Initial Visit

What to Expect

At your initial visit, Dr. Macari will take a full history covering birth history, illnesses, accidents, disabilities, lifestyle, diet, exercise, and environmental factors. After conducting a complete physical and structural exam, he will then have you lie on the examination table for treatment. A typical treatment will involve the gentle and precise application of force to eliminate dysfunction in tissue motion, release compressed bones and joints, promote movement of bodily fluids, and undo the shock of imprinted trauma. Each treatment is unique according to the findings in that day's evaluation. During the treatment Dr. Macari may make contact with areas of the body that you do not associate with the reason for the visit, including the feet, tailbone, or head. Osteopaths assess and treat the body as a whole, because the fluid and tissue throughout the body connect all parts. Prescriptions for medications and/or diagnostic tests may be given, and recommendations for diet, exercise, counseling, and surgery may be given when indicated. Patients often experience a sense of deep relaxation, tingling, fluid flow, and relief of pain. Emotional releases may occur as well. These changes may be experienced immediately as they occur, or later after treatment. Typically the first visit lasts up to 60 minutes; follow-up visits last up to 30 minutes.

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For Children: After a thorough history is obtained, the child receives an osteopathic structural and functional examination. The child is then usually treated either while lying down in a seated position, or on their parent's lap. At times an older child may be asked to change positions or to participate in some way in the treatment process. A child may have a hard time staying still during the treatment, and may need to play with a small toy or have the parent/guardian read to them to keep them occupied. At other times the child may become very relaxed, have a wide range of other feelings and sensations, or they may feel nothing at all. Accommodations are always made to make the child as comfortable as possible.