Many patients may think that a chiropractic adjustment is only done with the hands.
This misconception can easily lead to confusion, nervousness, and anxiety ,when the DC tries to perform
an instrument adjustment —patients, even those who consistently get manual adjustments, may be
unnerved by the look or sound of the instrument.
The first time a DC performs an instrument assisted adjustment on a patient is a perfect time to start out with some patient education. There are a variety of ways for DCs to accomplish this:
Show the patient the adjusting instrument and let them actually hold it. For some patients, the tactile experience of holding the instrument will alleviate their fears.
DCs can consider performing an adjustment on themselves so that patients can see an instrument assisted adjustment in action. This is particularly useful if an adjustment will be performed on an area of the body, such as the back, that patients cannot normally view.
Use three-dimensional models to show how the adjusting instrument will move the bones, joints, ligaments, or allows patients to understand what is going on “beneath the surface” when undergoing an
instrument assisted adjustment.
Use a full skeleton model. This can be useful if the area being adjusted is not local to the area that is painful. For instance, DCs can show how an adjustment to the hip or knee can actually help
relieve pain in the ankle or foot.
Explain the benefits of an instrument assisted adjustment compared to a manual adjustment. This
is a good technique for patients who have previously undergone manual adjustments.
Tailor the message to the patient. Obviously, educating pediatric patients will be different from
educating geriatric ones. DCs should have a variety of patient education methods available to meet the
needs of the variety of patients they see in their practice.
Regardless of the patient population, use plain language to explain the process behind an
instrument assisted adjustment.
Education should play a vital part of any patient encounter. It will help the patient better understand how chiropractic can help them, reduce their anxiety, and boost their confidence in the DC’s abilities to alleviate their pain.
