How Often Should I See a Chiropractor?

If you are currently seeing a chiropractor or you are thinking about scheduling your first visit, you may have some questions surrounding treatment. One of the most common questions is: how often is it necessary to come in for a visit while under the care of a chiropractor? Ultimately, it will depend on your specific health goals and needs. However, there are a few specific guidelines to keep in mind that can help give you an idea for where to get started and what to expect.

When to See a Chiropractor?

The most common reasons for seeking chiropractic care are neck pain and back pain. With low back pain being one of the top causes of disability in the U.S., quickly seeking effective care can be a game changer in reducing medical costs and loss of productivity. Chiropractors certified in Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) are the top experts in addressing underlying issues with spine misalignment. Spine misalignment is a commonly overlooked problem that can lead to an array of health issues, including back pain, secondary to poor nerve perfusion. Thus, restoring spine alignment can be the first step in building sustainable health and an optimal quality of life.

Outside of what we traditionally think of for chiropractic treatment, there are many other less obvious indicators for care. These might include suffering from chronic fatigue, brain fog, injury, a car accident, poor sleep, and chronic pain- to name a few.

Typical Frequencies for Effective Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic care follows three phases in the path to recovery. CBP care puts an emphasis on following through to the second two important phases. Each phase has a specific focus for working sustainably toward your goals. Each phase is also associated with a different range of treatment frequencies to give you the best results.

1. Phase 1: Pain Relief. If you start chiropractic treatment in pain, the first step will always be getting you relief as quickly as possible. This is done with adjustments, modalities, and any other appropriate techniques to get you feeling more comfortable. The range of frequency you can expect in this phase is 2 to 3 times per week for anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks.
2. Phase 2: Restorative Care. Once your pain is relieved, the focus turns to true sustainable healing of affected tissues, such as muscle, ligaments, and neural tissue. This step helps with long term recovery while reducing risk of future injury. You can expect the frequency in this stage to decrease a little to 4 to 8 times per month for anywhere from 6 to 24 months.
3. Phase 3: Maintenance Care. This final stage is a vital stage that is often skipped in traditional medicine. Your CBP care provider will understand just how important it is to continually monitor your health and spine alignment to address any issues that come up promptly. This will ultimately prevent unnecessary suffering and help you feel your best throughout your life. You can expect the frequency in this stage to decrease again to 1 to 4 times per month for as long as needed.

Feeling Your Best

Getting lasting results for your symptoms cannot be done with one or two quick “one size fits all” treatment. Rather, with the guidance of a CBP provider, you will learn to recognize subtle changes in your body that alert you to the need for making a lifestyle adjustment. It’s what living a truly healthy life looks like. Talk to your local CBP certified chiropractor today to determine what treatment and frequency is best for you.