Please bring along any relevant X-Ray, scans and reports with you. For young children, please bring their blue books. Additionally, if you have questions about the pillow you sleep on, or need an opinion on footwear, bring those too. To claim private health fund rebates on the spot you will need your health fund card and for those on GP referral, your Medicare card with the relevant documentation.
In most cases we will need skin contact. Males will remove shirt, belt and shoes while women usually change down to a gown. Please avoid wearing a sports bra.
Generally, no. You can make an appointment without a referral to any of our practitioners.
For complex need cases, who have an Enhanced Primary Care plan from their GP, paperwork must be supplied and this program allows for up to 5 Medicare funded visits per calendar year.
DVA funded patients will also need a referral.
At Mona Vale Chiropractic and Natural Therapies, we only request testing when it is 100% indicated. At your examination, your chiropractor will determine if imaging is required. When necessary you will be given a referral to obtain these. In most cases these costs are covered by Medicare. If you already have recent films, please bring them with you on your first consultation.
Chiropractors seek out areas of dysfunction in the spine and other areas of the body and apply specific corrections to improve function, eliminate pain, reduce stiffness and strengthen areas of weakness.
An adjustment is the correction we make, and includes any chiropractic technique chosen to improve spinal mobility, alignment and balance in the nervous system.
Chiropractic care is tailored to each individual’s age and condition. An example of this is with children – Children generally have more mobile joints and therefore require less force to attain the desired correction. In addition to the force and technique selection, the adjustment frequency is also customised to the individual. Different conditions require different schedules of care.
It's all a matter of gases – more accurately the sudden release of gases around the joint being adjusted - as simple as that. As to what causes the gases to make this sound: joints are lubricated by a fluid not unlike egg white. This fluid ensures smoothness of movement and cushioning of the joint from shock and stresses. It essentially permits a silky action for the joint, reducing friction on the bone through all its planes of movement.
In some techniques as your chiropractor opens the joint, small air bubbles (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) are released much like opening a bottle of champagne. 'pop'.
The fluid then returns to its proper location around the joint. The pop is definitely not bones hitting or rubbing on each other.
No. We see many patients who have osteoporosis. By improving mobility, strength and balance, chiropractic care may even reduce the risk of falls and osteoporotic fractures. In these cases, we utilise low force techniques that allow for the brittleness and fragility of the bones and we give advice regarding strength exercises.
Yes. We see many patients with previous spinal fusion, laminectomy or discectomy. You care plan is specifically designed to preserve function in the other regions of your spine and not upset those areas that have been surgically modified.
Your healing journey depends on a number of factors, such as the nature of your injury, its severity, your age, your occupation and posture, your commitment to your care program here and diligence with your home exercises. Generally the longer you have had a condition the longer it will take to heal. Your practitioner will be able to recommend a tailored course of treatment depending on your individual circumstances and goals.
