Laying the foundation for total health
In some ways, one could say that chiropractic care is a bit like building a house - certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work together correctly. When building a house, if you tried to build your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak-they may shake, crumble, lean...and may eventually collapse. If you tried to attach your roof before the walls were strong & steady, you would run into the same problem. These concepts apply to your body as well, and chiropractic care addresses many common reasons why people experience pain and other health issues. If something is not right with your body's foundation-your nervous system-then that needs to be addressed before true health can be achieved. With chiropractic care, 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, our first objective is to help you reduce pain and start feeling better as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the underlying condition which is causing your pain, it is typical for a patient to need chiropractic care or adjustments several times per week for a few weeks. We also refer to this as the "acute" stage of care.
Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care
During the corrective phase of chiropractic care, muscles and other tissues are allowed to heal more completely, which helps prevent further injury or pain. The goal of corrective or restorative chiropractic care is to help bring your body back to 100% functioning. It is typical to need chiropractic care or adjustments about several times per month for several months, depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Once your body has fully healed and you are no longer experiencing back pain or other pain symptoms, it is important to come in for chiropractic adjustments to avoid further problems in the future. Wellness care is like changing the oil in your care...or going to the dentist. You don't wait until your car engine blows up to change the oil, and you don't see the dentist only when you have severe tooth decay. You change the oil-a much cheaper form of auto care!-to prevent the engine from exploding, and you get your teeth cleaned on a regular basis to prevent tooth decay, cavities, etc. Getting your spine adjusted, and keeping your nervous system functioning without interference, is the routine part of chiropractic care to help prevent major health problems. Getting adjusted when you feel great is just as important as getting adjusted when you are in pain!