Why Chiropractors Keep You Coming Back Again and Again
Updated: Nov 2
Why do chiropractors have you come back so often?
Because lasting change takes repetition. Quick relief can come fast, but changing how your spine moves, your posture and your muscles takes months. Muscles have memory and want to return to old patterns, so adjustments are repeated until the new patterns can take over.
Did my pain really "just start"?
This has been a common question in my Plymouth chiropractic clinic. Everyone knows there's no magic off button for pain, but everyone wishes there were one.
Most people "just got this neck pain" or say their "back just started hurting yesterday." That may be true, but most haven't noticed how stiff they've gotten over the years. You may have thought, "I really should stretch more." Hours on a laptop, iPad or behind the wheel felt like a necessary evil. Slowly, your spine lost its ability to move correctly and your muscles shortened and lost flexibility.
Over time, muscle imbalances develop and the spine starts to stiffen in place. Small posture problems become set in and hard to change without help. Sooner or later, you end up with pain.
How long does chiropractic take to work?
Short-term relief of an hour, a couple of hours or a couple of days often comes quickly. Changing your posture, how your spine moves and the health of your muscles takes months. Your body wants to go back to its old patterns, so until the new ones take over, changes from adjustments are short-lived. Every case is different, and it depends on your goals.
How can I get better results from chiropractic care?
1. Keep your appointments
I can't give you an adjustment in pill form to take home. I need to see you in my office to change anything. If you miss one of three appointments each week, you're getting only about two-thirds of the care I recommend. That's the number-one reason care doesn't work.
2. Be active
Your body wasn't made to sit all day. Many people sit at work, then come home and sit more. Families build their lives around kids' sports, so why not make exercise important for you as an adult too? Everyone needs regular exercise.
3. Stretch
Ask me for a couple of stretches, or check my earlier blog posts for stretching tips and pictures. Better yet, take up Pilates. It builds core strength and flexibility, and it's gentle on your body.
What if I'm doing everything and not improving?
Talk to me. I may be missing something, or a simple addition to your plan for care or a slightly different technique may help. Along with Motion Palpation (similar to Gonstead), I use Diversified, CBP, Toggle Recoil, drop pieces and occasionally the Activator.
Call us at 763-553-0387. Voted Best Chiropractic Clinic in Plymouth, 2024 Sun Newspapers Readers' Choice Awards.
FAQ
Why do I need so many chiropractic visits?
Muscles and joints have memory and drift back to old patterns. Repeated adjustments give new patterns time to take over.
How long does it take for chiropractic to work?
Short-term relief often comes quickly; changing posture and spinal movement usually takes months. Every case is different.
What happens if I miss appointments?
Missing one of three weekly visits means getting only about two-thirds of the recommended care, the most common reason care falls short.
What kind of exercise do you recommend alongside chiropractic care?
I recommend Pilates. It builds core strength and flexibility, and it's gentle on your body.
Comments