Knowing when and how often to see a chiropractor can be difficult to determine. It is also a concern that many chiropractic patients have. Should sessions be close together or further spaced apart to receive the most benefit? Is there such a thing as too many adjustments? Should I stop seeing a chiropractor since I am feeling better?
Questions like these are very common in the chiropractic world and the answers to them can often vary from patient to patient, depending on the type of injury or pain that is being experienced. The goal for treatment will also vary from patient to patient depending on the injury or pain. That is why the answer to these questions can be difficult to determine without first seeing a chiropractor to begin with.
When it comes to seeing a chiropractor, there are many reasons why one should consider doing so. Typically, when someone first thinks about a chiropractor, the word spine is often the first thing that comes to mind. While chiropractors are experts on things like spinal injuries and pain, they also help with tons of other issues as well. For starters, many chiropractors help treat headaches and the pain associated with issues like poor blood flow or nutritional habits. They also treat underlying issues of neck pain, shoulder pain, and other joint pains like in the knees. They also help treat injuries from things like car accidents, a slip in fall, or work-related injuries. Plus, so much more!
Knowing when to see a chiropractor is often another concern many people have before becoming a patient. If the pain that is being experienced becomes intense enough to disrupt daily life, it makes doing everyday activities difficult, and/or it has lasted for a significant amount of time, that is often a good indicator that some type of treatment is necessary—and a chiropractor’s office is often the good place to start for pains like these.
As with a typical family doctor’s office, a chiropractor’s office has many of the tools necessary to diagnose underlying causes for the pain that is being experienced or determine what kind of injury is at play. It may even save you an extra trip as well, many doctors may end up referring you to a local chiropractor instead to help treat and manage the pain or injury.
It is important to know when not to go to a chiropractor as well. While a chiropractor can take x-rays and help refer to specialists if needed, there are certain situations where additional treatment may be necessary before getting treatment. For instance, if you suspect the pain is from a broken bone, this type of injury will likely need additional care to help mend the break beforehand.
However, once you have decided to see a chiropractor, the frequency and duration of the chiropractic adjustments or treatments will depend on the diagnosis and type of pain. Typically, patients can expect to need more frequent visits in the beginning of their treatment with a gradual reduction as the focus shifts from overall treatment to maintenance. On average, most pain types and injuries can require anywhere between 4 to 12 sessions. This can be anywhere between one to three times a week, or a couple times a month. This continuing maintenance is to help prevent the pain from coming back and to prevent the injury from reoccurring.
After a thorough diagnosis, your chiropractor should be able to give you a better overview of what to expect with your specific treatment plan. It is important to keep in mind that sometimes injuries or alleviating pain from another underlying cause can take a little longer than first expected. Try not to lose sight of the end goal.
While something like 4 to 12 sessions may seem like a lot, the average chiropractic treatment will typically only take around 10 to 30 minutes. Usually, the first adjustment or session takes the longest because this is when the most help is needed. After each session, most patients see an improvement in their health and a reduction in the amount of time it takes for each session to be completed. Usually, by the time someone reaches the point where only maintenance sessions are needed, the time it takes is so short that many patients can even do it on their lunch breaks, before work, or even while running errands.
Although the time it takes to see a chiropractor is relatively short, and tends to get even shorter with each session, sometimes people do not have enough time in their schedules for more than one session. That still shouldn’t stop them from going to the chiropractor. Even if you aren’t sure that you can make more than one session, meet with your chiropractor, and let them know. Many can offer at-home therapies or light physical exercises that can still help improve your condition while you are at home.
Additionally, even one session can have a major improvement and lead to immediate relief. It is important to keep in mind that relief from one session it is likely only going to lead to temporary improvement. That is why follow up with any at-home suggestions or follow up visits is crucial in helping to maintain relief from the first session. Even scheduling a session every few months can be helpful.
All in all, chiropractors are great at helping people relieve things like neck and back pain, chronic pain, pain from poor posture, and many other things. There are also many benefits one can get from seeing a chiropractor aside from pain relief, such as reducing stress and improved sleep. Schedule an appointment with us today at Thrive Chiropractic in the Treasure Valley area today to figure out a specific treatment plan. We offer a wide range of treatments, including yoga classes and message therapy. We are committed to our patients and helping them achieve the same quality of life they had before their pain or injury. Give us a call, look at our website, or stop in at our Boise location. We hope to see you soon.
