What Actually Happens at Your First Chiropractic Visit at Valley Chiropractic

Your first chiropractic visit at Valley Chiropractic takes about 45 to 60 minutes and covers four things: a thorough history, a complete exam, a clear explanation of what we found, and a treatment plan you can choose to start that day or come back for. There are no surprises, no long-term contracts, and no pressure tactics. This guide walks through every step.

I am Dr. Dalvir Atwal, a chiropractor with Valley Chiropractic Center. I see new patients at our Ripon, Manteca, and Tracy offices. New-patient anxiety is real, and most of it comes from not knowing what is going to happen. After reading this post, you should know exactly what to expect.

Before your appointment

Booking takes 2 minutes. You can request an appointment online or call any of our four offices directly. We will call back to confirm your time, verify your insurance, and email you the new-patient paperwork.

Filling out the paperwork in advance saves you 10 to 15 minutes in the office. The forms ask about:

• Your current complaint (where it hurts, when it started, what makes it worse)
• Your medical history (surgeries, conditions, medications)
• Family history of spine conditions
• Your daily activity, work, and exercise patterns
• Any prior imaging or treatment

If you have past X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans of the area you are seeing us for, upload them or bring them on a disc or printed copy. Reviewing existing imaging often saves you from needing a new scan.

What to wear and what to bring

Dress comfortably. We need to assess how you move, so anything that restricts movement is a problem. Good choices:

• Athletic wear (leggings, joggers, athletic shorts)
• A t-shirt or tank top
• Slip-on shoes or sneakers
• Minimal jewelry

Avoid jeans with thick belts, dresses, dress shoes, or anything you cannot easily move in. We provide gowns when an area of the exam requires direct skin contact.

Bring:

• Photo ID
• Insurance card
• A list of medications and supplements
• Any prior imaging or records
• Contact info for other providers (primary care, specialists, attorney if accident-related)

Arrival and check-in

When you arrive, you will check in at the front desk and be offered water, coffee, or tea. If you completed forms in advance, check-in takes about 3 to 5 minutes. If not, we will give you a clipboard and 10 to 15 minutes in our waiting area.

Each of our four offices is set up the same way: a clean, well-lit reception area, a quiet exam room, and a treatment area. We aim to keep wait times under 10 minutes for new patients.

The consultation: what hurts and why

The first part of your visit is a conversation with the doctor. This usually runs 10 to 15 minutes and covers:

• Your chief complaint: what brought you in, in your own words
• History of the problem: when it started, what makes it worse, what makes it better
• Pain pattern: sharp, dull, achy, burning, radiating
• Functional impact: what activities are limited, what you cannot do
• Past treatment: what you have tried, what worked, what did not
• General health: other conditions, medications, surgeries

This conversation is the most important part of the visit. About 70 to 80% of the diagnosis comes from a thorough history. The exam confirms or rules out what we already suspect from the history.

The exam: what we actually do

After the consultation, we move into the exam room. A typical exam runs 15 to 20 minutes and includes some or all of these:

1. Vitals: blood pressure, height, weight
2. Posture analysis: how you stand from the front, side, and back
3. Range of motion: how far you can bend, twist, and reach in each direction
4. Orthopedic tests: specific maneuvers that stress different structures to identify which one is injured
5. Neurologic exam: reflexes, sensation, muscle strength
6. Palpation: the doctor uses their hands to feel for joint restrictions, muscle tightness, and tender spots
7. Gait analysis: how you walk reveals a lot about how you load your spine

For most patients, we do not need X-rays on the first visit. We order imaging only if the exam findings suggest a structural problem (significant trauma, suspected fracture, progressive neurologic deficit, red flags in the history) or if it will change the treatment plan.

