BRIEF PAPERWORK
As you enter the Holistic Clinic, you will be warmly welcomed by our friendly staff. You will be asked to fill out required clinic forms prior to seeing the doctor. These forms are important, as they give your practitioner important information regarding yourself and your condition. To speed things up on your first visit, you can download and fill in the required forms prior to your visit and bring them with you to our office.

DOWNLOAD INTAKE FORMS

CONSULTATION
Once your paperwork has been completed, the front desk staff will show you to a room where you will meet the doctor. During this first meeting, you and your practitioner will discuss your health-related problems and current concerns.

HISTORY AND EXAMINATION
In order to identify the cause of your condition, your practitioner will take more detailed questions related to your condition, as well as a detailed history including questions about your work, lifestyle and general health.

Next, practitioner will take you through the examination process. This may include; postural analysis, testing muscle strength and reflexes, assessing the range of motion of your joints and the condition of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are involved in moving the joints of your spine and limbs. As well, other standard orthopaedic, neurologic, and physical examinations will be performed. These tests allow the doctor to determine which specific tissues are affected and to what extent. practitioner will explain some of their findings as the examination proceeds. If chiropractic or soft tissue management is warranted, your doctor will ask you to book a second appointment, at which time they will give you a more complete overview of your examination findings. If your problem is outside the scope of chiropractic, you will be referred to the appropriate health care provider.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions, they are expected. One of the major premises of this office is that you are responsible for your own health as it is you who makes the decisions regarding your own health.

X-RAY STUDIES It is the Holistic Clinic’s policy to minimize the use of x-rays as much as possible, however your specific condition may require us to order x-rays to either rule out more serious conditions or assist us in developing the most effective care plan for you. The decision to order x-rays is made on a case by case basis. X-rays are done off-site at a convenient CML Healthcare Lab facility. You will be given the x-rays at the laboratory to be brought back to Holistic Clinic, so that your practitioner can review them and discuss them with you.

HOME INSTRUCTIONS
Prior to leaving the Holistic Clinic, you will be given instructions on certain activities or procedures to be conducted at home. This may include ice or heat application instructions and advice on avoiding specific activities or positions.
In some cases where patients are in acute discomfort, some minimal treatment will be given on the first visit.

The most important part of the examination is to determine the exact location of the condition. To do this certain tests may be performed that may temporarily aggravate your condition. It is for these reasons that home instructions are often given to the patient, in order to manage any flare-up that may occur due to the examination. It is important to note that this is a common occurrence and a positive sign, indicating that the doctor has found the source of the dysfunction.

SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
You will be given a convenient appointment time for your follow-up visit. Generally speaking, patients are seen within 1-2 days and are provided with a complete review of findings. During your follow up appointment your doctor will summarize your exam findings and explain to you, in words that you understand, what he/she believes is causing your health concern. Your practitioner will then discuss a plan of management including their recommendations for treatment, what the treatment will involve, action steps that you can take, (as well as any alternative treatment. )

There are different treatment techniques that are used within Holistic Clinic setting. Treatments usually involve a combination of joint manipulative therapy, Active Release Technique (ART) , Graston soft tissue technique , Kinesio Taping®, physical therapy modalities, massage, and postural and lifestyle advice. Once muscle and joint motions are restored, we incorporate stretching, strength and balance training to support the area and prevent any re-occurences.

The amount of time to resolve your complaint will vary and depends on several factors, both to do with your present complaint, chronicity, as well as lifestyle factors. We will give you a time estimate for resolution of your condition based upon our clinical experience and current research. We will be clear and concise with you with respect to our fees. Our practice philosophy is to encourage you to be responsible for your own care. We will teach you the "tools" to help yourself achieve your optimum health. As practitioners , we find a direct correlation between how long it takes to get better and how well individuals utilize the "tools" like targeted stretching or strength exercises, for example.

After reviewing the proposed treatment procedures and their risks and alternatives, you will be asked to complete an informed consent form, and begin treatment.

Should you have any additional questions regarding treatment, please ask us. Our job is to offer you the very best chiropractic care possible. This means that we prefer to work openly and in conjunction with other health care professionals to ensure the best delivery of care.

Prevention is better than cure: Chiropractic is also a preventative therapy and when used in this way greatly improves the bodily health and well-being, avoiding long spells of discomfort. Regular checkups are recommended to ensure that your body maintains a healthy balance in all aspects of its daily functioning.