Seeing a Chiropractor: One-Time Visit Vs Long-Term Care
Is it possible to visit the chiropractor once and never return? Well, how often you visit the chiropractor depends entirely on your goal of chiropractic care.
People visit the chiropractor for many different reasons: back and neck pain, preventative care, sports injury rehab, migraine relief, scoliosis care, etc.
The primary goal of most chiropractors is to restore optimal function and mobility for their patients. This looks different for every patient, of course and will require more visits.
But what if you’re just wanting one visit or two?
One-time visit to the chiropractor
Chiropractic care is very effective for everyone. In fact, most individuals notice an incredible difference just after the first adjustment. Even those with more chronic conditions experience great relief in just a few adjustments. If you’re satisfied with the relief after one or two adjustments and you’re not interested in preventative or long-term care, that’s an option. But if you want to experience optimal function and mobility or just want to take extra precaution to avoid re-injury, you’ll need to opt for long-term care.
Long-term or Preventative Care
The entire body benefits from ongoing care; this approach has numerous advantage beyond just preventing pain. It keeps the spine and body in proper alignment to support organ health, better immunity, increase lung function, and even reverse chronic disease. The duration of the care plan depends on the condition, severity of the damage and how well the patient is responding to care. The number of visit gradually decreases over months as the body is improving and stabilizing.
The Bottom Line
The duration of your care plan depends on your health goals. During your first appointment, be sure to let your chiropractor know your goals and together, you can decide what is best for you: a one-time visit or long-term care.
Detecting Subluxation: Early Warning Signs
When it comes to our health and well-being, prevention is ALWAYS better than cure. This is especially true when it comes to spinal health and the detection of subluxation. Subluxation refers to a misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine leading to a multitude of health concerns if left untreated.
For optimal health and development, it’s important to understand that just because you don’t have pain doesn’t mean that you are free of misalignments or subluxations. There are many more ways your body can communicate with you outside of pain. By the time pain occurs, your body is basically screaming at you for help.
Let’s discuss other ways your body can communicate that there’s a problem and what constitutes as early warning signs of subluxation.
1. Postural Changes: Pay attention to any changes in your posture. If you notice that you are slouching, getting a hump or that your shoulders or hips are uneven, it could be a sign of subluxation. Misalignments in the spine can affect your posture and lead to muscle imbalances.
2. Chronic Headaches: Frequent headaches and migraines can be a sign of subluxation in the cervical spine. When the vertebrae in the neck are misaligned, it places excessive pressure on the nerves and lead to tension headaches or migraines.
3. Limited Range of Motion: The spine is meant to move freely and be flexible. If you find it difficult to move your neck or back freely, it could be a sign of subluxation. Also, if you notice discomfort in sitting or standing for a certain length of time, it’s possible your discs are involved and need to be evaluated. Misalignments in the spine can restrict the movement of the joints and muscles, leading to stiffness and reduced range of motion.
4. Numbness or Tingling: Subluxation can also affect the nerves that run through the spine. If you experience numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, or hands, it could be a result of nerve compression due to subluxation.
5. Digestive Issues: The nerves in the spine also play a crucial role in the functioning of the digestive system. If you are experiencing frequent indigestion, acid reflux, or other digestive issues, it’s worth considering a spinal evaluation with a expert Gonstead Chiropractor to rule out subluxation.
If you notice any of these early warning signs, it is crucial to seek professional chiropractic care. At Evergreen Chiropractic, we use the Gonstead method of care to to give our patients the highest quality of care.
Do not wait for pain to arrive before seeking care. be proactive and schedule a consultation today.