Phases of Chiropractic Care

It is important to understand the stages of chiropractic care because they are unique relative to those of other health-care disciplines. Because chiropractic addresses core physiological and biomechanical aspects of the body, the process to correct problems without drugs or surgery can take some time. Some conditions can be treated in a few visits, while others may take longer.

The following is a brief summary of the three major phases of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic Care – Relief Care

The majority of patients consult a chiropractor because they have an ache or pain. In the first phase of chiropractic care, the main objective is to eliminate or reduce your discomfort and stabilize your condition in the shortest amount of time. During this phase, progress is usually rapid.

The number of times you visit a chiropractor during this phase of chiropractic care varies and is dependent upon your specific condition. It’s hard to say how long it will be until you see relief it could be as short as a week or up to a month.

If you are not responding to chiropractic care during this phase, you may be referred to another health-care provider.

Chiropractic Care – Rehabilitative Care

Once your condition has stabilized, you enter the second phase of chiropractic care, where the objective is to correct any underlying injury or cause of discomfort, strengthen the muscles, and improve neuromusculoskeletal function. The frequency of office visits is reduced over a period of two to six weeks. Care may be supplemented by rehabilitation exercises, nutrition, and modification of daily habits.

It is important to remember that many of the conditions for which people seek chiropractic care have developed over many years; therefore, correcting these problems is a true rehabilitative process. It helps to understand that it takes time to correct these conditions.

Once your discomfort has subsided, you may think all is well and choose to abandon your efforts. However, if you end your chiropractic care before fully healing the muscles and soft tissues, you can invite a relapse. This is a mistake many people make, and it sets them up for recurring health issues.

It’s hard to believe that, after all the time, effort, energy, and money put into correcting a problem, a patient would choose to forgo this relatively easy phase of chiropractic care! As much as we’d love to see you in our office, we’d much rather assist you in maintaining your health rather than relieving your pain.

Chiropractic Care – Wellness Care

Few things as complicated as your body can be “fixed” and then ignored. Think of your car, your teeth, or your relationships. They take time and effort to maintain, but you know it’s worth it in the long run. In fact, the people who devote regular time and energy into exercise, or diet, or playing football or whatever, are the ones who usually benefit the most. We also acknowledge that today’s modern lifestyle is not generally consistent with ideal habits relating to diet, movement and posture. That’s why people sometimes choose to visit the chiropractor occasionally for a check up.

As part of our plan to keep your health and function at its highest level, we can teach you how to incorporate good nutrition, exercise habits and other preventative strategies into your everyday life. The chiropractor can check you occasionally to determine whether the musculo skeletal condition that you originally suffered from is showing early signs of coming back, by comparing your functional parameters to those that were measured when you first came to seek treatment.

Of course, how long you choose to benefit from chiropractic care is ultimately your choice.

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