You should allow about an hour for your first visit to Robbins Neck & Back Pain Center. It may be more or less, depending on the complexity of your condition. First we will have a little paperwork for you to fill out. If you'd like, we can fax you the forms to complete at your leisure, and bring them in on your first visit to save some time.

If you have records such as MRI reports or X-rays, it would be helpful, but not necessary, if you could bring those. Georgia law requires each doctor in the state to maintain their patients' X-rays for 7 years, but many doctors will allow you to borrow your original X-rays for a month or so. X-rays are an extremely useful diagnostic tool, but must be used judiciously. You can tolerate only a fixed amount of X-ray dosage over a lifetime and most people never approach their lifetime limit, but I would certainly rather make use of films you already have if your condition has not changed since they were taken.

After I have reviewed your paperwork, we'll go back to the exam room and talk about your condition. I will evaluate your daily home and work activities and make sure you are not contributing unknowingly to your problem. I often find that some simple changes at home or work can speed your recovery and prevent further injuries.

Then I will perform a series of orthopedic, neurological, and chiropractic tests specific to your complaint to help me pinpoint the nature and location of your problem, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis. At this point, we decide if new X-rays are needed. If you have films taken by a hospital or another doctor, we consult those. If your injury or condition began with direct trauma, or if I suspect an underlying disease process that affects the integrity of the spine, I usually require new films of the area in question. Chiropractic care can be helpful in many, many different conditions, but some conditions are better treated by other health care providers. X-ray examination is one tool we use to help rule in or rule out your suitability for chiropractic care.

If your condition did not begin with direct trauma and I am satisfied from the results of my orthopedic, neurological and chiropractic examination that chiropractic treatment is safe for you, we will discuss whether or not you would like to proceed with treatment. I may suggest that we begin with a series of a few chiropractic manipulations, with the agreement that if your condition does not improve in short order, we will do further diagnostic testing such as X-rays, MRI, or referral to another provider of health care, to augment your treatment. It is my strong belief that no existing health care discipline has all the answers to all conditions, and that patients are best served by cooperation among all types of health care providers.

Once we agree on a plan to address your particular condition, I will show you what I intend to do chiropractically. There are usually several ways to get the same result, and I am proficient in several different chiropractic techniques. I will discuss the equipment I will use and show you how it works before we actually get started. If you have had previous chiropractic care and have a technique preference, I will do my best to accommodate you. I feel that it is my responsibility to listen to your requests and assess the effectiveness of previous care. I value your active participation in your care. Your sharing of previous experiences can only help me provide you with better care.

Sometimes I will deliver a chiropractic treatment, assess its effectiveness, and we're done for the day. Other times I may also perform additional therapeutic modalities to address secondary soft tissue effects of your condition. After the initial visit is complete, I may send you home with exercise or stretch instructions, depending on what you need.

Sometimes your condition resolves in one visit. Sometimes, after years of neglect and abuse, your spine needs a little more care. Usually I like to check you for a few visits over a few days to see how my work is holding up and to see how you are responding. This gives us an opportunity to fine tune a treatment plan that will get you to your health goals in an optimal timeframe. Every single one of us is put together slightly differently, and we all have different healing capacities and tolerances.

Your subsequent visits will not require nearly the time needed for your first one. We do NOT make it a practice to overbook our office, so when you come in, it is rare that you will have to wait for long. Appointments are preferred, but we certainly make allowances for you if you just walk in. Subsequent visits should require no more than 10 to 20 minutes.