Once you have made the decision to start seeing a chiropractor to deal with pain issues, you should commit yourself to the process until you feel your objectives have been fulfilled.
It’s not always a good idea to seek medical care for minor injuries and pain issues. Why? Doctors tend to treat patients by using invasive pain treatment options that might not be necessary. As an alternative, it’s always a good idea to consider seeing a chiropractor for such problems.
You are probably wondering when you should start seeing a chiropractor and subsequently, how long you should see a chiropractor. You should start seeing one when pain and discomfort start to affect the quality of your life. As for how long, you should be willing to commit to the process for as long as it takes to get the results you want. It would even be reasonable to continue chiropractic as an ongoing maintenance option.
How Often Should You Go to the Chiropractor?
During your first visit with a chiropractor, they will do what is necessary for them to be able to offer a proper diagnosis. A proper diagnosis would encompass the finding location and proximate cause of your pain or discomfort.
Once your chiropractor has a lay of the land, they will prescribe a chiropractic treatment plan. That plan would probably suggest a frequency of treatments. It would be wise to follow your chiropractor’s suggestion.
To be clear, chiropractors have a pretty good idea of how long each patient is going to need to invest to get the results the patient wants/needs. Chiropractors will seek a treatment frequency that will allow them to deliver results as quickly, effectively, and efficiently as possible.
To address acute conditions
One of the first things chiropractors like to find out is whether or not a patient’s condition is acute or chronic. It matters because the frequency of treatments for acute issues might be a little higher in order to resolve the problem more quickly.
To address chronic conditions
If a patient comes in with a chronic condition, most chiropractors will view that condition as something that is a little more serious. For that reason, they often take a methodical approach to treatment. They essentially want to invest more time dealing with the condition so as to prevent it from reoccurring or getting worse.
Scheduling weekly visits
Weekly visits are generally prescribed for patients who have already made some progress toward recovery from their conditions. It’s the point in the treatment process where the chiropractor feels the original condition has been somewhat resolved.
Scheduling monthly visits
Chiropractors like to recommend monthly visits as a maintenance option. It’s the right call for patients who are feeling much better and don’t want to experience relapses. Chiropractic maintenance also works well for people as part of a regular health regimen.
When is the Best Time to See a Chiropractor?
Generally, the right time to see a chiropractor is when there is obviously a health issue that might not necessarily require intervention from a medical doctor. Remember, chiropractors offer treatments that are far less invasive than prescription painkillers, epidurals, and surgery. Here are a few of the circumstances under which you might want to go see a chiropractor.
To address Pain
If you are experiencing mild to moderate pain in your back, neck, or soft tissues, chiropractic offers a non-invasive remedy. The best treatment options are chiropractic back adjustments and massage therapy options.
To address limited range of motion issues
If you are having difficulty moving your neck, arms, or legs, it’s probably related to a health issue that is affecting your joints and or muscles. It could also be a nerve issue. In all three cases, massage therapy might be the right call.
Recent injuries
Injuries to the back, neck, and extremities will almost always result in lingering pain issues. A chiropractor can help you in two ways. First, they can employ treatments that are designed to alleviate pain. Second, they might discover the injury in question is significant enough to warrant medical attention.
To address chronic injuries
Chronic injuries usually occur due to overuse of some body part or when doing strenuous physical activities. A chiropractor’s job is to identify the source of the chronic injury and recommend ways to avoid making the injury worse. They can also employ chiropractic care for pain relief.
For relief of stress or tension
Sometimes, you might get hit with the kind of stress that creates muscle tension, which can be very painful. Chiropractors will often use massage techniques to help relax muscles.
To address posture
Poor posture can lead to pain when standing or sitting. A chiropractor can resolve such pain issues by employing back and neck adjustments that bring the spine back into proper alignment.
To address extremity pain or tingling
If you are feeling pain or a tingling sensation in your extremities, the cause is very often a pinched nerve. Chiropractors will use back adjustments to free up the pinched nerves that are causing pain.
To address chronic headaches and migraines
Chronic headaches and migraines often come from muscle tension in the neck or back. To treat such chronic conditions, chiropractors will use both adjustments and massage techniques to relieve the muscle tension.
