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: Initial Intensive Care

If an ache, pain, or other obvious symptom has prompted you to begin chiropractic care, the first thing you want is to feel better.  Treatment will be frequent and adjustments will likely be combined with other therapies to help accelerate the healing process.  Depending on the severity of your problem, your age, and lifestyle, treatment frequency will vary from daily to 2-3 times per week for 2-4 weeks.

Phase 2: Rehabilitative Care

After your symptoms have improved, muscle and other soft tissue damage often remain.  This is typically seen as persistent soreness, tightness, and/or weakness.  During the Rehabilitative Care phase, muscles and other tissues are prompted to heal more completely through continued care including adjustments, therapies, deep tissue massage, rehabilitative exercises and stretching.  This phase is vitally important for achieving long-term stability.  Treatment frequency is typically reduced to 1-2 times per week, and may continue for 2 weeks to 6 months depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem.

Phase 3: Wellness Care

Once your body has fully healed, it is important to come in for periodic "check-ups." These wellness visits can detect and help correct any problems early before they become more serious.  Health-conscious adults choose this type of care for themselves and their children.  Like other preventive health measures, Wellness Care can save time and money by helping you stay well.  Usually, this only requires a quick visit to the chiropractor once every 4-8 weeks, based on your lifestyle and goals.