One of the most frequent questions we get asked is “how often should I get a chiropractic adjustment?” And while this is a very good question, the answer is not that easy. It’s like asking, “How many times do I have to work out at the gym?” or, “How many times do I have to eat my vegetables?” The fact is, you don’t have to do any of these things at all. Yet, if you’re trying to get results like getting stronger, you’ll need to work out more. Or if you’re trying to eat a healthy diet, you’ll need to keep eating your vegetables. This is the same as if you’re trying to be proactive about spine health. You should consider a steady regime of chiropractic adjustment.
You should also consider what you want to achieve when seeking chiropractic care. There are many alternatives out there for back pain relief. You could take over the counter medications, for example. Many of our patients have come to us after getting a “quick fix” for their pain. Their common complaint is that the relief didn’t last. This is what we call symptomatic or temporary relief. It often happens because the root problem is not addressed.
Many people don’t seek real help until their pain has become unbearable to live with. This is where temporary results fail and a longer-lasting solution is necessary. A good chiropractor will provide you a program to help get to the source of your pain. This program usually requires more than one visit.
What you should expect in a chiropractic adjustment
There is really no way to slap a one-size-fits-all approach to chiropractic adjustment. However, in our experience, we have seen some commonalities in treatment that will give you an idea of what to expect. For example, in our office for symptomatic care, a patient is generally seen anywhere from 3-5 times per week for 1-2 weeks. When symptoms get under control, but still need to get to the root problem, a patient is generally seen 2-3 times per week for an additional 4-12 weeks. Then in order to maintain, prevent, or be proactive, patients do well with a chiropractic adjustment anywhere from 1-4 times per month.
With so many variables to consider with each and every unique patient, like the severity of injury and stage of treatment, how often a person should get a chiropractic adjustment varies quite a bit. Therefore, in our clinic we do not create a generic treatment model, instead, each patient is provided with a customized treatment plan to get them to that “maintenance” or “preventative” type of care as soon possible. Our approach to adjustment helps to get to the root cause of the problem and provides our patients with longer lasting results.
One final note, it’s always wise to find a clinic that utilizes a more comprehensive approach, as this will usually transition a patient from “symptomatic” care to “preventative” or “maintenance” care sooner.