I had a patient come to the office last week and she had been a patient for about two weeks. When she came in she was a 12, on a pain scale of 1-10, so she was hurting BAD. We adjusted her, told her to ICE at home, told her not to exercise or do any lifting.
Within 5 days, 90% of her pain was gone. She was getting around normally, going shopping, taking the kids to school, and cooking. She was back to normal. So when she came in after two weeks of care she asked me, “Hey Doc, why do you still want me to get adjusted when I feel good?” Here’s the answer.
When patients begin chiropractic care I frequently recommend up to three visits per week. Sometimes I even see them twice a day, depending on their condition, their pain level, etc.
So a lot of times patients ask me how I arrive at their visit schedule, since their MD never asks them to come back that frequently.
What you have to remember is you are doing the healing, not me, and everyone responds differently. Predicting the best course of care is a combination of three things: education, experience and keen observation skills, not symptoms.
When I administer a chiropractic adjustment I apply a specific force, at a specific location, in a specific direction to assist your body in “righting” and “aligning” itself.
I try and supply energy at the right time and the right place, so your body can use it the most effective way possible.
Frequent visits at the beginning of your care, creates the repetition needed to establish a healthier spinal pattern. If you’re told from your early years to brush your teeth at least three times a day, you don’t question that do you? You might not do it, but you know it’s the best thing to do for a healthy mouth and teeth.
For most new patients, three times a week seems to produce the best results in the shortest amount of time.
It doesn’t mean you’re aligned, it just means you don’t have the symptoms you came to the office with originally. Staying healthy is staying aligned.