During the Relief/Acute care phase you will experience pain reduction and improved function. This will address the initial injury as well as help you regain your range of motion.

During this phase the chiropractor works to reduce further soft tissue damage and improve joint/muscle function through myofascial release, rehabilitative exercises and chiropractic adjustments.

Acute care addresses immediate and sometimes temporary alleviation of pain or symptoms. This stage will typically include reducing acute inflammation, stabilizing the injury/condition and restoring normal joint/muscle function through soft tissue work, modalities, therapeutic exercise and chiropractic adjustments.

Getting a good adjustment after an accident, twist or fall is one of the best things you can do for your body. It will help prevent chronic musculoskeletal problems down the road. Think of it like a car: if you ignore that clunking sound in your back from a big bump, the problem may just get worse. So, when the body whispers “Help!” don’t hesitate to see the chiropractor pronto.

Many injuries occur due to micro-trauma (repetitive stress) and macro-trauma (one-time trauma). Over time these traumas can damage soft tissues such as muscles, ligaments tendons and cartilage and lead to faulty movement/muscle patterns that create tight or weak areas in the body. When these injuries are untreated they can eventually lead to permanent dysfunction and pain. The purpose of the relief/acute care phase is to stabilize your condition and reduce acute inflammation so that the underlying cause of your pain can be addressed.

Patients in the relief/acute care phase will usually have more frequent visits to the chiropractor at first but then visit less frequently as their pain and function improves. However, some patients vacillate between the relief and correction/restorative phases several times. This is often a result of patients exceeding their limitations and exacerbating their injuries/conditions.

Acute care may also be used to treat conditions such as headaches or migraines. These conditions are often brought on by various causes such as stress, diet, poor posture and sleep habits. Seeking emergency chiropractic care for these conditions can help prevent chronic headaches and migraines and can improve your overall quality of life.

The study participants were followed closely throughout their prescribed treatment plan and evaluated at various points in time. Evaluations were performed at the initial assessment, then after 1, 2, 4, 8, and 26 weeks of care. A questionnaire was sent by mail to those who terminated care before returning for a final evaluation or did not return for their last appointment.

As expected, results from the study indicate that patients who received chiropractic treatment during the acute phase had better outcomes compared to those who began their care in the sub-acute or correction/restorative stages of healing. However, it should be noted that the primary outcome measure of ‘clinically relevant improvement’ leveled off at the 6 month follow up and was no longer significantly different between the high-acute (0-2 weeks of symptoms) and mid-acute (2-12 weeks of symptoms) groups. The difference between these two ‘acute’ groups was also diminished at the 1 week and the 1-month data collection points.

Correction/Restorative Care

Once acute pain and symptoms are under control, you will move into the corrective care phase of your treatment plan. In this phase, the chiropractor will work to correct underlying spinal misalignments and postural imbalances that cause pain and dysfunction in your body.

During this phase, the frequency of your visits will decrease. Your chiropractor may work with you to improve your posture, strengthen weak muscles, and reduce irritated nerves. This can help you to heal more completely and prevent future injuries and pain.

Your chiropractor will continue to evaluate your progress and make adjustments as necessary. You will be encouraged to engage in healthy lifestyle choices, such as proper diet and exercise, that can support your chiropractic care and improve your quality of life. Continuing to improve your posture, movement and strength is often enough to sustain the correction of your underlying imbalances and maintain wellness without regular adjustments.

This is an exciting stage of your treatment! It is important that you remain committed to the process because if you stop your care before reaching maximum medical improvement, your problem may return or worsen over time. Many people who experience relief after the initial relief phase stop chiropractic care, choosing to only call when their symptoms return. While it is understandable to want to stop once your pain is gone, you must remember that you will not get well until the underlying problems are corrected.

In this phase, the chiropractor will analyze your results and determine whether or not you are ready to move into maintenance/wellness care. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have and discuss your goals moving forward.

When you are ready to transition, your chiropractor will perform a full chiropractic examination to ensure that the safe limits of your neck curve have been achieved and that forward head posture is minimized. Then the frequency of your visits will be reduced to as needed for symptom control.

Chiropractic care works with the very system that controls all other systems of your body – the central nervous system. When the central nervous system is functioning optimally, your entire body can function at a higher level of health.

A personalized chiropractic approach is the best way to assess your health needs and address them with confidence. A patient-practitioner relationship that encourages open communication and teamwork allows you to achieve your personal health goals faster. This is the ideal approach to long-term healthcare, addressing issues before they manifest as an injury or illness and helping you stay well! If you are ready to start the journey toward a healthier, more balanced life, give us a call today! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Maintenance/Wellness Care

As the term suggests, this type of care is geared towards maintaining wellness and promoting optimal body function. Unlike the acute and restorative phases, which focus on treating symptoms and relieving pain, maintenance/wellness care aims to prevent future problems and promote overall health. This is accomplished by adjusting the spine regularly and thereby encouraging normal spinal biomechanical function. Chiropractors are often questioned as to why they recommend ongoing chiropractic care even after a patient has no apparent symptoms and/or is in the rehabilitative phase of their treatment. This is because many patients who are referred to chiropractors by their medical doctor, chiropractors are usually the only health professionals who understand the body’s biomechanical function and how it is influenced by a misaligned spine.

Most people are unaware that their spinal alignment has a direct impact on their overall health. In addition to the obvious musculoskeletal benefits, regular adjustments can help to address and reduce the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, studies show that regular chiropractic care can improve general well-being and increase energy levels.

While relief/acute care focuses on the immediate reduction of inflammation/swelling and pain, wellness adjustments focus on improving function and optimizing the nervous system. This is because the nerves control all other systems in the body and when there is an interference to the body’s natural structure the resulting effects are seen throughout the entire body, not just the affected area. The goal is to restore the normal biomechanical balance to the spine and encourage the body to heal itself.

Once a person has reached the recovery stage of their injury, most will continue to receive regular chiropractic adjustments to help avoid future problems and promote overall wellness. This is especially true for those who engage in a physically demanding lifestyle, such as athletes. Regular chiropractic care can help to identify and address issues that may be contributing to poor performance or injuries, such as muscle tightness/weakness, weak core stability or postural irregularities that lead to spinal misalignment. By correcting these imbalances early on, patients can save themselves from the need for more invasive procedures or medications down the road.

It is important to note that there is not a lot of research on the topic of maintenance/wellness care, and it remains difficult to find clear indications for when this type of chiropractic is appropriate. The use of this therapeutic approach in recurrent or chronic conditions is not new and has been reported in the literature for over 20 years. However, it is often neglected or criticized because the current scientific evidence on this subject is limited and of low quality. There is a need to study this topic further in order to establish clearer definitions, indications and beliefs regarding Maintenance Care so that clinical trials can be performed.