idea of what treatments you may need.

X-Rays. Depending upon the reason for your visit you may be required to undergo some X-rays. This will allow the chiropractor to see what is going on with your spine and neck and how the alignment of the vertebra looks. Sometimes X-rays are not necessary so do not be afraid if you do not have x-rays taken.

Consultation/Treatment. After having X-rays and talking the assistant your chiropractor will come in and offer you a consultation. They will talk about the course of treatment that they will have set up for you and how long it will take. They may offer you the ability to see the alignment problems on an X-Ray. During this time you may express any concerns you have. This first visit the doctor might perform a chiropractic treatment on you but that will depend upon the chiropractor.

Chiropractic medicine is commonly used to treat lower, upper and mid back pain. While the majority of the chiropractic procedures will be done at the chiropractor’s office, you may also be given very easy, light chiropractic exercises to do at home. These exercises are intended to keep what the chiropractor does in line and allow you to manage any back pain while at home. Here is a look at some of the common types of exercises that are given to those that suffer from back pain.

Knee to Chest. This exercise involves lying on your back and pulling one knee slowly up to your chest. You will keep the other leg straight on the mat. This is commonly used to lengthen the back and relieve tension in the lower back.

Spinal Massage. The spine needs to be massaged in order to relax. A common spinal massage exercise involves having the patient lay on their back and put both knees up. The patient will slowly move their knees from side to side. This exercise not only massages the back but will stretch out the lower back.

The Cat/Cow Stretch. The cat/cow stretch is a common yoga exercise. It is also used as an at home chiropractic exercise. This cat/cow stretch is down to decompress any pressure on the spine as well as lengthening it. The cat/cow stretch involves having the patient kneel and place their hands in front of them. They will then press their back to the floor to for a U with their back. They will hold that for a while and reverse it so that it stretches the back.

While these are common chiropractic exercises it is recommended that you speak with your health care provider or chiropractor to see if you should be performing these exercises at home. They will provide you with how often you should do them and when.

As with all professions there will be good chiropractors and bad chiropractors. So how do you know if your chiropractor is good or bad? There are usually warning signs that your chiropractor might not be the best chiropractor for you. Here is a look at some of the warning signs that a chiropractor might not be the best chiropractor.

Long Term Contracts. Many chiropractors will try to get you to sign long term contracts in order to receive treatment. While this isn’t an automatic sign that the chiropractor is bad it should be a warning sign. There is no way to know exactly how long a chiropractic treatment will last so there should be no pressure to sign up for four to six months worth of work at once.

Course of Treatment. All chiropractors will have a definite course of treatment for your care. A good chiropractor will discuss with you what they plan on doing and how it will be performed. If you feel that your chiropractor is not explaining the treatment or talking around it, it could be time to make a switch.

Concern for Pain. Your chiropractor is working for you and should be listening to your fears and pains. If you notice a chiropractor pushing aside any complaints of pain you may wish to consider switching to another chiropractor.

General Wellness. Chiropractors will be concerned about your general wellness. They might refer you to a nutritionist or offer various vitamins that you should use to supplement your diet. Be careful of chiropractors that only push products that they sell in their office. This might not be a sign of a bad chiropractor but it should be something that you are aware of.

Pain During or After Treatment. Chiropractic medicine will involve a tiny, dull pain. However, if you notice that you are experience intense pain after each procedure you should consider a new chiropractor as they may be performing the treatments wrong.

Chiropractors are visited by those that are seeking relief from neck and back pain. It is believed that chiropractors are able to cure these aches and pains by slowly moving the vertebra or small bones of the back, back into place. Moving the vertebra is believed to relieve the pain because the pain was caused by misaligned vertebra which triggers the nerves of the body to respond in a painful way. To move the vertebra back into place a chiropractor will utilize a number of spinal manipulation methods and positions. Here is a look at the most common chiropractic positions and postures that are used during a chiropractic session.

Supine. The Supine position is the most common chiropractic position. It involves having a chiropractic patient lying on their back staring at the ceiling. The chiropractor will then have access to move the patients neck without having to worry about stress and muscle tightness. The supine position is used for moving the vertebra of the neck back into place.

Side-Posture. The side posture position has the patient lying on their side as if they were resting. The chiropractor will then push gently on the back and neck area. This position is used a lot for patients and chiropractic procedures that do not involve moving or twisting the spine.

Prone Position. The prone position involves the patient kneeing down and curling into a ball. This allows the chiropractor to have access to the mid-back area of the patient. Some of the most common chiropractic procedures known as the activator and the pro-adjustor use the prone position.

Knee-Posture. The Knee posture requires that a patient kneel on the floor and lay their head on a bench. The patient will move their head from side to side and the chiropractor works on the patient’s back and neck area.