What to Expect

After scheduling your initial appointment you can expect to arrive at our office and be greeted by our receptionist.  Your insurance information, if applicable, and your completed paperwork will be collected.

You will then be moved to an examination room where your vitals will be obtained.  This includes positional blood pressure measurements, height, weight, body composition testing and oxygen saturation.  Once Dr. Sefcik has your medical history forms and the results of your vitals he will come into the exam room to review your medical history with you.

Your primary reason for your visit (your chief complaint) will be addressed, as well as questioning your past medical history, your family history, and your social history including diet and lifestyle.  A complete “head-to-toe” review of systems will be gathered to identify how your condition is affecting your overall health.  This process is the time allotted for you to share your concerns with Dr. Sefcik and to know that we take time to listen to your complaints and needs.

Following the comprehensive medical history, Dr. Sefcik will perform the physical examination.  The examination process is very thorough and comprehensive.  Dr. Sefcik is trained as a chiropractor, board certified as a chiropractic neurologist and licensed as a certified clinical nutritionist.  During the exam process he will begin evaluating your health from many different perspectives.  For example, when testing eye movements and pupillary responses he can identify the integrity of your cranial nerves, the central integrative state of your brain, the tone of your sympathetic nervous system, and the current state of your neuroendocrine system with the adrenal glands.  Another example would be looking at your tongue to check your cranial nerves, but also looking for signs of B-vitamin deficiencies, yeast overgrowth, or other nutritional imbalances.  This broad view benefits you as the patient since you are being examined as a whole person and not just a singular part.

There are many purposes to the history and examination.  These include not only identifying what your diagnosis is, but also to assess whether or not your case can best be managed with Dr. Sefcik’s care, or falls outside his area of expertise.  If Dr. Sefcik chooses to start care with you it is because during the history and examination he felt this was an area or case he could help with.  Many patients have multiple issues at one time.  These require a comprehensive patient education period that cannot be undertaken all at once.  In these cases Dr. Sefcik will educate you through the course of your care, but please understand he has a clear path and goal outlined for you.  This is why it is very important for you to comply with the treatment recommendations made for you.  Failure to comply, or disruption of care, can lead to negative consequences for you and your health.

If after the history and examination additional information is needed, then x-rays, blood testing, or electrodiagnostic evaluations may be ordered.  This will be discussed with you prior to performing.

If there are no contraindications to do so, Dr. Sefcik will treat you on your first visit.  At the conclusion of your first visit you will be given home instructions with an appointment to return for your report of findings.  This second visit report of findings is very important for you.  It is during this time your exam findings are presented as an overall picture of your current health and diagnosis.  We strongly encourage you to bring a spouse, friend or relative that you trust to this report of findings.  We will cover a lot of information and having a strong support outside of the clinic has been shown to positively influence your health.  Please allow about thirty minutes for this second report of findings visit.

For those patients that start chiropractic care in our office, please understand that you are committing to a six visit minimum of care.  This is the minimum amount of time necessary to resolve even “simple” cases of myofascial sprain-strain, or overuse injuries.  Your care plan will be provided as a written report for you and with your approval care will be initiated.

Subsequent visits are designed to be brief and address your current areas of complaint.  At each subsequent visit you will be asked to rate your pain currently and how you did since the last visit.  Any exercises or modalities that were written in the care plan will be provided as well.  Your appointment time is scheduled for you!  Please keep all questions during your appointment pertaining to you and your health.  Also, in the best interest of all our patients, please arrive a little early for your appointments.  That way you can ensure you will be taken back to the treatment room at your scheduled appointment time.  If your tardiness would impact other patient’s appointments there may be a need to reschedule your appointment, or place you on a waiting list.

At the conclusion of your care plan period we will provide a re-examination to monitor your progress.  Subjective measures such as pain rating will be evaluated, as well as the abnormal objective examination findings.  We want you to not only feel better, but also have measurable improvement in your condition.

You can expect to be educated about your health.  You can expect to take an active role in reclaiming your health.  You can expect to be cared about and supported along the process.  We offer a wellness approach to care and we want you to achieve the optimal level of health performance possible so you can continue to live each day to the fullest!

1023 E Capitol Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

Copyright © 2019 Life Enhancement Clinic
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