To address seasonal allergies
Allergies often occur as a response to a deficient immune system. With a series of spine adjustments in the neck and back, chiropractors can improve a patient’s immune response by removing the blockage of good blood circulation. A better immune response can result in the body being better able to fight off allergies.
To address lack of sleep
Sleep issues often come as a result of pain issues or stress. Chiropractors can address both of these problems with spinal adjustments and massage techniques.
For relief of high-stress levels
High levels of stress can lead you to high blood pressure and muscle tension. Many chiropractors prefer to use massage techniques to increase blood flow and decrease muscle tension.
The Benefits of Getting Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractors all over the world do good business because chiropractic care works. It works in ways that many people can’t even imagine. Below, you will find some of the benefits you could derive from chiropractic
For pain relief
The number one reason people visit chiropractors is for pain relief. Many folks prefer chiropractic care over more invasive pain treatment options that come with some risks.
To improved range of motion
If you neck or extremities are not flexible, you most likely have a range of motion issue. Chiropractic adjustments can help heal joints and muscles, which should increase the body’s flexibility.
To reduced inflammation
Inflammation and swelling are caused by the lack of blood circulation to the affected area. Both chiropractic adjustments and massage techniques can help increase the flow of healthy blood throughout the entire body.
To improved posture
Sitting and or standing with poor posture often leads to a lot of collateral health issues. A series of spinal adjustments can bring the spine back into proper alignment, which should result in the patient’s posture improving.
To prompt improved athletic performance
Optimum athletic performance often requires that the body be able to function properly. Properly means having good blood circulation, balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength. Chiropractic adjustments and massage techniques can help resolve issues that limit your body’s ability to move freely.
To prompt improved sleep
If your sleep is constantly interrupted by pain or stress, a series of massage techniques can help your body relax, which should help you sleep better.
To prompt stress reduction
Stress is a killer when it comes to maintaining a good quality of life. If stress is causing you to have headaches or muscle pain in your neck or back, getting massage therapy from a reliable chiropractor is the right call.
To help reduce reliance on medication
While medication works, the effects are often temporary. Temporary results often require continual medication use, which can result in addiction. If a chiropractor can give you the results you want or need without medication, this would be your best course of action.
To Improve one’s overall health and well-being
If you want a happy life, you need a healthy life. You would be amazed at how effective chiropractic maintenance care is at helping your body function as a healthy body should.
To improve immune system function
If your circulation is poor, your body will not possess enough red and white blood cells, the cells you need to battle allergies, viruses, and bacteria. Both chiropractic adjustment and massage techniques can help improve your circulation.
To prompt better breathing
If you aren’t breathing properly, it’s because your lungs are getting enough healthy blood. Again, chiropractors have a variety of options they can employ to un-restrict your circulation and ability to get oxygen.
Questions
Can you go to the chiropractor too much?
Not really. The truth is you should keep going to your chiropractor for as long as it takes to improve your health. Once you are healthy, weekly or monthly maintenance visits to the chiropractor in perpetuity can help prevent reoccurrences of old issues and keep your body functioning as it should.
How long does chiropractic adjustment take?
The time it takes for a chiropractic adjustment can vary based on things like the location of the issue, the severity of the issue, and the type of adjustment employed. With that said, most adjustments can be completed in 30 to 45 minutes.
Is going to a chiropractor once a week too much?
It’s probably not too much. However, the right question is, would it be necessary? It would be necessary if your objectives were to keep addressing health issues or if you wanted to maintain good body health.
Do I need to go to the chiropractor 3 times a week?
There are some conditions and types of injuries that require intensive care from a chiropractor for prompt resolution of the problem at hand. Three times a week is not unreasonable.
When to discontinue chiropractic?
The right time to discontinue seeing your chiropractor would be when you get to the point you don’t feel you can benefit any further from chiropractic care.
How often should you see a chiropractor for sciatica?
It would depend on the severity of the problem and the health issue that was causing the problem. Since sciatica is painful and could adversely affect the quality of your life, you should visit your chiropractor as often as they recommend.
Why do chiropractors require so many visits?
The body requires time to heal. Since most of the body’s healing is prompted by better circulation and proper spine alignment, it takes time for chiropractors to bring those things to fruition.
