Quick Answer
Your first chiropractic visit should be about understanding you before recommending care.
At Chandler Chiropractic, we begin with your health history and current concerns. We then perform a thorough chiropractic examination. When clinically appropriate, we may also take digital X-rays.
We use that information to determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate and what your next step should be.
Your first visit isn’t about rushing you into an adjustment.
It’s about gathering the information needed to make a thoughtful recommendation.
The Complete Answer
If you’ve never visited a chiropractor before, you may wonder what actually happens during that first appointment.
Will you get adjusted?
Will you need X-rays?
What will the chiropractor examine?
How long will it take?
Those are good questions.
At Chandler Chiropractic, your first visit has one primary purpose:
We want to understand your health before we recommend care.
Most initial appointments take about 60 minutes. We intentionally reserve that time because we don’t want to rush through one of the most important parts of your care.
Step 1: We Start With a Conversation
Before we examine you, we listen.
We want to understand what brought you into the office and how your current concerns developed.
Your chiropractor and our Chiropractic Assistants may ask about:
- Your current symptoms
- When the problem began
- Previous injuries
- Car accidents
- Sports injuries
- Falls
- Previous surgeries
- Medications
- Work activities
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Stress
- Previous chiropractic or medical care
- What makes your symptoms better or worse
- How the problem affects your daily life
Sometimes a patient says, “It just started.”
And sometimes symptoms really do begin suddenly.
Other times, the current problem may be connected to physical stresses that have accumulated over months or years.
That’s why we want the complete history.
We’re not only asking:
“Where does it hurt?”
We also want to understand:
“How did you get here?”
Step 2: We Perform a Thorough Chiropractic Examination
Next, your chiropractor examines how your body is functioning.
The specific tests depend on your symptoms, health history, age, previous injuries, and other individual factors.
Your examination may include:
- Range-of-motion testing
- Posture evaluation
- Muscle testing
- Palpation
- Evaluation of joint movement
- Orthopedic testing
- Neurological testing
- Balance testing when appropriate
- Other tests related to your individual concerns
We want to connect what you’re telling us with what we find during the examination.
That gives us a much better picture than simply focusing on where you hurt.
Step 3: Digital X-Rays When Clinically Appropriate
Your chiropractor may recommend digital X-rays when they are clinically appropriate.
X-rays can provide information that we cannot get from looking at you from the outside.
Depending on your situation, imaging may help us evaluate:
- Spinal structure
- Alignment
- Spinal curves
- Degenerative changes
- Signs of previous injuries
- Other findings that may influence our recommendations
X-rays may also reveal information that changes what we do next.
We may modify how we approach your care. We may recommend additional testing. Or we may determine that chiropractic care isn’t the appropriate place to begin.
That’s an important part of using imaging responsibly.
Step 4: Your Doctor Reviews the Findings
Your examination isn’t finished when the testing stops.
Your chiropractor needs to put the information together.
We consider your symptoms, health history, previous injuries, examination findings, lifestyle, goals, and any clinically appropriate imaging.
No single piece tells the whole story.
Your X-rays don’t tell the whole story.
Where you hurt doesn’t tell the whole story.
Even one examination finding doesn’t tell the whole story.
We want to understand how all of those pieces fit together before making recommendations.
Will I Get Adjusted on My First Visit?
Maybe.
We don’t promise every new patient an adjustment during the first appointment because we want to make sure an adjustment is appropriate first.
If your doctor has enough information and believes an adjustment is appropriate, you may receive one.
In other situations, your chiropractor may want to review your examination findings or X-rays before proceeding.
If we recommend waiting, we’ll explain why.
Safety comes before speed.
Step 5: We Explain What We Found
One of the most important parts of the process is helping you understand your findings.
If chiropractic care appears appropriate, we’ll explain what we found, what we recommend, and why.
We want you to understand:
- What we found
- What may be contributing to your concerns
- Whether chiropractic care is appropriate
- What type of care we recommend
- Whether other services may help
- Whether additional testing is needed
- What you can reasonably expect moving forward
This is your health.
You should understand the reasoning behind the recommendations being made.
What If Chiropractic Isn’t Right for Me?
We’ll tell you.
A thorough examination isn’t only about deciding how to provide chiropractic care.
It also helps us determine whether we should provide it at all.
If your findings suggest you need additional imaging, another healthcare provider, or a different type of care, we’ll explain that.
Knowing when to refer is part of responsible healthcare.
What This Means for You
You don’t need to know whether you “need an adjustment” before scheduling your first visit.
That’s what the evaluation is for.
Bring your questions.
Tell us what you’re experiencing.
Tell us what you’re concerned about.
And tell us what you hope to accomplish.
Our job is to listen, examine, gather the appropriate information, and help you understand your options.
Our Perspective at Chandler Chiropractic
After more than 22 years of caring for patients, we’ve learned that good recommendations start with good information.
That’s why your first visit begins with a conversation—not an adjustment.
We listen.
We examine.
When clinically appropriate, we take digital X-rays.
Then we study the information and explain what we find.
Two people can walk into our office with the same complaint and need very different recommendations.
We believe your care should reflect you, not simply the name of your symptom.
Still Have Questions?
If you’re considering chiropractic care and aren’t sure what to expect, we’re happy to answer your questions before your first appointment.
Contact Chandler Chiropractic or schedule an evaluation at our Chandler or Scottsdale location.
Lasting Results for All Stages of Life.
Reviewed by Dr. Mike Schloemp, DC
September 2026
Dr. Mike Schloemp is the founder of Chandler Chiropractic and has served individuals and families throughout Chandler and the East Valley for more than 22 years. His clinical focus includes family chiropractic, sports injuries, headaches and migraines, pediatric care, pregnancy care, and personal injury.
