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’re experiencing pain when you first visit our office, our initial goal is to help you feel better as quickly as possible. The frequency of care will depend on the severity and nature of your condition.
For those with more acute or severe pain, you may benefit from care a few times per week for the first few weeks to help reduce inflammation and restore movement. As your symptoms improve, visits are gradually spaced out to support continued healing and long-term stability.
Most people are under the assumption that if they don't feel any pain that there is nothing wrong with them - that they are healthy. Unfortunately, pain is a very poor indicator of health. In fact, pain and other symptoms frequently only appear after a disease or other condition has become advanced.
For example, consider a cavity in your tooth. Does it hurt when it first develops or only after it has become serious? How about heart disease? Regardless of whether you are talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stress or problems with the spine, pain is usually the last thing to appear. When you begin chiropractic care, pain is also the first symptom to disappear, even though much of the underlying condition remains.
Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care
As your condition improves and you move beyond the initial phase of care, most patients find that visits every one to two weeks (about 2–4 times per month) help maintain progress, prevent flare-ups, and support continued healing.
Most chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a persons care. If all that the chiropractor does is to reduce the pain and stop there, the chances of the condition recurring are much greater. In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care even though your symptoms are gone.
During the corrective or restorative phase of care, you won’t need adjustments as often as in the initial phase, but your active participation at home becomes increasingly important. Continuing with your recommended stretches, exercises, and ergonomic or posture habits helps support your spine, strengthen the muscles around it, and maintain the progress made during your visits.
By staying consistent with your home care plan, you’ll enhance the effectiveness of each adjustment and promote longer-lasting results.
Do not be discouraged if you have mild flare-ups in your symptoms on occasion. This is normal. Flare-ups are bound to occur during this phase because your body has not fully healed. Depending on the severity of your injury or condition and how long you have been suffering from it, this phase of your care may last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Once your body has healed and stabilized, periodic chiropractic visits help maintain your progress and prevent future issues. The frequency of care varies for each person — some benefit from weekly visits, while others do well with tune-ups once or twice a month or even less often. Your lifestyle, activity level, and goals all play a role in determining what’s best for you.
Just like regular exercise or healthy eating, ongoing chiropractic care helps your body function at its best. Combined with good posture, stretches, and healthy daily habits, these maintenance visits can keep your spine aligned, reduce everyday stress on the body, and help you stay active and pain-free doing the things you love.
