Phases of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care is a unique in many ways from medical care but one of the most important is the arrangement of treatment phases. These phases have a distinct purpose to help treat your spinal and nervous system conditions. As stated on the opening page, our spines are structures; all parts are built on top of one another from the ground up. If any part of this structure is not in-line perfectly then health issues will eventually occur. When issues do arise and you decide to seek care you will start with stage one.

Below are the definitions of the phases of care:
Phases 1-Relief

The majority of patients consult a chiropractor because they have some kind of pain usually on their back. In the first phase of chiropractic care, the main objective is to eliminate or reduce your discomfort and stabilize your condition in the shortest amount of time. During this phase, progress is usually rapid.

The number of times you visit a chiropractor during this phase of chiropractic care varies and is dependent upon your specific condition. It's hard to say how long it will be until you see relief— it could be as short as a week or up to a month.

Phase 2-Corrective

This stage is characterized by the patient feeling like he is able to resume his normal activities. This is a very important time because if the patient truly resumes all of his activities at this moment, it is common for the pains to begin to increase again. This occurs because the condition has not yet been fully stabilized. Treatment continues to utilize physical therapy in an attempt to continue to keep the muscle spasm in check as well as re-educate those same muscles into their normal tone and length. Ice therapy may continue as well. At this stage the chiropractic adjustments are attempting to increase spinal mobility in order that more normal function may return to the spine and nervous system. This phase of care can take a few weeks with very minor conditions to months in more severe conditions. The frequency of care can still be multiple visits per week, but perhaps not as frequent as in the acute or relief phase.

Phase 3-Wellness/Maintenance

This phases is designed to maintain your improved health and spinal function, and prevent the return of the original condition once spinal correction has been attained. Regular attention catches small problems before they become serious. Prevention saves time and money by helping you stay well. A wellness approach to health means creating life changing healthy habits for optimum health and a fulfilling life around your physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs. Like maintaining any part of your health you and your family need regular check ups. The chiropractic lifestyle mean enjoying good nutrition, exercise, chiropractic care, and other preventive measures are part of a healthy life.