What Should I Bring to My First Herniated Disc Appointment at a Centennial Chiropractor?
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By Butler Family Health Center · Published 2026-10-29 · Last updated 2026-10-29
For your first herniated disc appointment at a Centennial chiropractor, bring a photo ID, your insurance card, the completed New Patient Form, a list of your medicines and supplements, any MRI, X-ray or CT images with their written reports, and a page of notes on your symptoms. That small folder lets Dr. Chris Butler spend the visit on your back and legs rather than on paperwork.
No scans yet? Come anyway.
Our office is in Peakview Center at 6500 S Quebec St, and our page on herniated disc treatment in Centennial explains the care itself. If you have lost bladder or bowel control, go straight to the emergency room section below.
Your First Herniated Disc Appointment Checklist for a Centennial Chiropractor
A first herniated disc appointment with a Centennial chiropractor goes smoothest when these items are packed the night before:
- Photo ID.
- Your health insurance card, front and back.
- The New Patient Form, printed and filled in at home. It downloads from the Patient Forms page on our website and opens in Adobe Acrobat.
- Auto claim or workers' compensation details, if a crash or a work injury started the pain.
- Your medicine and supplement list with doses.
- MRI, X-ray or CT images and the written radiology report.
- One page of symptom notes (the table below shows what to include).
Filling in the form at home matters with a disc, since long periods of sitting often make the pain worse. Still plan to reach Peakview Center a few minutes early for intake.
Which Insurance and Claim Papers Should I Carry to a Centennial Herniated Disc Visit?
The insurance and claim papers to carry to a Centennial herniated disc visit depend on who is paying. For a health plan, bring the card so your details are on file from day one. We are a preferred provider for Anthem, Blue Cross, Aetna, Cofinity, Humana, Cigna and United Healthcare, and most insurance plans are accepted.
After a crash on Interstate 25 or anywhere else, bring your auto policy details and the claim number. We accept auto accident, personal injury, slip and fall and workers' compensation cases, so for a work injury bring your employer's name and claim number. No insurance, or a high deductible? Ask about our cash plans. We take checks, cash, HSA debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Bringing MRI, X-Ray and CT Results to Your Centennial Disc Exam
Bring every MRI, X-ray or CT you have had for this problem to your Centennial disc exam, together with the written report from the radiologist. The images show the spine, and the report records what the reading doctor found and at which level.
An MRI shows soft tissues such as discs. On OrthoInfo, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons explains that "MRI scans provide clear images of the body's soft tissues, including intervertebral disks." Older X-rays are still worth bringing, though MedlinePlus points out that "it is not possible to diagnose a herniated disk by a spine x-ray alone."
To collect earlier scans, call the imaging center or the doctor's office that ordered them and ask for both the images and the written report. Request them a few days ahead.
Can I Book a Centennial Herniated Disc Visit Before I Have an MRI?
Yes, you can book a Centennial herniated disc visit before you have had an MRI. The exam comes first, and if it does not settle the question, our office may arrange an MRI or X-ray. OrthoInfo describes the same order: a doctor "may order an MRI scan to help confirm the diagnosis and to learn more about which spinal nerves are affected." Call or text (303) 741-2444 and get the exam started.
Symptom Notes That Help Your Centennial Disc Exam
The symptom notes that help most at a Centennial disc exam are short and specific: when the pain began, where it travels and what changes it. Disc pain shifts through the day, so a few lines written over two or three days are plenty.
| What to write down | Why the exam uses it |
|---|---|
| The date it started and what you were doing | Separates a sudden strain, such as a lift or a fall, from pain that built slowly |
| Where the pain goes: low back, buttock, below the knee, into the foot | Sciatica, a sharp pain from the buttock down the back of one leg, is a common herniated disc symptom |
| Numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg or foot | Guides the neurological check of strength, sensation and reflexes |
| What makes it worse: sitting, standing, nighttime, coughing, sneezing, laughing | These are common triggers for herniated disc pain |
| What eases it: a position, walking, ice, heat, medicine | Shows what already helps so the plan can build on it |
| Your workday: hours sitting, driving or lifting | Points to the daily loads that may need to change |
Interstate 25 divides Centennial roughly in half, so plenty of patients spend part of each day in a car, and office jobs keep many more at a desk. Note how many minutes you can sit before the pain starts.
Where to start, by situation:
- If a car crash started the pain, then bring the claim number and book soon. We handle auto accident cases.
