There are lots of reasons that people visit the chiropractor, but a common question relates to frequency. How often do you need to be adjusted? The right answer depends on the patient, the condition and the chiropractor.
Start with Your Reason for Visiting
Different chiropractors have different goals, and that can drive their recommendations for treatment. Dr. Lynelle McSweeney in Reno has one goal with all of her patients – getting them out of pain and on with their lives. When you come in to see her for an appointment, she always begins with questions about how you’re feeling and simple diagnostic tests to pinpoint the problem. Then she’s in a position to make the best recommendations for your care.
In some cases, a simple adjustment is all you need to help you return to your previous state of health, and no follow-up care is required. In other instances, underlying stressors need to be addressed over a period of time, and Dr. McSweeney will ask that you return weekly or even in a few days for follow-up care.
What about Preventative Care?
It’s not uncommon for patients who receive chiropractic care a few times to begin noticing when something isn’t right in their spine, neck or hips. They become more attuned to their bodies and are better able to pick up on the pain that appears. These patients may come in when they feel they need an adjustment, and that’s fine. Other patients enjoy a preventative or maintenance care program that means they visit every month or two, just because it makes them feel better.
Again, Dr. McSweeney’s goal is to get you out of pain so that your body can enjoy an optimal state of health. Visit frequency is up to you, and will likely depend on factors like your lifestyle, activity level, even your diet.
Let Your Body Dictate your Visits
If you feel generally well but want to head off misalignments before they become problematic, scheduling a visit for an adjustment once a month or every few months is probably a smart idea. Alternatively, you could come in whenever you’re feeling tension or pain. Make the decision based on how you feel and how your body responds to chiropractic care, and ask your chiropractor for a recommendation as well. Just don’t think that you have to keep seeing a chiropractor once you begin.