Exam & Diagnosis
Examination and diagnosis are the cornerstones to a good chiropractic treatment plan that results in relief. Cox® Technic protocols suggest that the doctor never leave out any test on any patient: do the same examination on every patient which lessens the possibility of missing something.
General Information
The doctor will always start with a general discussion of your family history and your pain's history: who have you consulted for the condition, what have you done thus far, what has worked in the past. Your general health is usually checked for blood pressure, heart, temperature, etc.
Subjective Information
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The doctor will ask you to evaluate your pain. You may be asked to complete a Pain Drawing ("On a drawing, mark areas that are painful to you.") or a Visual Analog Scale ("On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain, where is your pain?") |
The Low Back Pain and Low Back-Related Leg Pain (Sciatica) Examination
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The doctor will observe you walk, listen to your description of the pain (like pins and needles? burning?), inquire about where the pain goes (down the leg?), ask you to do tests on your own (like walk on your heels), test your reflexes (like your knee with a rubber mallet), have you lift your leg off the table. There will be many tests. Each is essential to the ultimate diagnosis that will likely include the spinal disc level affected and the condition causing the pain. The need for imaging (xray, MRI, etc.) will depend on your condition and the imaging you may bring with you. |
The Neck Pain and Neck-Related Arm Pain Examination
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The doctor will feel your neck, ask you to describe the pain (pins and needles? water running over the skin?), have you grip a pressure measuring tool, pull on your hand while you resist with your muscles. Your neck muscles and arm muscles will be challenged to see where they are weak. Your diagnosis and pain relief is dependent upon these findings. Again, the need for imaging (xray, MRI, etc.) will depend on your pain, condition and any imaging you may bring with you.
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No matter your spine-related pain condition, know that a thorough examination awaits you. The first visit's examination may take longer than normal appointments, but it is essential.
Diagnosis
During the examination, the physician may well come to an initial diagnosis just from a few tests, but once the examination is complete and any required imaging is considered, the doctor will be more confident that the true cause of pain is established. Likely, your diagnosis will not be a single condition, but it will involve a few conditions. This is not unusual and can be managed well.