Patients always want to know how long it will take them to feel better under chiropractic care. As much as I wish that there was a single, simple answer I could give every patient, that’s simply not the case.
Every one heals at a different pace which depends on factors such as age, activity level and how long you have had your problem.
In most cases, patients begin to see pain relief after their first few chiropractic adjustments.
Generally, 60% of patients get some relief after their first treatment, 30% feel better after 2 or 3 visits, while the other 10% take a little longer to see results.
Your age also has an impact on how fast you will heal. Usually, younger patients, those in their 20s and early 30s, respond quicker to therapy than middle aged patients. Patients past middle age, generally take the longest to see results.
The amount of time that you have been in pain also plays a role into the speed of your recovery. Chronic pain that you have experienced for years will most likely take longer to alleviate than someone who has only been in pain for a few days. This is why I always recommend that you begin chiropractic care as soon as you notice pain. The sooner you begin treatment, the faster you will see results.
Activity level is another factor in how fast you will respond to chiropractic care. Those that live an active lifestyle that includes regular exercise tend to respond faster to treatment than those that live a more sedentary lifestyle. Exercise helps the body heal by keeping your joints moving as well as increasing blood flow, which promotes healing. I usually recommend patients begin some form of exercise as soon as possible, even if it is only a 20 minute walk a few times a week. You may be surprised that even light exercise can make you feel better.
Finally, the length of your chiropractic care depends on whether you just want to get out of pain, or if you want to fix the problem that caused your pain. If you only want to get out of pain, you treatment time will be shorter, however there is a good chance that your pain will return in the future if the underlying problem is not corrected. For this reason, chiropractors recommend treatment even when patients are no longer experiencing pain. This ensures that your spine stays in the proper position and that your joints are moving properly, so that the problem can be fixed.
As you can see, there are a number of factors that play a role in determining how long you will be under chiropractic care. Whether you are looking for a quick patch to get you out of pain, or you want to make sure that the problem is solved and never comes back, chiropractic can get you the help that you want.