Phase 1: Relief Care

Thumbs Up to Relief

Many people go to a chiropractor because they are in pain. In this first phase of care, the main goal is to reduce your symptoms. Sometimes this will require daily visits, or two to three visits per week for a time.

Most people are under the assumption that if they don’t feel any pain that there is nothing wrong with them – that they are healthy. Unfortunately, pain is a very poor indicator of health. In fact, pain and other symptoms frequently only appear after a disease or other condition has become advanced.

For example, consider a cavity in your tooth. Have you ever been to the Dentist and he says "You have a cavity." And you say "But I don't feel any pain" and he says "If you don't fix it you will." The question is, Does it hurt when it first develops OR only after it has become serious? How about heart disease? Regardless of whether you are talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stress or problems with the spine, PAIN IS USUALLY THE LAST THING TO APPEAR  When you begin chiropractic care, pain is also the first symptom to disappear, even though much of the underlying condition or pathology remains.

We need to continue to with care until the pathology or problem is fully treated. This will give the body "time to heal" and allow for a deeper, more complete healing process. This begs the question: What would happen if a Dentist took the braces off too soon? We both know the answer. The teeth would go back out of place. The same often happens with your spine. Quit too soon and the body may return to the painful state often only worse. We don't want ot treat forever, so before we start treatment we will agree on measurable outcome measures such as return of a certain function, range of motion, or spine curve. In this way, we both will know how you are doing other than pain. Of course results may vary in individual cases but that's what makes us human.