- If leg pain, numbness or tingling is getting worse by the day, then call or text for a same-day appointment.
How Detailed Should My Medication and Supplement List Be for a Centennial Disc Visit?
Your medication and supplement list for a Centennial disc visit should give each product's name, dose and how often you take it. Include prescriptions, over-the-counter pain relievers, muscle relaxers, sleep aids, vitamins and supplements. Write down what you took that morning so Dr. Butler knows how you feel with it on board.
What to Wear and How to Get to a Centennial Disc Appointment
Wear loose, comfortable clothing to a Centennial disc appointment. Athletic pants or shorts and a T-shirt let Dr. Butler watch you bend, walk and raise each leg. Wear the shoes you walk in most, such as the pair you use on the High Line Canal Trail, because how you stand and walk is part of the exam.
We are in Peakview Center on South Quebec Street, with a free onsite parking lot, free street parking, and wheelchair accessible parking and entrance. If sitting in a car makes your leg flare, ask a family member or friend to drive so you can recline the seat or shift as needed.
We serve patients in Castlewood and Southglenn, the neighborhoods that meet along South Holly Street, and in Greenwood Village and the Denver Tech Center.
What Happens at Your First Herniated Disc Appointment in Centennial
Your first herniated disc appointment in Centennial moves through four steps.
- Welcome and paperwork. Your ID, cards and completed form go in.
- Consultation. Dr. Butler goes through your symptom notes, history and imaging.
- Examination. The first visit checks posture, range of motion and nerve response. OrthoInfo describes a neurological exam for muscle weakness and loss of sensation, notes that knee or ankle reflexes may be absent when a nerve root is compressed, and says leg pain below the knee during a straight leg raise is a strong sign of a herniated disk.
- A personalized plan. If the exam leaves questions, imaging may be arranged. Whether care begins that day depends on what the exam finds.
Dr. Chris Butler, D.C., has been a chiropractor since 1996. Melanie H. wrote in her review, "From the very beginning, I felt listened to, cared for, and never rushed." Tell him what you want back, such as a walk on the Big Dry Creek Trail or a loop around DeKoevend Park, so the plan aims at it.
Will the Exam Hurt When I Have a Herniated Disc?
The exam for a herniated disc can bring on your familiar symptoms for a moment, since a test like the straight leg raise looks for leg pain below the knee. Before it starts, tell Dr. Butler which positions you cannot hold. During it, speak up if a movement sends pain down your leg. Patients often describe his care as gentle. Eric R. wrote, "Very gentle when getting adjusted."
Herniated Disc Symptoms That Call for the Emergency Room
A few herniated disc symptoms call for the emergency room today, not an appointment later in the week. Loss of bladder or bowel control is rare, but OrthoInfo calls it "a medical emergency that requires immediate attention." It can signal cauda equina syndrome. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for:
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or being unable to urinate
- Numbness around the buttocks, between the legs or on the inner thighs
- Lost or changed feeling in the backs of the legs, the feet or the heels along with the signs above
The OrthoInfo page on cauda equina syndrome calls it a surgical emergency and warns that delay risks permanent paralysis and lasting bladder or bowel problems. For new numbness, weakness or loss of movement without those signs, MedlinePlus advises contacting a provider.
Once a hospital has cleared you, bring its paperwork and any scans to your first visit with us.
Why Centennial Patients Book Their First Herniated Disc Visit at Butler Family Health Center
Centennial patients book their first herniated disc visit at Butler Family Health Center because getting in is simple and the exam is thorough:
- Same-day appointments and walk-ins, so worsening leg pain does not have to wait
- An exam with Dr. Chris Butler, D.C., a chiropractor since 1996
- Spinal decompression, Remy Class IV laser and shockwave therapy in the same office
- Most insurance accepted, auto accident and workers' compensation cases handled, and cash plans available
- Free parking and a wheelchair accessible entrance
- 4.9 stars on Google from more than 70 reviews
From Peakview Center we serve Centennial along with Inverness, Littleton, Englewood and Cherry Creek.
The Bottom Line
Pack your ID, insurance card, completed form, medicine list, any imaging with reports, and symptom notes. A missing MRI is no reason to wait. Bladder or bowel changes mean the emergency room. For everything else, call or text Butler Family Health Center at (303) 741-2444 to start herniated disc treatment in Centennial. Same-day appointments and walk-ins are welcome.