What to Expect
No white-coat stiffness. No rushed exams. Just real conversations, expert care, and a plan built for your goals.
At Rise Chiropractic in San Diego, your first visit is designed to be the starting point of your healing journey. We take the time to understand your body, your goals, and the underlying causes of your concerns—so we can create a plan that restores not just comfort, but true function and balance. This is care done with intention.
A Two-Step Process That Prioritizes Precision and Personalized Care
At Rise Chiropractic, we go the extra mile to make sure your care is not just effective—but truly tailored to you. That starts with getting a clear, accurate understanding of what’s going on beneath the surface. Pain is a signal, but to correct the problem, we have to find its source. That’s where our two-visit intake process comes in.
Visit 1: In-Depth Discovery & Evaluation
Just like you’d expect in any quality healthcare setting, your first visit will include a thorough intake to collect key information about your symptoms, lifestyle, and health history. Then, we move into a full evaluation, which may include:
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Neurological and orthopedic exams
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Postural and movement assessments
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Palpation of joints and soft tissue
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Spinal alignment checks
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Digital imaging or referrals, if clinically indicated
Everything is done at your pace, with your comfort in mind. By the end of this visit, we’ll have gathered the essential data needed to begin forming a diagnosis—but we don’t rush into care just yet. Your spine houses your nervous system—the most important communication system in your body. We take that responsibility seriously.
Between Visits: A Thoughtful Review
After your first visit, we take time to carefully analyze your findings and imaging. We review the results with a detail-oriented lens and develop a tailored plan that’s based on the real root cause of your symptoms—not just the surface pain. This step allows us to make informed decisions that prioritize both your immediate relief and long-term function.
Visit 2: Results, Clarity & Hands-On Care When You're Ready
On your second visit, we sit down and walk you through your exam results and imaging findings. We explain in clear, understandable language what we found, what it means for your health, and—most importantly—what your options are moving forward.
This visit is about giving you information, clarity, and confidence—so you can make the decision that’s right for you.
At this point, you'll have the option to begin your first hands-on treatment—if and when you’re ready. There’s no pressure. Just expert guidance and the opportunity to take that next step with confidence.
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Preparing for Your Visit
How Long Will It Take?
Your first visit typically takes about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of your needs. This gives us time to get to know you, perform a detailed evaluation, and begin crafting your personalized care plan.
Follow-up visits are shorter—usually between 15 to 45 minutes—and are designed to build consistently on your progress, using precise hands-on care and targeted therapies based on your goals and response.
What Should I Wear?
We recommend comfortable, flexible clothing that allows easy movement. You don’t need to dress up—just wear something that helps you feel relaxed and at ease. Think athletic or lounge wear: something that allows you to sit, move, and lie down comfortably during exams and treatment.
Plan to Arrive Early
We know life happens—traffic, parking, or even just locating the building for the first time can take longer than expected. We recommend arriving at least 15–20 minutes early for your first appointment.
This ensures you have plenty of time to check in, settle in, and begin your visit in a calm, unhurried way. Being on time also protects the quality of your one-on-one time with the doctor, and helps us stay respectful of all patients’ scheduled care.
Your time is valuable, and we want to use every minute to serve you well.
Complete Your Intake Form in Advance
Once your first appointment is scheduled, we’ll send you a brief online intake form to complete before your visit. This form gives us essential background on your symptoms, health history, and goals—so we can focus more time on examining, understanding, and helping you.
Completing your intake ahead of time allows Dr. James to review your information before you arrive, which means a more productive and personalized experience during your consultation and exam. If the form isn’t completed beforehand, we’ll still take great care of you—but some of that valuable face-to-face time may be spent catching up on paperwork instead of diving into your care.
A Thoughtful Start to Your Healing
Choosing to begin care is a meaningful step, especially if you’ve been living with discomfort for a while. At Rise Chiropractic, we recognize the importance of that decision. We’re here to help you understand what’s going on in your body—and to guide you through a process of true, lasting healing.
You won’t be rushed. You won’t be given a generic plan. You’ll receive focused, one-on-one care that honors your time, your health, and your goals.
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Setting You Up for Success
Every part of this process is designed to give you the best possible experience—from your first step through our door to your last step out, feeling lighter, clearer, and more in control of your health.
If you have any questions about how to prepare or what to expect, don’t hesitate to call. We’re here to help every step of the way.
We look forward to welcoming you to Rise Chiropractic.