Understanding the Chiropractic Process and How Long a Treatment Plan May Last

Many people associate any type of health care treatment with pain or discomfort, which leads to avoidance. Some patients may make up excuses that they do not have the time or that the pain they are in really isn’t that bad. Unfortunately, especially when it comes to the 84% of people with lower back pain, this reluctance or fear can result in years of untreated discomfort, which a chiropractor could tend to in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.

Chiropractors and the Chiropractic Process

There is an unhealthy stereotype of chiropractors as bone cracking brutes. In reality, these medical professionals are trained in the joint, muscle and nervous systems of the body. Through x-rays and mobility exercises, these chiropractic professionals can pinpoint subluxations or functional disturbances that are inhibiting the proper function of the nervous system and ultimately causing discomfort.

Once able to pinpoint the location or reason for your pain, a chiropractor will put together a treatment plan. While there are occasions where a single treatment will alleviate the underlying issue, most chronic pain will require multiple and possibly lifelong weekly visits. The reason that treatment requires multiple sessions is that spinal correction is a delicate process. Also, the underlying issue likely didn’t occur suddenly, likely taking months or even years to develop. Therefore, the treatment will probably take a similar amount of time and dedication to correct.

Visits and Excuses

Many people are disappointed when they realize that a single chiropractic appointment only provides temporary relief of their symptoms, and that can lead to the I-don’t-have-time-for-this excuse. However, most chiropractic appointments can be completed in under 30 minutes. In fact, many practitioners say that repeat appointments tend to take no more than 10 to 15 minutes. However, that does depend on the severity of the underlying condition, but for the average patient, the 10 to 30-minute timeframe is likely realistic. While it is true that many people are extremely busy trying to balance work and home life, who honestly doesn’t have less than an hour to spare to improve their quality of life?

Chiropractors aren’t miracle workers. The job they do takes time and commitment from their patients. However, while it is true that the complete treatment plan can be quite lengthy, the actual appointments are pretty fast, especially when compared to other health care practices. If you are suffering from lower back pain, or any other joint, muscle or nerve pain, then contact someone who can help you with car crash treatment, like a chiropractor from Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab and Chiropractic, and find out if treatment is right for you.