FAQs

Here at Twyford Chiropractic Clinic, our chiropractors, Gail or Clare, will ask you detailed questions about your symptoms and how they are affecting your life. They will also ask you about your general health, including any previous illnesses, surgery or injuries. These questions are important in helping to establish a diagnosis and to rule out anything more serious that may need referral to a medical doctor.

Physical Examination

To find the cause of the problem, an examination is necessary. This may include observation of the body, movement patterns, range of motion, palpation of the joints and muscles, muscle testing, specific neurological and orthopaedic tests.

Explanation

After the consultation and examination, they have collected enough information to allow for an explanation of your problem and for a treatment programme to be outlined. You may ask questions and decide whether you wish to go ahead with treatment. If so, treatment can go ahead during the same appointment. If after examination they decide that treatment is not appropriate they’ll give an explanation and with your permission, make a referral to another health care professional, for example, to your GP or an orthopaedic surgeon or for further investigation, for example, an X-ray or a scan.

For most people, treatment will begin immediately after you’ve received an explanation of your problem and an outline of a treatment programme. However, if this is not appropriate, Clare or Gail will explain why and with your permission arrange for a referral to another healthcare professional such as your own GP or to an orthopedic surgeon or for further investigation for example an X-ray or a scan.

After your initial consultation when a diagnosis and treatment plan is established, follow-up appointments involve progress reports and discussion with most of the time being spent on treatment.

We offer a free 20 minute consultation with one of our chiropractors. This is an advisory talk to find out if treatment is appropriate for you.

In order to carry out a thorough examination, the chiropractor may ask you to remove some clothing. If you like, you can bring shorts to put on, or we have gowns here for you to wear. If you’d prefer not to remove your clothing, just let your chiropractor know.

After the assessment of your condition, your chiropractor will discuss what treatment they propose and recommend. If K-Laser is appropriate, they can treat you straight away. Typical conditions include sprains, strains, tendinopathies, osteoarthritis, disc herniation (prolapse, slipped disc), neck pain, back pain, trapped nerves, myofascial pain, shoulder pain, plantar fasciitis…

Allow 40-60 minutes for an initial consultation, which includes treatment. For a follow-up appointment, allow 20 minutes.

Each patient is an individual and therefore every case is different. A typical number of visits for a new complaint is 4-6, though some people recover more quickly and others require more treatment sessions, especially if the problem has been present for a long time. 

Complete recovery from chronic conditions may not be possible. In these cases, treatment is aimed at reducing pain and improving your day-to-day life, setting goals to get you back to work, walking, sport, gardening…

Chiropractic treatment is suitable for people of all ages, from babies and teenagers, to pregnant women and elderly patients.

An adjustment to a joint also known as a joint manipulation is a hands-on treatment carried out by experts, such as chiropractors, who have undertaken specialist training. A quick stretch using a short fast push or pull is given to a joint that has been stiff. The aim of the adjustment is to increase movement and reduce pain. Popping or clicking noises can occur during the manipulation, which is a safe and effective treatment.

During an adjustment or manipulation, the initial stretch to the joint causes the 2 ends of the joint to be momentarily stretched apart. This causes a decrease in joint pressure, which allows a bubble to be created within the joint fluid, the quick push or pull that follows increases joint pressure so that the bubble pops – the sound of the popping can often be heard.

Yes, Chiropractors undertake 4-5 years training before qualifying. Learning is lifelong and chiropractors are legally obliged to undertake a minimum of 30 hours of training every year to remain up to date with the latest research and techniques. All Chiropractors are registered with the General Chiropractic Council that regulates the conduct of the Chiropractic profession.

Yes, we accept payment through medical insurance. If you have a cash plan such as Simply Health or Medicash we can give you a receipt so that you can reclaim your treatment cost in the usual way.