By the time you are on your way to KC Chiropractic & Wellness for your first appointment, hopefully you’ve filled out your pre-appointment forms and loaded our address into your GPS.

Unlike many chiropractic practices, depending upon your condition, you will receive treatment in your first visit. This is because of Dr. Healy's integrated approach combines chiropractic and applied kinesiology treatment; it is the applied kinesiology that allows him to use your nervous system to guide your diagnosis and provide immediate treatment. But we do start with some fundamentals.

Initial interview:  During this phase, Dr. Healy will review your pre-appointment forms, discuss your condition and talk about his philosophy, expertise and general approach. He will focus on your symptoms and conditions, and will probe on some specific areas to make sure he understands your view of your physical state:

•  When and how did the pain start?
•  Where is it located?
•  Describe the pain - is it sharp, dull, searing/burning, or throbbing? Does it come and go, or is it continual?
•  Did the pain start as a result of an injury?
•  What activities/circumstances makes it better or worse?

In addition, he’ll usually inquire about your family medical history, pre-existing medical conditions (related and seemingly unrelated), prior injuries and previous or current health providers and treatments. Once he understands what’s going on with you, he will also make sure you understand his practice; he will answer any questions you might have about chiropractic or applied kinesiology and make sure you understand his holistic approach.

Clinical exam:  Because of the unique, holistic nature of his practice, the clinical exam is a hybrid of a typical chiropractic exam combined with an applied kinesiology assessment.

The chiropractic portion of the exam includes general tests such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration and reflexes as well as specific orthopaedic and neurological tests which assess range of motion of the affected area, muscle tone, muscle strength, neurological integrity and posture analysis.

The applied kinesiology diagnosis will assess the relationship between normal muscle function and any dysfunction within the nervous system. The diagnostic tool used here is the manual muscle test (MMT), which gauges changes to muscle strength or weakness created by a variety of chemical, emotional or physical stimulations to the nervous system. The MMT taps into the nervous system to scientifically determine how to make a person well; it serves both as a diagnostic tool as well as the basis for personalized treatment.

Diagnosis and treatment plan:  In most cases, based upon the results of the informational interview and clinical exam, Doc Healy will devise a personalized treatment plan with a mix of chiropractic, applied kinesiological and nutritional components. He will provide an initial estimate as to how an individual’s unique situation will respond to treatment and will also make recommendations on additional therapies a patient should explore to augment what he does in office

At home stretches and therapies are recommended based upon your specific condition. As the patient, you are an integral part of your healing. Your condition didn’t develop on a chiro table and it won’t be fully cured on a chiro table.