What to Expect on the First Visit
You will be greeted by one of our staff and a written past history, with any symptoms and preceding related events, will be asked for. This should take no more than 5-10 minutes. You will then meet Dr. Fryer and he will take a careful history, learning together what may have caused your symptoms. This may include a viewing through VIHA’s imaging centre of any previous tests that may help in the diagnosis. An accurate height measurement will be taken on the first visit followed by a physical exam that includes active range of motion and a neurological assessment.
Every exam will be directed to the specific region of complaint. For example, if the lower back is a problem, then there will be focus to that region and all related areas that may affect the region. If patients request not to have an evaluation done to a specific region, that will be honored.
After a working diagnosis is shared with the patient, an educational explanation of the probable source of the pain is revealed. Next, a plan of treatment is implemented and offered. There are no requirement to proceed at this stage as some people solely utilize Dr. Fryer’s experience in diagnostics. If treatment is requested, which is implicit, unless otherwise mentioned, a spinal decompression approach with long and lateral axis traction with a focus on helping to restore balance through regenerative hydraulics is rendered. Classic manipulation may be utilized in conjunction to decompression if considered to be of clinical therapeutic value for each case. In general, manipulation is not performed on elderly spines.
Published home care decompression exercises designed by Dr. Fryer will compliment and help extend the benefits experienced between treatments.
Ultimately, one should expect to have a firm grasp on what went wrong and what is required to facilitate the healing process. It is very likely that your condition has something to do with the intervertebral disc(s). Read more .