What to expect from your first treatment

A full case history will be taken, covering your general health background, lifestyle, occupation and hobbies, as well as details of your symptoms, both past and present.  This will help in assessing and analysing your particular problem, since gaining a picture of how a body is being used on a daily basis will often yield information about why it is malfunctioning.  An estimate of the likely number of treatments will be given. 

If a problem which requires medical investigation or an x-ray is discovered or suspected (e.g. fracture, tumour or infection), you will be referred to your GP.  Chiropractors prefer to work in cooperation with doctors and any other therapists for the good of the patient, and – with your consent – will usually write to GPs to inform them about treatment.

All joints and bones in the body will then be thoroughly examined, and adjustments made where necessary.  McTimoney chiropractors have finely tuned sense of touch which enable them to feel for misalignments of the vertebrae and bones.  When a problem is detected, the chiropractor will use one of a number of light, swift and dextrous techniques, unique to McTimoney chiropractic, to adjust the bone.

The skeletal system is assessed as a whole at each treatment, but particularly the atlas (the topmost vertebra) and the sacroiliac joints (lower back).  The pelvic bones are accurately realigned if necessary, before the individual vertebrae are adjusted, since a tilt in the pelvis will have a compensatory effect throughout the spinal column.  The legs, ankles and feet, arms, wrists and hands, and the skull and jaw are also checked and adjustments made as required.  

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