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: Relief Care
If you are in pain when you come into our office, the first objective is to help you feel better. Depending on the severity of your problem, it is typical to need care 2-3 times per week for a couple of weeks. Treatment is usually heavy on therapy at this time with only gentle mechanical interventions.
Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care
Once out of acute/severe pain we will treat you 1-2 times per week while we actually correct the biomechanical faults causing your pain and other symptoms. It is typical to need care once per week for 4-6 weeks, depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem. Activity and nutritional recommendations are typically introduced at this time. Treatment becomes more active with less therapy and more soft tissue and biomechanical work with exercises and stretching playing a larger role in your care.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Once your mechanics are improved, it is important to come in for periodic "tune-ups" to keep your frame in good working order and avoid problems in the future. Usually, this only requires a visit every 4-6 weeks, based on your lifestyle and goals. Very little therapy is utilized at this stage with lots of mechanical work and exercise/stretching.