What to Expect

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, so you can begin doing the things you need to do to get well again.  Depending on the severity of your problem, it is typical to need care 2-3 times per week for 4-12 weeks.

Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care

During the corrective care phase, muscles and other tissues are allowed to heal more completely, thereby helping prevent injury. It is typical to need care 4-8 visits per month for 6-24 months, depending on your overall health and the severity and chronicity of your problem.  During this time, specific exercise and nutritional recommendations will be made to promote your healing process. 

Phase 3: Wellness Care

Many people find that once they have invested in getting healthy, they want to stay that way.  They are often more aware of when things "aren't working right," and that it is worthwhile to get periodic "tune ups" to detect and correct any stresses that may be developing, instead of waiting until they are in a crisis and have to start the healing process all over again. Usually, this only requires a quick visit to the chiropractor 1-4 times per month, depending on your lifestyle, stress levels, and health goals.