The first visit to the therapeutic clinic is a very important meeting and it is worth preparing for it well for it to run smoothly and stress-free. We have some valuable tips and information for you to help you do this.
You need to know that during the first visit the therapist conducts an extensive interview on the basis of which he collects information about the problem / ailment with which you came. He/she asks a lot of questions that are aimed at making a preliminary diagnosis. Later in the visit, he/she conducts a silhouette assessment, a manual examination of a given area of the body and performs the necessary tests that will confirm his/her diagnosis. The last part of the first visit, if time allows, is the initial therapy, during which the therapist uses techniques to reduce pain symptoms/ improve the patient’s condition according to the diagnosis. Only on the next visit he/she begins the target treatment.
Take a sports outfit with you to an appointment – not everyone feels comfortable being only in their underwear during the test, and this is often necessary if the patient comes in jeans or a dress for a hip examination or lumbar section.
If you have diagnostic tests for a problem such as X-ray, MRI or ultrasound, take them with you. This can help you solve your problem. Please note that for most therapists, photography will be the most valuable, not the descriptions themselves.
If possible before visiting a therapist do not take painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, which most often change the picture of your problem and often prevent the restoration of symptoms or their reduction during clinical trials. This may cause you to repeat the tests on your next visit and diagnose the problem from the beginning.
For those who are afraid of the first visit and are very stressed, we recommend that you write down the most important information (observations about the problem) on the piece of paper. It is not uncommon for such people to forget to say important things during the visit.
For the first visit, as well as for each subsequent one, it is worth arriving on time. Any minute of lateness can result in the interview being incomplete, manual examination shortened, the therapist will have to hurry and can make a bad diagnosis. It will not always be possible to extend the visit, because there may be another patient already waiting. Be punctual and don’t waste your precious time.
On one visit, focus on the most important problem you are facing. The therapist is not able to check everything in a short time, so on one visit it is worth focusing on one topic, unless the problem is small and the therapist finds that there is still a chance to check an additional problem.
We hope that these tips will allow you to make a visit to the physiotherapist run smoothly and the problem will be resolved quickly.
