You may have heard the term "Corrective Chiropractic Care" and wondered, "What is it? And how is it different than the conventional approach to Chiropractic Care?"
Many people seek out Chiropractic when they are in unbearable pain, either immediately following a fall, sports injury, car accident or a seemingly random movement that “threw out” their back. Or they may seek help after trying other forms of relief — taking pain meds, going to physical therapy or having surgery — only to find that they are still in pain or continue to have frustrating and debilitating flare ups. They may have even tried Chiropractic, but stopped when the pain subsided, thinking they were “done.”
Corrective Chiropractic is a specialized plan of care
Corrective Chiropractic is a specialized plan of care that aims to correct bio-mechanical dysfunctions in order for the body to repair itself “correctly” and fully. Proper alignment is introduced and repeated in order for the body to remove interferences, including inflammation along the spine and establish healthier patterns of posture that feel relaxed and natural.
Optimized health for the individual, for the long term
Corrective Chiropractic is a philosophy, and in some ways, it is a lifestyle. A lifestyle that prioritizes overall wellness and taking an active role in one’s vitality and longevity. It is also an approach that addresses the needs of the individual, as they ebb and flow over time.
Care in phases, regularly and over time
Just as most diseases take root long before symptoms arise, the same is true of spinal issues. It takes time to treat and heal from a break down within the body in any form. Feeling immediate relief is great, but more often than not, continued maintenance work may be needed over some time in order to regain strength, fluidity and flexibility, as well as a sense of balance and ease. There are generally three phases of Corrective Chiropractic Care.
Phase 1: Relief Care
Our first objective is to help you reduce pain, so you begin feeling relief as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the underlying condition, it is typical for a patient to receive Chiropractic Care 2-3 times per week for the first few weeks.
Unfortunately, and in spite of our best efforts to educate patients about how the body heals, many people are overjoyed that their pain has subsided and they stop coming for Chiropractic Care! Would you stop watering your vegetable garden at the first sight of green sprouts? Or go for a run the day you get a leg cast removed after a recent bone fracture? We hope not!
When you begin Chiropractic Care, pain is often the first “symptom” to disappear, whereas much of the underlying condition remains and much of the reparative work still needs to be done. You are prone to re-injury. Or worse, you are prone to deepening the damage to an already vulnerable situation.
Phase 2: Restorative/Corrective Care
Chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a patient’s care. In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care even though your symptoms are significantly reduced or have disappeared.
During the Restorative/Corrective Phase of Chiropractic Care, muscles and other connective tissues are allowed to heal more completely. Most patients who enter this phase of care, typically see us 4-8 times per month for 6-9 months, or longer, depending on the severity of their issue and their progress.
Do not be discouraged if mild flare-ups in your symptoms occur. This is normal. It takes time for the body to fully heal, especially as we start to get back to our daily activities like work, school, housework and playing sports.
Phase 3: Wellness Care/Maintenance
Once your body has fully healed, routine Chiropractic Care can help ensure that your physical problems do not return. Just like continuing an exercise program and eating well in order to sustain the benefits of exercise and proper diet, Chiropractic Care can help to ensure the optimal health of your musculoskeletal system.
We have many patients who are in this phase of care, who have been seeing us on a regular basis since we first opened in 2013! Typically, these patients visit 1-4 times per month, based on their progress, how they are feeling on a week-to-week basis and where they are in achieving their overall health goals.
When you make routine Corrective Chiropractic Care a part of your life, you avoid many of the aches and pains that so many people suffer through, your joints will last longer and you will be able to engage in more of the activities you love.
Call 631-849-1586 today to schedule your first consult and find out if a Corrective Chiropractic Care Plan is right for you
We're here to answer any questions you may have about how the Spinal Adjustments can assist in your healing, along with other modalities and specialized equipment we utilize in our wellness center.
