Laying the foundation

Chiropractic care is like building a house – certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work correctly. When building a house, if you tried to put up your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually collapse. If you tried to put on your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. The same is true for your body. Your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully. There are three general phases of chiropractic care . . .

Phase 1: Relief Care

If you are in pain when you come into our office, the first objective is to help you feel better. Initially, there is usually chronic or acute information that has to be reduced.  Depending on the severity of your problem and the amount of pain and inflammation present, 8-12 treatments during the first 4-6 weeks of care is usually required.  In some individuals, this is all the treatment that is needed.

Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care

For those patients whose problem has not been stabilized during the relief phase of care, corrective care is then recommended.  During this phase of treatment more extensive exercise and nutritional recommendations are made, so that muscles and other tissues are allowed to heal more completely, thereby helping prevent injury. During this phase of care treatment frequency is usually 4-8 times per month for 2-4 months, depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem.

Phase 3: Wellness Care

Once your body has fully healed, it is important to come in for periodic adjustments to avoid problems in the future. Usually, this only requires a quick visit to the chiropractor once every 4-6 weeks, based on your lifestyle and goals.  Patients with chronic conditions such as disc herniations, arthritis, and spinal and joint instability from old injuries may need treatment 1-2 times per month.