A Virtual Visit to Your Doctor

While social distancing, lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, and truncated business hours have really tested our ability to live our daily lives as normally as possible, one favourable thing has been birthed out the necessity of keeping the lines of communication open with healthcare providers: the virtual visit! While physically visiting a clinic is the traditional route most of us take when we’re experiencing problems, more and more people are utilizing the virtual visit to check in with their healthcare provider. And, yes, even chiropractors are getting in on this “joint” venture with patients!

A virtual chiropractor appointment will probably look different from the in-person experience you’re used to but checking in with your chiropractor online can still benefit you in more ways than you might have thought! Chiropractors are neuromusculoskeletal experts and are trained in all things muscles, joints, and nerves—adjustments and muscle work aren’t the only things we can do for you!

Based on a thorough look at your health history and a virtual exam, chiropractors can provide nutrition and lifestyle advice, prescribe supplements and exercises, offer advice to treat the pain at home, as well as refer you to the appropriate practitioner if you are dealing with something that is outside of the scope of their expertise.

GET CRACKIN’!

…with your self-care, that is! Here are just a few reasons why you should stay in touch with your chiropractor, even if you can’t visit face-to-face.

No commute

One of the most obvious benefits of opting for a virtual appointment is the amount of time saved. Not having to arrange for childcare, add drive time to the appointment, or scramble to organize transportation and parking are real bonuses! Not only does it mean that you can choose from more time slots that actually work for you, but you also stress less, spend less time languishing in traffic or a waiting room, and you save a bit of money!

So far yet so close

Many people choose their chiropractor based on location, but opting for a virtual appointment means you can work with a chiropractor who may not be in your neighbourhood but is one you feel is the right fit for you and your needs.

Keep your distance

Even though clinics are probably some of the safest, cleanest public spaces due to strict regulations healthcare practitioners are required to maintain, it can still feel a little worrisome to sit in a waiting room or encounter other people en route, especially if you’re considered high risk for contagion or are fearful you may get sick. Chiropractic care, delivered to you from the safety of your own home means you don’t have to “wait” until the pandemic is over to deal with your pain—something you should never have to wait on to get better on its own. Chronic pain is a whole-body condition that affects emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health and prevention is the best path to getting there, so don’t postpone it.

Natural habitat

Chiropractors are great teachers and can show you how to do certain exercises, stretches, or other modalities that you can do yourself at home, empowering you to be in control of your own health. Further, they can get a bird’s eye view of your home set-up: your work-from-home space, your posture in areas of the home where you spend the most time, and they can make better recommendations based on the area you have access to. For example, they can offer advice on home care exercises using specific tools and free space you have in your home, and can watch your exercise form and correct it while also providing cues. This means better, more specific treatment for you and more efficient use of your time.

My virtual patients have had amazing chiropractic results because they feel in control of their health and are using the opportunity to learn how to utilize what they have available to them at home to improve their situation and alleviate their pain. Although they do miss their weekly adjustments and manipulations, they also recognize that the tools and strategies for pain relief provided to them to do outside of clinic hours are just as important, if not more so, than the manual treatment they receive.

Whether or not you choose virtual chiropractic or in-person treatments, chiropractic can help with the prevention and treatment of pain through various means. Also remember, the best time to see a chiropractor is before you are in pain! Speak to your chiropractic doctor to develop a treatment plan that’s customized to your needs: it can truly make all the difference!

You may also enjoy: Natural Treatment Plan for Healthy Bones, All the Ways a Chiropractor Can Benefit Your Health, and Chiropractic Care for Infants.