13 Feb “I’ll Have to Go Forever” – A Common Myth About Chiropractic
At our office, we often hear that people are afraid that if they’re treated by a chiropractor, they’ll have to continue coming for the rest of their lives. This myth may have been derived from individuals who seek out chiropractic treatment after a traumatic accident. Because of the magnitude of their injuries, these people may have to invest a lot of time in their care to fully restore their bodies.
The truth is, you can see us as often as you’d like, for as long as you’d like—of course; it’s your body, and your choice. When we see a new patient, they generally have a specific problem they’d like to address. Our goal is to treat any existing symptoms. Depending on the issue, it may get better with just a few visits. If it’s a more severe injury, it may take several months of care.
Once a patient has been treated for their initial complaint, they may be scheduled for follow up visits to make sure everything is in order. After that, we may recommend returning occasionally to be checked, similar to twice yearly dentist visits. Unfortunately, if a problem has gone untreated for a long period of time, the joints and vertebrae may have worn down and irritation of nerve fibers and other sensitive tissues may have occurred. In cases like this, it may take several visits to receive the best results.
Some people do choose to see their chiropractor on a regular basis. These people realize how great getting adjusted is and are proactive about their health, instead of waiting for an injury to occur. Being proactive about personal wellness generally includes watching what you eat, regular exercise, seeing your dentist and seeing a chiropractor to maintain a healthy spine. The benefits of seeing a chiropractor regularly are feeling better overall and having increased flexibility and range of motion. For this reason, many people do choose to see their chiropractor weekly or monthly.
Making a single visit to our office doesn’t mean you’ll have to come for the rest of your life. If you’d like to keep regular appointments, though, we’d be happy to have you and it will help to maintain optimal health.