The findings: what we tell you

After the exam, we sit down and explain what we found. This typically takes 10 to 15 minutes and covers:

• What we think is going on (working diagnosis)
• Why we think that, based on your history and exam findings
• What treatment we recommend
• How many visits we expect it to take
• What the cost will be
• What you can do at home

We make a point of explaining everything in plain language. If we use a clinical term, we define it. If you have questions, ask. If you want to think about it before committing to a plan, that is fine.

If we do not think chiropractic is the right treatment for your case, we will tell you that and refer you to the appropriate specialist. We refer out frequently to primary care, orthopedics, neurology, and pain management when the case calls for it. We are not in the business of selling you treatment you do not need.

The first adjustment (when appropriate)

If your exam findings are clear, you have no contraindications, and you are comfortable proceeding, we can usually do the first treatment on the first visit. This includes:

• A specific chiropractic adjustment to the affected region
• Soft tissue work or trigger-point release as needed
• One or two simple exercises to do at home

A typical first treatment runs 10 to 15 minutes. You may feel immediate relief, mild soreness for 24 hours (similar to after a workout), or both. Most patients describe the adjustment as a pop or click that feels relieving.

If we are not comfortable adjusting on the first visit, we will schedule a follow-up for treatment, usually within a few days. Reasons to wait include:

• Need for imaging or a referral first
• Acute flare that needs to calm down first
• New patient who wants more time to consider the plan

Cost and insurance

We accept most major commercial insurance plans, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, and many Kaiser PPO products. For Medicare patients, we accept assignment.

Typical costs:

We verify your benefits before your appointment so you know your copay, deductible status, and visit limits. We do not surprise patients with bills.

For post-accident or work injury cases, we bill auto insurance, MedPay, or workers’ compensation directly. Many of those patients pay zero out of pocket.

Meet the doctors who might treat you

Valley Chiropractic has five doctors across our four offices. You may see one or several depending on your schedule and the office.

• Dr. Tim Coykendall, D.C. Founder, co-owner, and senior chiropractor, practicing for over 25 years. Sees patients at all four offices. Specialties include sports injury and family wellness care.
• Dr. Joseph Russell, D.C. Co-owner and chiropractor at Tracy, Mountain House, and Manteca. Strong commuter-care and lifestyle injury focus.
• Dr. Johannes Garrido, D.C. Chiropractor at all four offices. Treats a broad case mix with a particular interest in sciatica and disc conditions.
• Dr. Matt Durant, D.C. Chiropractor at all four offices. Auto accident and post-injury rehabilitation specialist.
• Dr. Dalvir Atwal, D.C. Chiropractor at Ripon, Manteca, and Tracy. Family wellness and prenatal care focus.

Read full bios on the meet the doctors page.

After your first visit

Before you leave, we make sure you have:

• A written treatment plan
• Your next appointment scheduled (if applicable)
• A simple home routine to start
• Contact info if you have questions before the next visit

Most patients start to feel meaningful change within 2 to 4 visits. We re-evaluate progress at structured intervals (typically every 4 visits) and adjust the plan based on how you are responding.

Which office should you book?

All four of our offices use the same protocols, the same electronic records, and rotating doctors, so the experience is consistent.

• Tracy HQ: 438 W Beverly Pl #101, our largest office
• Mountain House: 583 Wicklund Crossing, commuter-friendly hours
• Manteca: 130 N Grant Ave, downtown Manteca
• Ripon: 1444 W Main St, our newest office

Pick whichever is closest to your home or work. To learn more about us as a practice, visit our about us page. For specific service detail, see our chiropractic care service page.

Ready when you are

The hardest part of starting chiropractic care is the unknown. Now that you know exactly what happens, the rest is easy. Request an appointment online, or call the office closest to you.

If you are coming in for a specific condition, our condition-specific guides may help you prepare. For lower back pain, see our Mountain House commuter guide. For neck pain, see our Tracy neck pain guide. For radiating leg pain, see our complete sciatica guide. If you were just in a crash, read our auto accident first 72 hours guide.

We are looking forward to meeting you.