Should I see a chiropractor first after an injury?

After being injured, one of the hardest decisions is determining what the next step should be! It turns out, a chiropractor may be a great first choice!

Chiropractors are excellent at providing an accurate diagnosis based off of a number of tests such as, 

• Orthopedic exams
• Vital exams 
• Functional screenings
• Range of motion exam
• Neurologic exams
• X-rays
• Full history 
• Motion Palpation

Often times the exact same tests they would perform at an urgent care. You may be asking yourself, what if I need an X-ray? Chiropractors are trained to perform X-rays, read X-rays and assess when X-rays are medically necessary, Possibly preventing a patient from unnecessary radiation exposure. 

What is it exactly chiropractors work on? 

Chiropractors are neuromusculoskeletal specialists, meaning they are trained to work on neurologic conditions, muscular and skeletal conditions. Therefor, there's a great chance they can be of help themselves or have the knowledge of the appropriate location to refer the patient to, for imaging or treatment. This is because chiropractors have the responsibility to decide when the appropriate time to treat is, as well as where the appropriate referral would be.

Chiropractors see a number of different injuries from disc herniations/ spinal issues to myofascial sprain/strains in athletes and auto accidents. With their wide array of injuries they see on a daily basis, chiropractors are a great choice for the first stop following an injury, because they can provide an accurate and honest opinion on each injury.

It's important to note that if the injury is life threatening seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

To schedule call us at 406-551-2177 or go online to gallatinvalleychiropractic.com