One major concern among Chiropractic patients is the duration that the treatment takes. Some are so cautious of their budget that they expect an adjustment to last them a lifetime or at least several years. Others are over-anxious to recover from their condition and so they want the treatment to kick-start its effects almost immediately. However, there are a few who don’t mind making regular trips to a chiropractor for wellness purposes provided they see the results. So, how long exactly should you expect a chiropractic adjustment to last you? Let’s try to answer below.

It’s Not a One-Minute Treatment

A chiropractic adjustment is done to clear disruptions on the spine that may be the reason why there’s a dysfunction on the nerve, the muscles, the bone or the joint. The disruptions are called subluxations and they are not easy to fix. So, don’t expect to walk into a chiropractor’s office and leave within a minute. Similarly, don’t expect your issue to clear within a minute of leaving the chiropractor’s office.

It usually takes time. Some take days to feel the effects and others weeks. Just think about this for a minute – How long does it take to recover from surgery? Of course, it’s never immediate. Some people are fortunate to take days while others take weeks or months. So, expect the same after a chiropractic adjustment. It all depends on the procedure and your body’s response.

Average Expectation

If you are having chiropractic adjustments for prevention or wellness purpose, expect to go through at least one adjustment a week for about 9 weeks. In such a case, you can expect to start feeling the effects almost immediately.

For pains like headaches, joints pains, and muscle pains, expect to attend 3 sessions a week for about 4 weeks. Upon completion of your program, the adjustments can last you for weeks or months depending on these four factors.

The Patient

Every patient responds differently to chiropractic adjustments. Some are quicker than others and the variation is due to the following:

• Age – Younger patients are expected to respond much faster to chiropractic adjustments and they are also expected to enjoy the effects much longer than seniors. This is because the older you are, the less flexible you become.
• Activity – Individuals who are living an active lifestyle respond quicker to chiropractic adjustments. They also experience long-lasting effects if compared to individuals living a sedentary lifestyle. So, if you want your adjustment to last longer, get active.
• Fitness level – The fitter you are, the likelier you are to respond quickly to a chiropractic adjustment. This translates to a longer duration of its effects. As a result, chiropractors will advise you to keep on exercising and eating healthy after an adjustment.

Injury Type

Some injuries are more severe than others. Therefore, expect the less severe ones to heal much quicker than the severe ones. For example, a bone injury is likely to take 5-6 weeks before you can find relief after a chiropractic adjustment. If the injury is to the tendons or ligaments, expect it to take about 8 weeks to start experiencing full relief.

In case it’s cartilage or a vertebral disc that’s injured, then you may have to wait for months. The same can be said about back injuries. In the meantime, you are expected to undergo several adjustments. It doesn’t mean that you only need one adjustment to find relief. The severe the injury is, the more the adjustments you are expected to go through.

Lifestyle Modifications

When living the office of a chiropractor, expect to go out with a dozen instructions. Often, the instructions are directed towards making lifestyle changes. It’s estimated that more than 60% of chiropractic patients start getting relief after their first session because they opt to make lifestyle modifications. This is concerning:

• Eating healthy
• Exercising more regularly
• Quitting smoking

So, it’s generally advisable to live a decent lifestyle if you are looking to reduce chiropractic visits and be in a position to enjoy the effects longer.

Adjustment Technique

The technique used to adjust your body has a lot to stay about how long your treatment will last. For example, manual adjustments tend to take more time to yield results and their effects are often short-lived. Instrument-aided adjustments, on the other hand, are quick to yield results and the effects are long-lasting.

The problem is that not every chiropractor uses assistive devices to offer adjustments as they are expensive and come with a few risks. You may also be expected to pay a little extra for the adjustments. But if you don’t mind the cost and have a chiropractor you can trust, going for instrument-aided adjustments is not a bad thing.

The Bonus – You Can Make Your Adjustment Last Longer

Most patients are quicker to ask how they can make their treatment last longer once they hear about the expected duration. Here are the basic tips:

• Hydrate – You need more water to get rid of body toxins like uric acid that are known to slow down your response time to chiropractic adjustments. The more you hydrate, the likelier you are to improve the effects of your adjustment.
• Rest well – It’s not just about having to sleep for 8 hours but being able to enjoy your sleep. The healthier you sleep, the longer you enjoy the effects of a chiropractic adjustment.
• Sit upright – Just like it’s important to sleep well, you also need to sit upright to enjoy longer adjustment effects. You have to maintain an upright posture, more so when sitting behind a desk for hours.
• Epsom salt – Epsom salt is great in helping your sweat more and to get rid of toxins quicker. In chiropractic, it’s important in soothing your muscles. This helps you to respond faster to an adjustment.
• Apply ice – Ice not only reduces inflammation and pains but it also enhances circulation. This is critical in responding quickly to a chiropractic adjustment and enjoying its effects for much longer.
• Exercise – Exercises are important in boosting muscle flexibility and circulation. So, you should learn to exercise promptly as instructed by your chiropractor to enjoy longer effects.

Closing Thought:

The duration of a chiropractic adjustment depends on several factors as discussed above, so it’s hard to put a definite timeline on it. If you are unsure if it’s time for your next adjustment, contact Cool Springs Chiropractic in Franklin, TN, and we can help!

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