Filed under, “Door Handle Diagnosis.”
Headache, back pain, neck pain. These are the big three when it comes to chiropractic care. These likely constitute around 90 per cent of the complaints that chiropractic patients have. The other 10 percent? Shoulders, elbows, fingers, toes, knees, feet, wrists, and “other.”
The non-spinal issues that are brought up by chiropractic patients often occur in the last few seconds of an office visit. The patient comes in for a regular office visit related to one (or all) of the “big three” complaints, examination is made, treatment begins and ends, and recommendations for future plan of management are made. It is often when I reach for the door handle when I get the question, “Do you do thumbs?”
Yes…I do thumbs….and feet, and elbows, and toes, and knees…
While the last five seconds of an appointment may not be the most optimal time to bring up a new complaint (probably should have talked about that during the spinal adjustment rather than how poorly the Blue Jays are doing this year), I will always try to address these types of questions rather than deflect them to a future visit.
I’m not sure why some patients fail to bring these types of problems up. Is it that they think we are just spine doctors? Do they think we itemize their bill like dentists do? Well, we consider all aches and pains clinically relevant and we charge the same fee no matter how many joints are adjusted, or muscles are rubbed.
If someone mentions a secondary concern during an appointment (even when the door handle is being turned), no matter how insignificant it may seem, they should be considered significant. Heck, if someone is bringing up a sore thumb it must be affecting their quality life in some way or they never would have brought it up.
While a thumb takes up little real estate compared to the rest of the body, a sore one can have significant impact. Whether the problem is arthritis, tendinitis or a pinched nerve, a sore thumb can really interfere with your life. Swinging a golf club, writing your name, pulling weeds, and even opening a jar can be a challenge or even impossible. A seemingly minor problem becomes a major one when it affects the things you enjoy or when you cannot accomplish simple tasks.
Never be afraid to bring up any sort of complaint with your care-givers. Seemingly minor issues can become major ones if not addressed. Where would the elephant be today if he didn’t mention the thorn to the mouse?
FYI… I don’t do thorns.
