Upon arrival in the office, you will be asked to answer a questionnaire about your current and past health status. Dr. Boudreau will then take a detailed health history including information on family history, dietary habits, other care you may have had (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical, etc.), your occupation, and other questions designed to help determine the nature of your illness.

After the history, a physical examination will be performed based on Dr. Boudreau’s clinical judgment, which may include referral for x-rays or other diagnostic tests.

When the examination is complete, a clinical diagnosis will be communicated to you with treatment options (which may include a referral to another health provider if required).

Dr. Boudreau primarily uses a manual approach to care which may consist of a variety of soft tissue muscle techniques or joint manipulation. Joint manipulation (also called an adjustment) simply put, occurs when the chiropractor imparts a high velocity, low amplitude thrust to a joint creating a negative pressure inside the joint capsule. This causes a nitrogen gas bubble to form and collapse (often creating a cracking sound). This is not the sound of bones breaking, and the sound itself has no therapeutic effects. However, the thrust on the joint restores proper movement in the joint and stimulates mechanoreceptors (movement sensors), which inhibit or shut off nociceptors (pain sensors).

There has also been research suggesting that joint manipulation tricks muscles into relaxing though a reflex effect, therefore reducing spasm. Other treatments often used by Dr. Boudreau include electrotherapy (such as TENS and micro-current), exercise instruction, orthotic inserts or braces.

Safe and effective care

Chiropractic also places an emphasis on nutritional and exercise programs, wellness and lifestyle modifications for promoting physical and mental health. Research on Chiropractic care has shown it to be one of the safest, most effective, choices in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, especially in the treatment low back pain, neck pain and headache.

While chiropractors do not use drugs or surgery in their practice, Doctors of Chiropractic do refer patients to other health providers when those interventions are indicated. Chiropractors should not be considered a substitute for your family doctor, but rather an important part of your health care team.