THE INITIAL CONSULTATION

We schedule your initial consultation for 30 minutes, but please allow an extra 10 for administration. It begins by completing a simple questionnaire covering your current and previous health history, and of course your reason for being here. To speed things up for your arrival please click this link to download the PDF version of our initial consultation form and remember to bring it in with you.

It is from this information we can assess the cause of your problems and therefore whether we can help from our services available. If your problem is outside our scope of treatment we will refer you for more appropriate care and there will be no charge for this part of the consultation.

The physical examination which follows involves a range of chiropractic tests to assess posture, balance, joint movement, nerve and muscle tests, and other orthopedic tests to find the cause of your problem. When you are in pain we want to help relieve it as quickly as possible. However if you are on pain medication or anti-inflammatories which mask these symptoms, please consider reducing your dosage so we can help pinpoint your problem.

WILL YOU NEED X-RAYS?

We will only know the answer to this question after the consultation and examination. We now have x-ray on-site so if appropriate these will be taken after your examination. Please ensure you bring your Medicare card with you. X-rays may be recommended for your safety, to rule out pathology, and to ensure better outcomes from treatment.

DO YOU GET TREATMENT?

We assess this on a case by case basis. If you are in severe pain we will assist as much as possible. however in many cases we require further testing before care is provided. We take this approach because we want to be as safe as possible, and to begin care with as much information as possible to find the cause of your problem, and not just chase pain symptoms.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Thrive Chiropractic is primarily focussed on resolving the CAUSE of your problem, and not just relieving the pain. However we will tailor our care recommendations and provide options that best suit your preference.

WHEN WILL YOU BE FIXED?

The answer is very dependent on the nature of your problem and what your definition of ‘fix’ is. For simple uncomplicated conditions you may be symptom free with just a small number of treatments. For more difficult and chronic problems we like to see change in symptoms in the first 2-3 weeks so that we know the chiropractic care is working. The reality is that most conditions whether they are spine or joint, can be traced back to underlying postural issues, and the negative affect that this has on the nerve supply to the affected area. We liken the initial phase of treatment to slowing down an express train that is on the wrong track. We need to slow the train down before we can change direction, attempting this too quickly can simply cause a train wreck. And since pain is a useless indicator of healing, if treatment is guided by this symptom, in time your problem will recur as the underlying cause has never been resolved.

WHAT CHIROPRACTIC TECHNIQUES DO WE USE?

We use Thompson assessment with drop table, Gonstead, Diversified, Activator, extremity adjusting, muscle trigger point work. All patients on care plans will be guided through postural rehabilitation exercises, and we can provide modifications for gym based weights programs when applicable.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FIRST APPOINTMENT?

Whenever possible we will provide a full written report on what we have found to explain your problem, including our recommendations for treatment. Our intention is to be clear and honest with what we believe you require to not only deal with your symptoms, but to also prevent the problem from returning again and again. We suggest a number of treatment options, weighing the pros and cons, so that you may make an informed choice about what type of care plan suits your needs.