At Monitto Chiropractic in Asheville, we are committed to helping provide answers to your questions regarding chiropractic care. In this article, we are helping answer how long you can expect a chiropractic adjustment to last.
Common Chiropractic Treatment Plans
Chiropractic care is a non-invasive treatment plan for disorders of the musculoskeletal system. This is also known as the nervous system. The nervous system is the central hub for your body, so it is very important to take great care of any issues that arise.
But chiropractors can treat a wide range of conditions-- neck pain, migraines, sports-related injuries, and issues related to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems.
Every plan is made for the specific patient, including spinal manipulation and other manual joint therapies to relieve pain and tension and restore mobility. Spinal adjustments increase nerve function in joints and muscles and also improve blood flow to the brain.
Chiropractic care is not a "one and done" type of treatment. Most issues people come in for a chiropractic adjustment have been developing for years. So the solution will not happen overnight. A general rule to follow is one to four weeks from the start of the chiropractic treatment.
There should be a noticeable improvement. However, this all depends on the severity of the issue and how your body responds to the treatment.
Average Chiropractic Treatment Times
For musculoskeletal disorders, two to three visits per week for four weeks should bring noticeable relief. Several chiropractic adjustments over a period of a month or two often work best for back pain.
For prevention and wellness purposes, one adjustment per week for nine weeks is normal. These adjustments can last for weeks or months, depending on several different factors. Let’s look at those next.
What Affects How Long a Chiropractic Adjustment Lasts?
1) Spinal Alignment
The spine's initial alignment is a big part of how long the adjustment will last. A misaligned spine does not always cause pain, so some are not aware of the problem.
An injury is not always the cause for misalignment. Sleeping a certain way or turning your head down to look at a computer or phone can cause the spine to become misaligned.
Because some do not realize their spine has become misaligned, it can go untreated for a long time. Meaning more chiropractic adjustments will be needed to correct this built-up damage.
2) Type of Injury
If the adjustment is being used to treat a problem caused by an injury, the severity of the injury will affect how quickly the treatment will bring results. A bone injury typically takes five to six weeks before relief is significantly felt.
On the other hand, an injury to the tendons or ligaments typically takes around eight weeks to start to feel full relief.
3) The Patient
Everyone's body is different; therefore, everyone is going to respond to chiropractic adjustments differently. One factor is age, the younger patients normally respond much more quickly, and the effects are felt longer than senior patients.
Another factor is the lifestyle the patient leads. Someone with a more active lifestyle will respond quickly to adjustments and feel the effects longer. A patient who continues to exercise and eat a healthy diet will experience a longer duration of the effects from a chiropractic adjustment.
How to Make Your Chiropractic Adjustment Last Longer
Now that you know a little about how long chiropractic adjustments typically last, there are small, easy ways to prolong the life of your treatment. First off, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. More water means fewer body toxins such as uric acid that can cause your response time to slow down.
Getting a full night's rest and doing so comfortably is equally important. A quick fix to help sleep is to eliminate screen time at least an hour before bed.
We are all guilty of bad posture but sitting upright makes a huge difference in the long-lasting effects of an adjustment as well. Check the ergonomics of your office and car.
Monitto Chiropractic in Asheville, NC
At the Monitto Chiropractic, we want to make sure everyone has all the information they need about our process to be comfortable and at ease for their treatment. We have decades of experience treating a variety of conditions here in Asheville. We have seen many patients improve their health and wellness and become more mobile as a result of chiropractic treatment.
The time between chiropractic adjustments varies and is dependent on many different factors. So, it might be hard to decipher when it is time for your next adjustment. Monitto Chiropractic in Asheville, NC, can answer any questions you may have and help you decide what treatment plan is best for you. Our goal is to help you improve your health, find relief from pain, and live your best life.