Have you thought about visiting a chiropractor but wondered if you had the time to complete your treatments? Chiropractors see approximately more than 35 million people in the United States each year. And while some of these millions will require frequent visits, others might only need an occasional adjustment. The frequency of your adjustments will depend upon multiple factors, such as the severity of your pain and injury along with how your body responds to your treatments.
Reasons People Seek Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors are best known for alleviating back pain, but they do so much more. You could benefit from chiropractic care if you experience neck pain or headaches. Your spine runs through your neck, and any tension that builds up there can affect the muscles and nerves that lead to your head. After an adjustment, you may notice that your headaches occur with less frequency. An adjustment can also help with the following issues:
- Neuropathy (pain, tingling and numbness) from pinched nerves
- Pregnancy-related back and leg pain
- Injuries sustained during an accident such as whiplash
- Difficulty with breathing due to tight back muscles and pressure on your nerves
- Decreased range of motion
Many parts of your body are connected to your spine. A back injury can even cause pain that reaches down to your toes. During an exam, we can help to determine if your unexplained pain originates in your spine.
Types of Pain
There are two main types of pain. One is acute pain that occurs for only brief periods. The periods could last as little as a few minutes or extend for three to six months. The other is chronic pain, which occurs for more than six months. Keep in mind that this could be intermittent. Keep in mind that this could be intermittent.
Pain can also be classified according to its origin. For example, visceral pain comes from deep within your body and is associated with injury or infection in your internal organs. Somatic pain comes from your skin, muscles, joints and bones.
When you visit our office, we’ll ask you where you feel pain along with when it started. You can also help us to identify the source of your pain by using these nine words to describe the sensations you feel:
- Cramping
- Shooting
- Burning
- Pressure
- Stinging
- Throbbing
- Constant
- Stabbing
- Gnawing
You can also let us know if anything helps alleviate the pain, such as applying ice or heat to parts of your body.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Trying to maneuver through life with pain, stiffness and discomfort affects every part of your wellbeing. You can often feel the benefits of chiropractic care after just one adjustment, and the benefits keep on coming as you progress through your treatment.
Stress Relief
The connection between stress and pain is well-known, and each one exacerbates the other. Chronic stress can cause you to tense up muscles in your back, shoulders and neck. During an adjustment, we can help to reduce this tension so that you begin to feel better. As your pain decreases, so do your stress levels. We can also show you simple exercises that you can do at home to help you relax during stressful times.
Better Sleep
Do you toss and turn because you can’t find a mattress that comfortably supports your back? Your behavior could be attributed to your spine not being in proper alignment, which, in turn, causes your body to sink into uncomfortable positions when you lay down. Seeking chiropractic care helps to put it back into alignment so that you sleep more comfortably.
Pain Relief
Chiropractic care provides a natural form of pain relief that is preferable to using potentially addictive prescription painkillers. Natural pain relief helps you stay alert and avoid the adverse side effects of medication that could lead to new injuries. You might want to give us a try before you resort to using drugs that only mask the pain, or you could choose to get an adjustment to help you wean off of your current prescriptions. If you want to continue to use medication, chiropractic adjustments can complement your current treatment plan.
Determining How Many Chiropractic Adjustments You Need
Your initial appointment at our office is spent getting to know you and performing a complete exam. This exam will typically involve x-rays that we can use to identify any subluxations and spinal injuries. After that, we’ll be ready to talk to you about our findings and provide you with a recommended course of treatment.
At first, we may have you come in several times a week to help get your body’s musculoskeletal structure into proper alignment. Once you feel better, you’ll gradually wean off of regular visits until you are only coming into our office for maintenance adjustments.Once you feel better, you’ll gradually wean off regular visits until you are only coming into our office for maintenance adjustments. These may occur monthly or a few times a year.
Benefits of Regular Chiropractic Adjustments
Following your plan for regular adjustments helps you to get the most from your treatments. In addition to pain relief, you can expect to enjoy having a wider range of motion. Realigning strained joints can also prevent further degeneration that leads to arthritis. Improved circulation and decreased inflammation throughout your body are benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments. Here are a few others to consider:
- Improved nerve communication throughout your body
- Improved athletic performance
- Neck and back pain relief
- Relief from chronic injuries
- Improved physical function
- Increased focus
- Better posture
Different Stages of Care
There are three main stages of care that we provide in our office. Some people will only need the first stage, but most people will work through all three. They are:
- Acute or Relief Care: – This stage focuses on providing immediate relief from your symptoms, although this relief may only last for a week or two.
- Corrective Care: This is where we begin working on correcting underlying joint, muscle and spinal issues to provide long-term relief. You may stay in this stage for a few weeks or several months.
- Maintenance Care: At this point, you’ll visit us less frequently, and your appointments will focus on helping to keep your body in proper alignment. You may do special exercises and work on your posture at home.
We’ll also perform adjustments as needed based upon factors such as how much strain you place on your body. This phase can last six months to a year. You may stay in this stage longer if you have chronic pain or injuries.
Chiropractic Myths
Myths surround the field of chiropractic care, and you may have even heard a few of these and wondered if they’re true. Of course, finding out the truth can help you feel more confident about seeing a chiropractor for an assessment and treatment.
You Get Addicted to Chiropractic and Have to Keep Going Back
Chiropractic care isn’t addictive. In fact, it is often preferable compared to opioid-based medications that lead to true addictions. The reason why people tend to return to chiropractic care is that their body changes over time. With stress on your body and new injuries, you may need to have a maintenance adjustment to restore your spine’s proper alignment.
Chiropractic Care Isn’t Covered by Insurance
Health insurance plans may vary in their coverage, but you can typically expect your treatments to be covered. When you visit our office, we can help you find out what your insurance plan covers along with your estimated out-of-pocket expenses, if there are any.
I Need a Prescription (From My MD) to See a Chiropractor
Many people come to us after being referred by a physician. However, you don’t have to have a prescription to see a chiropractor. All you have to do is schedule an appointment to begin finding out whether or not you could benefit from chiropractic care.
There’s No Proof That Chiropractic Works
There is proof that chiropractic care is effective, and numerous studies have been done over the years with some notable, supporting results. For instance, one study showed that people who received chiropractic care had a 64% lower chance of needing opioid pain relievers compared to those who did not receive this form of treatment. Feeling less pain is proof that your chiropractic adjustments are working.
Chiropractic Causes Arthritis Because of the Cracking of Bones
Chiropractic adjustments are performed using gentle motions and applications of pressure to help move your bones, muscles and ligaments into their proper places. At times, you might hear popping noises as this occurs, but this does not cause any harm. Your joints have fluid in them that help with movement. Cracking and popping noises result from air and fluid moving around as your body is placed into different positions.
Chiropractic Adjustments Hurt
The majority of people find that their adjustments are painless. If you do feel discomfort during an adjustment, then we encourage you to let us know. This feedback helps us to ensure your comfort. Occasionally, you might feel some mild soreness after a procedure, but this should be short-lived and shouldn’t interfere with your normal daily activities.
Experience What Chiropractic Care Can Do for You
Are you in the Nashville area and ready to experience the wonderful things chiropractic care has in store for you? If you are, give Cool Spring Chiropractic a call at (615) 503-9900 to schedule an appointment today! Alternatively, you can easily book an appointment with us by using our online form.
