It’s normal to be nervous if this is your first time visiting a chiropractor or receiving acupuncture. Most people who come to our office and have never been treated before usually are. They’ve heard stories from a friend, they Googled their pain at 2 AM and ended up here, or they just don’t know what to expect. By the time you leave the first visit, the nervousness is almost always gone.
Here’s exactly what happens when you come in for your first visit at our office, in the order it happens, so you know what to expect before you walk through the door.
Before You Arrive
Two things to take care of before your appointment:
Fill out the new patient paperwork online. We send a link the day before your visit so you can complete the health history, insurance info, and consent forms from your couch instead of in our waiting room. It saves about 15 minutes on visit day.
Bring any past imaging you have. If you’ve had X-rays or an MRI of the area we’ll be working on in the last year or two, bring those if you can. Not required, but it speeds things up.
What to wear. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes are best. Yoga pants, athletic shorts, or anything that doesn’t restrict movement at the hips, shoulders, or neck. We don’t make you change into a gown for most visits unless we need to assess specific areas more carefully.
When You Arrive
Plan for the first visit to take about 30 minutes. Follow-up visits run shorter, usually 5 to 15 minutes. Our goal is to never make you wait, and if we do, the wait is usually very short.
Walk in, check in, and grab a seat in the waiting room. We try to run on time so you can get in and out without burning your day.
Step 1: The Conversation
The first thing we do is sit down and talk. Not on the treatment table, not with you on your back. Just a relaxed, face-to-face conversation.
I’ll ask:
- What brought you in today
- When the pain or issue started
- What makes it better or worse
- What you’ve already tried (other practitioners, exercises, medications, etc.)
- Your work, activity level, and how the issue is affecting your daily life
- Past injuries, surgeries, or conditions that might be relevant
- What your goals are for treatment
This usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes. There are no wrong answers and no judgment. The more I know, the better the treatment plan.
Step 2: The Exam
After we’ve talked, we move to the exam. This is a combination of:
Postural and movement assessment. I’ll watch you stand, sit, walk, and bend in different directions. A lot of useful information shows up in how you move that you can’t see in a static X-ray.
Orthopedic and neurological tests. These are specific physical tests that help identify which structures (joint, disc, muscle, nerve) are involved. They look more dramatic than they feel.
Palpation. Feeling the spine, muscles, and joints with my hands to find restricted areas, trigger points, or anything that doesn’t move the way it should.
Range of motion testing. Measuring how far you can move in different directions and whether anything reproduces your symptoms.
The exam usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Imaging (If Needed)
If your case requires imaging, we have an X-ray unit in the office. We will only do imaging if we think your case requires it. There are several criteria that go into that decision, and if we recommend it, we’ll explain why.
If imaging is needed, we usually take it that same day so we can review it with you before you leave.
For more complex cases, we may refer for an MRI. We don’t routinely order MRIs because they’re expensive and most cases respond to conservative treatment without one. If you need an MRI, we’ll explain why and help coordinate it.
Step 4: The Treatment Plan
Once I have a clear picture from the conversation, the exam, and any imaging, we sit back down and I’ll explain:
- What I think is causing the issue
- What I recommend for treatment
- About how many visits I expect it will take
- What you can do at home between visits
- How we’ll know if it’s working
You’ll get a chance to ask any questions. If you don’t want to start that day, that’s fine. Most patients do, but if you want to think about it, take the information home and decide later.
Step 5: Your First Treatment
If you’re ready, we start treatment that same visit.
Treatment depends on what we found, but for most patients it includes some combination of:
- Spinal adjustments to restore movement to restricted joints
- Dry needling to release tight muscles and trigger points
- Soft tissue work to address muscle tension
- Acupuncture if the case is broader (chronic pain, sleep issues, anxiety mixed with the physical complaint)
- Specific stretches and exercises you can do at home
A first treatment is usually shorter and a bit more conservative than later visits since we’re getting to know how your body responds. Plan on about 5 to 10 minutes of hands-on work for the first visit.
If you’re coming in for a specific condition, we have deeper guides on common treatment paths, like our guide on chiropractic care for sciatica and our breakdown of acupuncture vs dry needling.
After the Treatment
Most patients feel some relief immediately after the first visit. Some feel better the next day. A small number feel a little sore for 24 to 48 hours, similar to post-workout soreness. All three of those are normal.
Things I’ll usually recommend after your first visit:
- Drink extra water that day
- Stay active but avoid anything aggressive (heavy lifting, intense exercise) for the rest of the day
- Do the home exercises I show you, even just once a day
We’ll book your next visit before you leave, usually within a few days to a week depending on what we’re treating.
Questions You Should Feel Free to Ask
Patients sometimes hold back questions during the first visit. Don’t. The good ones to ask:
- How many visits do you think this will take?
- What should I do if it gets worse instead of better?
- Are there any movements I should avoid right now?
- Will my insurance or HSA/FSA cover this?
- What’s the difference between what you do and physical therapy?
- What happens if this doesn’t work?
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the adjustment hurt?
Almost never. Most patients describe it as feeling like a release, often followed by a brief moment of relief. Some people feel a small popping or cracking sound, which is just gas releasing from joint fluid (it’s not bone cracking). If a particular adjustment isn’t comfortable for you, tell me and we’ll use a different technique.
Do I have to keep coming back forever?
No. The goal is to fix the underlying issue, not create a maintenance dependency. Most acute cases resolve in a defined number of visits and you’re done. Some patients choose to come in occasionally for tune-ups, but that’s a choice, not a requirement.
Is chiropractic safe?
Yes, when performed by a trained, licensed chiropractor. According to the National Institutes of Health, side effects are rare and usually limited to brief soreness. Serious complications are very rare.
Can I see a chiropractor while pregnant?
Yes, with a chiropractor experienced with pregnancy. We modify positioning and technique for pregnant patients and treat a lot of pregnancy-related back, hip, and pelvic pain in our office.
Will I need X-rays at the first visit?
Sometimes, not always. We order imaging based on your specific case, and if we recommend it, we’ll explain why.
How much does a first visit cost?
We’ll go over costs with you upfront. The exact price depends on what’s involved (consultation, exam, imaging, treatment), and we accept HSA/FSA payments. Call our office for current pricing.
What if I’ve never been adjusted before?
That’s most of our new patients. We start conservatively, explain everything we’re doing, and adjust the technique to your comfort level. Nothing is forced. The American Chiropractic Association has a good overview of what chiropractors do if you want to read more before your visit.
Schedule Your First Visit
If you’ve been putting off seeing a chiropractor because you weren’t sure what to expect, hopefully this clears it up. The first visit is mostly conversation and assessment. The treatment is usually gentler than people imagine. Most patients walk out feeling better than when they came in.
We see patients from West Omaha, Millard, Elkhorn, and the broader Omaha area at our 17785 Mason Street location.
Book your first visit online or call (402) 330-8600 to schedule.
About the Author
Dr. Dane Becker found chiropractic the way a lot of his patients do: through pain. A weightlifting injury in college left him with such intense back and chest pain he thought he was having a heart attack. His trainer sent him to a local chiropractor, the pain backed off almost immediately, and he was hooked.
Since 2008 he’s been practicing in West Omaha, serving patients from Millard, Elkhorn, and the broader Omaha area. He’s a certified sports injury specialist and a specialist in whiplash and auto injury cases, and Becker Chiropractic & Acupuncture is a multi-year Best of Omaha winner. When he’s not at the clinic, he’s with his three kids (Colson and twins Lyla and Liam), and the family is happiest on a beach.
