What to Expect

Laying the foundation

Chiropractic care is like building a house – certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work correctly. When building a house, if you tried to put up your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually collapse. If you tried to put on your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. The same is true for your body. Your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully. There are three general phases of chiropractic care . . .

Chiropractic Care Consists of Three Phases:

1. The Acute Phase
• The doctor's first objective is to return the spine to its normal position and restore body balance. This reactivates the body’s self-healing ability and aids in pain reduction. During the initial stabilization period, a number of corrections may be necessary. Once the spine is in a stable position or “holding,” many patients may maintain their corrections for weeks, months, or even years. Recovery will continue as long as the correction is maintained. Patients who allow adequate time for the correction and stabilization of the spine will see the best long-term results.

2. Body Stabilization and the Healing Phase
• Most patients see results quickly. However, the first six weeks after the initial correction are generally considered the recovery and healing phase. During this period, body balance is monitored to insure the correction is maintained and healing continues.

3. Health Maintenance Phase
• During the health maintenance phase, the body begins to return to optimum health. Patients begin learning new and better ways to care for themselves, which aids in maintaining the stability of the spinal correction. DISCLAIMER: This Web site is not a prescription for or diagnosis of any disease or condition. Information is based on the assumption that a thorough examination was done previously and the reader is under the care of a medical professional. This information is not a substitute for a live doctor.