What to Expect | Precision Chiropractic West

Core Values/Mission Statement

To give the absolute best care possible to each patient.
To continue to learn and study in order to improve every day, for every patient.
To ensure the safety and validity of each treatment.
To give the correct treatment to each patient, the best I can, every time.
To know when NOT to adjust, when to refer out, and whom to refer to.
To be able to explain what is happening and why, and to know when to say “I don’t know.” Be honest. Then go learn about it.
To explain our work to patients clearly, with integrity and honesty.
To be able to communicate my work to other healthcare providers clearly, with integrity, and honesty.
To be able to effectively co-manage patients with other providers when necessary.
To treat every patient as a human being, with love and respect.

First Step

After you speak with our front desk, your first scheduled appointment is your screening consultation. Screening consultations allow us to get an understanding of your condition, review previous imaging (X-ray, MRI, MRA, or CT,) and is our first checkpoint in determining the safety and validity of Atlas Orthogonal treatment in your case. Not all patients are accepted for treatment. To understand why, click here. Once we feel like we can determine your candidacy for treatment, all fees associated will be explained to you, based on your specific needs. At this time, you can also ask any questions you may have regarding our office, treatment, etc. This first appointment lasts 15 minutes and is no charge to you.

Second Step – NP

Once you are accepted as a patient, you will schedule your “New Patient” appointment. This is a 1 hour appointment, but we appreciate your arrival 15 minutes prior to your scheduled time. On this visit, Dr. Griffin will obtain a complete history and will complete a comprehensive examination that will include basic chiropractic, physical, orthopedic, and neurologic examination. If it is determined that you have dysfunction and misalignment that we treat, digital X-rays will be recommended and done on site at this time. During your X-ray evaluation, we pay close attention to stability markers that may indicate the need for stress views or outside radiologic interpretation, expert consultation, or advanced imaging (MRI, etc.). We do not perform MRI in our office, but work with a local imaging center who can perform the specific study we require for our work. The vast majority of patients need no additional imaging study and can proceed to treatment.

*note-This visit cannot be on the same day as your screening consultation, as we cannot hold an hour appointment for a patient until we know for sure they are a candidate for care.

Third Step – R1

Your next appointment will last 45 minutes. On this visit, we will show you your X-rays in detail including the condition of your spine and your specific misalignment. We will then show you the instrument we use, and, with your permission, you will receive your first adjustment on this day. For information on how that adjustment works, click here.(link to atlas orthogonal on my page.) The goal on this day is to get your atlas into the best possible position. Once I am satisfied with the alignment that we have done, we will take a set of post X-rays. These X-rays serve to show us if your neck is in fact in the best possible position…and also shows us if it isn’t. You will rest as I analyze this post set of X-rays, and you will not leave the office until the alignment is right. You will be given detailed instructions and an overview of generalized expectations. For more information on that, click here. Most patients feel a difference after this first adjustment.

Fourth Step – R2

You need to be seen with in 24-48 hours of your first adjustment in order for us to be able to monitor and effectively assess your initial response to care. Once we have assessed your response to care, we are usually able to discuss the need and efficacy of further treatment at this point. Most patients will see us periodically for a series of visits in order to heal and become stable.

Regular Care

Your regular care schedule will be dependant on your particular misalignment pattern, overall condition of your spine and it’s stabilizers, your lifestyle, and your initial response to care. We will estimate your needs generally in 30 day increments, but monitor closely each visit. While we will put you on a specific treatment plan, we assess each visit to see if your plan is still meeting our goals. We will increase or decrease your frequency depending on your progress. Your compliance with our recommendations will affect your results and subsequently your need for frequent follow up visits. It is important to note that while we re-evaluate the need for care at 30 days, most patients are not healed or stabile in that amount of time. They will, however, be much improved and have a good understanding of their progress. The frequency of their visits will be decreased as they gain the ability to hold their alignment for longer periods. Patients are systematically tested at wider intervals between visits in order to determine the strength and extent of healing they have achieved.

Maintenance Care

Once the body has had a chance to stabilize and heal in the right position, Atlas Orthogonal standards recommend patients are checked at least at quarterly intervals, or once every 3 months. Not all patients are able to go this long between adjustments, and your individual needs will be determined once your initial acute phase of treatment is complete.

Exacerbations

We all have ups and downs in our how body feels based on what we do day to day, illness, exposure to toxins, trauma, etc. You may hold your alignment with no symptoms for 6 months, then suddenly all your symptoms come back and you are “out of alignment.” Everyone will experience this from time to time, as the static stabilizers (ligaments) in the spine, once injured, are not as strong as they once were. However, if you follow our recommendations, these episodes will be few and far between and will resolve quickly with prompt treatment.